Letter from John Robert O'Brien to Sir Robert Chalmers, 15 May 1916

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from John Robert O'Brien to Sir Robert Chalmers, 15 May 1916

1 CONGESTED DISTRICTS BOARD FOR IRELAND, 23 RUTLAND SQUARE DUBLIN, 15th May, 1916. Sir, With reference to previous correspondence regarding the
supply of petrol in Ireland, I am directed by the Congested
Districts Board for Ireland to state that they would be obliged
if you would be good enough to inform them whether it is
the intention of the Government to open any Depot from which supplies
of petrol could be obtained by Public Departments for use by
A their Officers when travelling on business, or whether there is
any Firm with which the Government has any arrangement as to
issue of supplies for use on their service. Having regard to the increased difficulty in obtaining
supplies, the Board propose, if there is no objection, to stock
a small supply of petrol for issue to their Officers as required;
but before doing so, they desire to be informed whether it is the
intention of the Irish Government to open any such Depot for
supplies for Public Offices. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, J. R. O'Brien
The Under Secretary, DUBLIN CASTLE.

This letter was written by John Robert O'Brien (b. 1856) to Sir Robert Chalmers (1858-1938). In the letter O'Brien inquires whether the government intends to open any depot from which petrol supplies could be obtained by public departments for the use of their offices while travelling on business. Due to the war it was increasingly difficult to obtain petrol supplies but O'Brien requests that the board be allowed to stock a small supply of petrol for issue to their offices as required.O'Brien served as the secretary for the Congested District Board. The CDB was established in 1891 in order to alleviate poverty and congested living conditions in the west and north-western parts of Ireland. Sir Robert Chalmers was sent to Ireland as under-secretary, replacing Sir Matthew Nathan who had resigned along with Augustine Birrell , his chief secretary following the Easter Rising in 1916.

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How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__0293.html)