File of personal papers and correspondence, mainly to and from Percy Bates, written at around the time of the First World War. Includes: letter from Percy Bates in which he mentions the political situation in Europe, his brothers Denis, Austin, Fred and Cecil, and describes Brocklebanks as ‘in a mess’ because its ships have been requisitioned by the Government; correspondence between Percy Bates and Charles MacIver (possibly of the Cunard Line) regarding government policies and other political matters; correspondence between Percy Bates and the Editor of the Morning Post; letter from Percy Elly Bates, enclosing two copies of his paper entitled ‘British Commerce in War’; several papers related to wheat supplies; a paper about shipping and transport in time of war; a press cutting about the problems of British shipping; a select Committee report on national expenditure; a letter to Percy Bates from Sir Joseph Maclay, Ministry of Shipping enclosing papers regarding post-war Anglo-American trading relations.