26 MARCH 1965, Page 14

The Largest Bank

SIR,—In your issue of March 5, Custos writes that the merger between the Bank of West Africa Ltd. and the Standard Bank Ltd. will produce 'the biggest bank in Africa.' Presumably he bases this on the declaration immediately previous that the Standard Bank will now be represented in twelve African countries instead of eight. May I suggest that Bar- clays Bank DCO, represented in sixteen countries in Africa, is still the largest bank in Africa, and is certainly the only bank which can claim coverage in North, South, East and West Africa (not ex- cluding the Congo, through its subsidiary, Credit Congolais SCRL).

CHARLES A. CAIN

c/o Barclays Bank DCO, PO Box 66, Jinja, Uganda