Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Within the small circle of foreigners in Burma, everyone knew
everyone else, and they all knew LCT. For many years Hugh
Porteous Cameron had been Chief Engineer to Burmah Oil so
he and LCT had known each for some time. At some point
during his business activities in Rangoon, LCT renewed this
contact with Cameron who was keen to recover some of his
losses from the Yomah Oil Company. LCT did not so far own
an oil company and was attracted by the idea of such an enter-
prise, while Cameron was presumably not party to the real
reasons why LCT had parted company with Burmah Oil, or the
fact that he owed them such large amounts of money. Cameron
undoubtedly saw LCT as a financial saviour. Consequently, on
LCT's return to Burma from England, they re-launched Yomah
Oil Company (1920) Limited with the revenues derived from
LCT's dealings in London. Cameron was back in place as
General Manager and LCT's sons, who had been educated in
England, were named as directors.
This development was noted with concern at the Burmah Oil
Company who obviously viewed each new entrant into the oil
arena as a competitor, and who saw hopes of ever recovering
their money from LCT rapidly receding. Nevertheless, optimistic
instructions were issued from Glasgow to the new agent in
Rangoon, 'we quite agree with you that so far as possible it is
very desirable that you should endeavour to maintain friendly
relations with Mr. Chin Tsong provided this can be done with-
out preventing you from recovering promptly from that gentle-
man the full amount of his indebtedness to the Company!'. LCT
never did pay back Burmah Oil.
In January 1920, Arthur Holmes, who had been impressed
with the grand lifestyle exhibited by LCT when they had met at
LCT's hotel during his visit to London, knew little of Yomah
Oil's rather unfortunate history. He gladly signed his contract
that promised him a salary six times greater than he was
currently getting, even though that had just been increased to
£200 a year, and looked forward to finally being on the scale of
