Description

Papers of Sir John Emmott Barlow 

8/1: Foreign Correspondence 25 January 1917 to 16 October 1918. Comprising:

 

• official letters sent out to Messrs Barlow & Co., Calcutta, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Singapore, under the heading ‘Position of Affairs in Consequence of the European War’, commenting on military events, likelihood of American entry on side of the Allies, Russian Revolution and withdrawal from the conflict, German Spring offensive, Allied Summer offensive, German peace proposals of October;
• letters to A. W. Bates and his successor, D. M. Montgomerie, Barlow & Co., Kuala Lumpur, concerning management of rubber estates, recruitment of young assistants for estates, question of military enlistment;
• growing financial problems arising from excess profits tax, restrictions on shipping and imports of rubber, surplus output, leading to suspension of dividend payments, introduction of Rubber Growers’ Association crop reduction scheme;
• letters to E. F. A. Swann, Barlow & Co., Singapore, concerning management of rubber estates, effects of excess profits tax and reductions in shipping, liquidation of Central Kelantan Rubber Co.;
• general import/export trade; letters to A. D. Bell, Barlow & Co., Shanghai concerning import/export trade, diminishing market;
• letters to F. Doxey, Barlow & Co., Calcutta, including impact of excess profits tax, import restrictions on tea from India and Ceylon, question of selling tea estates, negotiations with Chubwa Tea Co. to acquire Loongsoong tea estate;
• letters to P. A. Campbell, manager, Chingoor estate;
• letters to John Greig, manager of the Brae group of tea estates, Madulkelle, Ceylon;
• letters to Charles. G. Renshaw, manager, Muar River rubber estate, Johore.
  [Fragile – handle with care].