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Worms & Co

Newcastle on Tyne, November 6th 1918

Dear Mr. Worms,
I duly received your letters of the 26th & 30th ult.
I visited London last week, and was very disappointed that on the occasion of my visit to MM. Burness in the early morning of the 31st ult. I was unable to speak to you. As I had found out that one of our neighbours was shipping to Caen by an allocated steamer I went with the intention of trying to have a share of that tonnage. Firstly I had an interview with the Coal Controller, together with Mr. Bell of the Lambton Collieries. I do not think that we made much impression in that quarter, although I knew that in the case cited above, instructions were given by the Coal Controller regarding the allocation in question. At the Ministry of Shipping however, I found that the steamer referred to had been allocated to load Ashington Coals, and acting upon advice I put in a claim to have a share of that tonnage. Possibly this may have some effect, but I will not know the result for some time. I also applied to nave tonnage allocated for the purpose of executing our own French business, but there I was faced with the difficulty that we are a French Firm. I believe that had we been a British Firm I would have met with some success.
I spent some hours at the French Commission, partly to settle a dispute between the Newcastle Committee and the French Commission, in which I was successful, and partly to claim their assistance with tonnage.
In this I met with no success. Evidently the French Commission in London can only act under instructions from Paris.
I visited the War Trade Department, because since control has been established we have been quite cut off from our former Scandinavian business, and I was anxious to have matters put right in view of the possibility of continued control after the War. I think I succeeded in this, as Sir Douglas Owen promised that for any such business to former clients of ours he would give any application of ours his most favourable consideration. At the same time I made further enquiries as to the possibility of exporting further quantities of coke for the Suez Canal Co. I learnt that the Egyptian State Railways had given instructions that they themselves would attend to all such export for Egypt.
I presume that in due course you will obtain the authority of the Egyptian Government to export the coke in question. However if this is not forthcoming, Mr. Guiterman of the WTD told me that he thought we might get some assistance on this matter from Sir Arthur Webb, who has control in London (at Queen Anne Chambers) of the Egyptian Government Offices/Coal for the State Railways.
Whilst in London I saw Mr. Stewart, of the Central Executive, on the case of Messrs S. & M. who as you remember, are endeavouring to obtain licences for France. Mr. Stewart has requested that no licence be recommended to this Firm, pending further investigations, which he will make.
I am much obliged for your private information about Mr. A., formerly of 23, rue Dautan court, which quite confirms what I had suspected for some time. I have not conveyed this information to Mr. Stewart, but I know from what he told me that he has already had this matter in view for some time. I have come across an almost similar experience to yours which I expect will be laid before Mr. Stewart.
As regards my diagram of our Coal Exports since 1913. This is purely for France and Algiers, and does not include Port Said. As soon as I can manage it I will endeavour to draw up a similar diagram for France only, although it may be difficult to separate our Algiers business from our French business.
I think you may be sure that control of raw material will be continued for some time after the War, and the matter has already had the serious consideration of the Coal Controller. There will be much opposition to this. At a Meeting held last week of the Central Executive, a notice of motion was given for next meeting to do away with the list of approved Exporters as soon as practicable after the War.
I was at a colliery meeting in Leeds on Monday. It may interest you to know that the cost of a ton of Unscreened Coal at the pit mouth at the Mirfield Colliery (Yorkshire) is 23/6, of which 18/3 for wages including the War bonus and 5/3 for other expenses, such as stores etc.
At the request of Mr. Young, who looks after a number of the purchases of the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Seine-Maritime, I visited the French Commission de Ravitaillement in London, but unfortunately the Head of the department in question was absent.
I hear that coals are now being offered in France for 3 years ahead at today's price. If you come across such offers could you get me the details. I believe Messrs Mann Macneal & Co. were treating with the Homecourt people for 165.000 tons over 1919. They have asked the Local Committee if they may sell to the Fonderies de Basse-Loire, which cannot at present be allowed as there are already regular shippers to that concern.
Bayonne. I enclose for your private guidance copy of a letter about which I should like your opinion. The interesting point is on page 2: paragraphs 1 & 2. "Coals for Bayonne through Group 9." Of course as you know under the new rules for the Allocation of orders -"In the case of new business, the local Committees shall give due regard to the exporters who are named in the Authorisations and no change shall be made by the Local Committees without conferring with the Mission française des charbons."
Obviously if the business in question is "new" business it would seem difficult to get past the exporter named in the Authorisation.
I returned from London via Cambridge, where my elder son is in training.
I am, Dear Mr. Worms,
Yours sincerely,

W. Torry