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London, 25th November, 1915
MM. Worms & Co - Paris

Dear Sirs,
English Coaling Company Ltd. We had the opportunity of giving you over the telephone this morning the gist of our private lines of yesterday's date reporting what had taken place between the Manager of the English Coaling C° Ltd. and M. Newton Dunn in furtherance of the negociations which he was requested to open with Lord Inchcape for a renewal of the arrangement with the English Coaling C°, when you told us that you were in favour of the principle of a three years Agreement conditional upon their confining themselves to their present clientele & that you were prepared under to continue to contribute your quota to the English Coaling C° under such an arrangement for the whole period of it whether the present Agreement amongst the Members of the Entente comes to an end or not, but that you were opposed to any increase in the 5 per cent allowance which they had stipulated for. You also enquired what view M. Newton Dunn himself took of the proposal when we told you we thought he was inclined to agree to it so far as he personally was concerned.
You came through to us again about midday when you emphasised your objection to any increase upon the 5 per cent allowance for reasons which we were not quite able to catch but which will doubtless be explained in your written confirmation thereof, and meanwhile we have merely given M. Newton Dunn an outline of your views telling him at the same time that when expressing them you had not before you our letter of yesterday's date but that upon receipt of same in the morning you would probably have something further to say about it. We took the opportunity to enquire whether we were right in assuming that he personally, was in favour of a clean acceptance of Lord Inchcape's proposal, to which he replied in the affirmative as it would then afford that gentleman no opportunity of drawing back or increasing his demands.
We are, Dear Sire,
Yours truly,

James Burness & Sons