Seized as enemy property rigid, the Astoria Hotel and three other Paris hotels under the same German pre-war ownership have teen sold for Frs. 6,500,000 cash (£130,000)... The purchaser is understood to be Sir Murland de Grasse Evans, Bart., acting, it is believed, for an important English syndicate which has endeavoured on several occasions to acquire large Paris hotels. A number of Americans Were in the field, but were out-hidden.
The Astoria was one of—the largest and most sumptuous of the hotels of Paris, and it was in. its luxurious dining-room that the ex-Kaiser was to have dined, according to the German boasts, on_his entry into Paris inj September, 1914. It was the headquarters of the British delegation during the Peace Conference, and is now the home of the Reparations Commis-. sion.
The "New York Herald" (Paris edition) quoted by Reuter, gives the names of the three hotels bought with the Astoria as the Bureau Site, the Campbell, and the Columbia.
The 'Evening News' understands it is true that Sir Murlang de Grasse Evans is in Paris, and that a "certain deal has gone through," involving the Astoria and its associated hotels. The purchase price quoted above is believed to be approximately correct.
Sir Murland is chairman of the Barrier and General Trust, Ld., and a director of the Elysee Palace Hotel Ca., but the latter company is not believed to be interested in the hotel deal. He is the son of the late Sir Francis Evans, a member of the firm of Donald Currie Ca., managers of the Union Castle Mail Steamship Ca. Sir Francis was associated with Sir Francis Blundell Maple in the building of the Elysee Palace Hotel.
It is suggested that previous attempts of Sir Murland: to buy the control of the Astoria group were made in_ association with Sir Davidson Dalziel, who is chairman of the Elysee Palace Hotel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.