Letter : Goods for Spain

              Telegraphic address: "Wholesale Manchester"
Telephone: Blackfriars 1212
Extension No.
Please address your reply:
Co-operative Wholesale Society Limited,
Exporters, Buying and Shipping Agents,
1, Balloon Street,
Manchester, 4.
Cable Codes:
A.B.C., 6th and 7th editions;
Western Union 5 letter; 
Bentley Complete Phrase;
Bentley Second Phrase; 
A.1. MARCONI, and Private.
Our reference:
EXPORT.345. EW/RN
8th December, 1937.
Your Reference HVT/FC/EK/314.
Mr H. V. Tewson,
Assistant Secretary,
The Trades Union Congress General Council, 
Transport House, 
Smith Square, 
LONDON S.W.1.
Dear Mr. Tewson,
GOODS FOR SPAIN
I thank you for your letter of the 7th instant, and note that you are desirous of sending £5,000 of Foodstuffs to Eastern Spain, but that it has still to be decided whether the goods will be sent to Barcelona or Valencia, although the consignment will possibly be divided between the two centres.
As regards the second paragraph of your letter, one must admit that the longer sea journey from England is more dangerous than the alternative route via the South of France, as you suggest, but, at the same time, I would inform you that at the moment the War Risk Premium is only £4 per cent, which is, I think, indicative that the risk is not considered exceptionally great, even in spite of the Blockade. I should imagine, further, that the insurance rate from France to Spanish ports will be just as heavy, and, additionally, you would, of course, have to pay freight charges, whereas up to the present all goods for Spanish Relief have been taken freight free in British steamers chartered by the Spanish Government for the carriage of Coal.
I think, however, the first essential would be for you to inform me as to the nature of the goods you have in mind, and I can then examine the possibility of drawing any supplies from the Continent, and give you the benefit of our suggestions and experience, but, quite frankly, in view of the freight free service from