CO129-452 - Others & Individuals - 1918 — Page 17

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On 4.12.15 Germann & Co., New York, informed Germann Co. Hamburg that they were awaiting offers of knotted hemp (2935) and on 8.3.16, Germann Co. Hamburg, asked the Atlantic Communication Co.,New York (which is merely an intermediary for German messages and the vice presi- dent of which is Dr. Karl Frank of Siemens Schuckert and the German Wireless Telegraph Co.) for offers of knotted hemp c.i.f.New York (472 N). Thereupon (29.3.16) the Atlantic Co. offered the Hamburg firm:

"3000 kilos each hemp batangas hundred twenty five indang hundred thirty five spools hundred fifty cente gold of newyork." (2540 8).

and the Hamburg firm accepted in a message (11.4.16) reading:

"Accept nine thousand knotted hemp hundred forty cents sightdraft horman dubler cotton exchange building new york new order nine thousand aame conditions oif barcelona oesar dubler calle coello two hundred eight...."

On 17.4.16 the Hamburg firm changed the method of shipment:

IT ..barcelona order ship surveillance suisse marseilles

inquire swiss consulate." (1859 N).

Writing to Carl Pfister on May 12th 1916 Germann & Co., Manila, state that they had received no answer to their telegram dated April 14th to the Hamburg firm offering 3000 kilos of knotted hemp on spools at 1.70 dollars. As they had heard neither from Pfister or Hamburg they had refrained from further cabling. The price of Batangas & Indang was discussed and further offers were made dependent on the possibility of obtaining shipping room on one of the Compania Transatlantica's boats (1.e. to Barcelona). (T.L. 08927).

On the 20th Lay, 1916 Germann & Co.,

Hamburg, radioed

to Everett Heaney, New York (shown by W.E. 1959 to be intermediaries for Germann & Co. Manila)

"Accept offered nine thousand knotted hemp forty

sightdraft herman dubler cotton exchange building new york new order nine thousand same conditions cif marseilles order societe surveillance suisse wire conformity truciolo shipmareider demande big direct offers." (1809 N).

The passage "Wire conformity Truciolo" is interesting. "Truciolo 18 S.A. "Il Truciolo", Modena and Carpi, Italy.

Extracts from correspondence from Vivanco (i.e.Germann & Co.) to Truciolo show that Germann & Cole attempt to ship tobacco to them failed as they could not prove that the goods did not originate from a German firm. (B.C.I. 9.2.17 M.A. 27751).

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