Archives

James Burness & Sons
London and 3, Bute Crescent, Cardiff
138, Leadenhall Street

London, 26th May 1916
Messrs Worms & C° - Paris

Dear Sirs,
We are in receipt of your favor of the 22nd inst. The contents of which we duly note.
We have not heard any more of Mr. Runciman's reported intention to visit Italy but you will perhaps have noticed in today's "Daily Freight Register" (page 6, column 1) it says referring to the limitation of prices of coal sold to France that the movement cannot remain as at present but "it must inevitably be consistently extended in all fairness to our other Allies".
We believe the question of the limitation of coal prices was more or less settled at a Meeting between representatives of the Coal owners and Mr. Runciman on the 24th inst.; the details however have not yet been made public but we understand from someone who was present that they were more favourable from the Coal owners' point of view than they had hoped to carry through.
We agree with you that the proposal that the price should be 20% less than that on the 8th March last is quite an unworkable one.
We are, dear Sirs,
Yours truly,

James Burness & Sons

Since writing the foregoing we are told that the coal prices have been settled on the basis of 30/- for Large & 20/- for Small with 5% commission to the buyer not to exceed 1/- per ton.