Even when Americans do become energetic in France, they sometimes fail to fortify themselves with important facts before entering into hard and fast transactions.  As usual, they pay dearly for such omissions.  This brings us to what might be called The Great American Deluge which overwhelmed not a few Yankee pocketbooks and left their owners sadder and saner.

Fully to understand this series of events, you must know that since the beginning of the war the question of an adequate French coal supply has been acute.  Indeed, for a while the country faced a real crisis.  Many of her mines are in the hands of the Germans and she was forced to turn to England for help.  Not only has the English price risen, but to it must be added the high cost of transportation, the heavy war risk, and all those other details that enter into such negotiations.

France had to have coal and various enterprising Americans got on the job.  At least, they thought they were enterprising.  Before they got through, they wished that they had not been so headlong as the following tale, now to be unfolded, will indicate.

A group of New York men made a contract to deliver three shiploads of coal at Bordeaux at a certain price. After they had signed the contract, freight rates from Baltimore to the French port almost doubled.  This was the first of their troubles.  When their vessel finally reached Bordeaux, the dock was so crowded with ships unloading war munitions that they could not get pier space.  In France demurrage begins the moment a ship stops outside of port.  The net result was that these vessels were held up for nearly two weeks and the high price of transportation coupled with the very large demurrage practically wiped out all the profits.

Another group of Americans made a contract to deliver coal to a French railway “subject to call.”  Without taking the trouble to inquire just what “subject to call” meant in France, they signed and sealed the bargain.  Then they discovered that the railroad wanted the coal delivered in irregular instalments.  Meanwhile the consignors had to store the coal in French yards where space to-day is almost as valuable as a corner lot on Broadway.  They were glad to pay a cash bonus and escape with their skin.

Still another group made a contract with the Paris Gas Company for a large quantity of coal.  They discovered later that the company expected the coal to be delivered to their bins in Paris.

“But the American plan is to sell coal f.o.b.  Norfolk,” said the spokesman.

“We are sorry,” replied the Frenchmen, “but the coal must be delivered to us in Paris.  The English have been doing it for forty years, and if you expect to do business with us you must do likewise.”

When the Americans demurred the company held them to their contract.