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James Burness & Sons
London and 3, Bute Crescent - Cardiff
G. R. Burness, J. A. Burness, W. B. Atkinson, G. W. I. Burness, D. R. Falconer, G. M. Burness
138, Leadenhall Street

London, 16th November 1917
Messrs Worms & Co - Paris

Dear Sirs,
S/S "Jalisco", "Coahuila" & "Mexico". We confirm our conversation by telephone today when we told you we had now seen Mr. Auberge, at the Ship Purchase Committee of the Ministry of Shipping, who informed us that these three steamers came up for allocation at the Meeting last Tuesday when it was decided that the "Jalisco" should be allocated to France, the "Coahuila" to Italy and the "Mexico" to Great Britain.
We explained to Mr. Auberge that you & the CGT had purchased these steamers from Messrs Dodero Bros. who we understood to be authorised to deal with them, when he asked us to ascertain from you whether you had the consent in writing of the Transports maritimes to treat for the steamers and whether you had bought them subject to allocation; if these points were in order and we would let him have a letter to that effect he promised to take up the matter again at the next Meeting of his Committee on the 20th inst.
You told us you had the written sanction of the Transports maritimes but nothing in writing as to the boats being subject to allocation although there was a verbal understanding to that effect, also that you had seen the Transports maritimes who wrote to Mr. Auberge on the subject yesterday and you suggested we should ask that gentleman to wait the receipt of that letter when he would be in a position to take up the matter again with his Committee. This he agrees to do and he tells us if he gets the letter tomorrow he will ring us up in order to discuss the position with the information he will then have. We are therefore not writing him meantime.
As regards the "Mexico", Mr. Auberge said he did not think any British buyers would require the boat at £80 per ton unless, as was somewhat unlikely, they had an assurance that she would be free from requisition and in these circumstances he might presently be able to get the boat allocated to France.
We are, dear Sirs, Yours truly,

James Burness & Sons