Translations:CP 03097/49/en

I thank you for keeping such a close eye on things, and admire at the same time that your double mentality as a native of an allied country (Portugal) and as an adopted Frenchman makes you look with care for opportunities to help M. Ribot, either by the subscription to the national loan (that the big banks advise, without facilitating it) or the loan of neutral stocks. To get to the latter, I will remind you of something that I understand has not remained engraved in fiery letters among your keenest memories, that I have, on your advice, sold a few months ago Nord Espagne, Saragosse and Hollandais, stocks that you quoted me and that I no longer possess. On the other hand I have the Suez and Egyptian (and even the Brazilian). If credit doesn’t prevent, or make the sale difficult, I’ll be in favour of it. But you know the Egyptian appears on my list of stocks the sale of which must be sufficient to reimburse my debts to the Crédit Industriel. As on this list, excluding the aforementioned stocks and Interborough, the Crédit Industriel, perhaps weak, perhaps strong, has not yet been able to sell anything, I would not like to hand over my Egyptian securities to the Finance Minister, if that does not prevent me from selling them so as not to pay 8% interest, without accounting for quite obscure “bank charges” and “moratory” interests (“Good Lord, what in gallant terms these things are phrased”) . Don't trouble yourself replying to all this. If you tell me to offer the Minister of Finances my Suez and my Egyptians (I also have Crédit Foncier Égyptien), I will conclude that the loan does not prevent the sale and I will sign all that you send to me to sign. As for the substitution of securities, would not the 5% bearer bonds be more useful in case extinguishing my debt requires some sales later on? Once again don't reply to me on this point. If you have to intervene with Crédit Industriel in order to get this substitution accepted, you really should at the same time advise them to be satisfied, having earned so much at my expense, with 6% (but without calling the Director of the Agency into question. Otherwise I would prefer to pay 8%). When the opportunity arises I would like you to tell me if banks like the Banque Rothschild and the Crédit Industriel notify their clients when they earn dividends. I have property shares, municipal shares, a bond from La Presse, and I never watch the drawing of lots. Finally to conclude, my pharmacist presenting me with an astonishing bill for the end of the month, it would be very kind of you to tell me what I am able to take out of your bank.