From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Letter refuting an assumption about the composition of a high magnesium aluminium alloy melt.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 116\2\ scan0098 | |
| Date | 5th November 1938 | |
| Messrs. Rolls Royce Ltd. HP/WMU JH/KES 5th November 1938. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Howlett, Esq., Messrs. Wellworthy Piston Rings Ltd., Lymington, Hants. Dear Mr.Howlett, I was very shocked to get your letter this morning, and for a moment you almost convinced me that we do not know the first thing about making up aluminium alloy. Rolls Royce, apparently, without hearing or referring to us in any way, immediately assumed the same as you that these melts were not only improperly made up, but incorrectly released. Nothing could be further from the true state of affairs. These melts were deliberately made with a high magnesium. Blackith and Richards both agreed on the analysis. Again they both agreed that even if the magnesium was just over 1% after re-melting, they would not mind. Your Company was informed by telephone the result of our analyses. Fortunately in this case we confirmed that telephone message. Obviously your chemist has not even taken the trouble to refer to your files or to Mr.Blackith. Please excuse the indignant tone of my reply, but after taking very firm action on the last occasion when the copper analysis was wrong, and every care having been taken not only in preparing the alloy, but in keeping you informed and mutually agreeing upon what we have done, I am very sorry to find that through some lack | ||