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).
Department of Overseas Trade report on the US motor industry's production figures for the first half of 1931.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\4\ Scan334 | |
| Date | 7th August 1931 | |
| DEPARTMENT OF OVERSEAS TRADE Foreign Office and Board of Trade. SPECIAL REGISTER SERVICE OF INFORMATION Telephone: VICTORIA 9040. Ext 48. Telegrams: ADVANTAGE, PARL, LONDON. Please quote : G.10618 35, OLD QUEEN STREET, LONDON, S.W.I. 7th August 1931 [STAMP: POST OFFICE RECEIVED 8 AUG 1931] [STAMP: RECEIVED AUG 1931] [STAMP: CONFIDENTIAL] [Handwritten Note Start] Whae Some of the details herein may be of interest to our technical people at W. Shall I send it to them please? H.J. W Jobson Clu... [Handwritten Note End] MOTOR INDUSTRY - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. His Majesty's Consul at Detroit reports with reference to the motor industry of the United States during the first half of the present year that the production of cars started in January 37% under the corresponding month of 1930, increased through ensuing months until May, when it slackened off, then suddenly and surprisingly increased again in the first half of June. Figures for the latter half are not available at the time of writing. As these increases were announced each month, they were heralded by spokesmen of the industry and by the press to be indicative of the expected upturn in sales conditions. The fact remains that production in February was 33%, March 30%, April 25% and May 24% under the corresponding month of last year. 1931, therefore, is due to be a much worse year for the industry than was 1930. There may, however, be a significance for 1932 in these figures in that they show a tendency, as each month succeeds the other, to return to the 1930 basis of production. While leaders in the motor world stated early in the spring that in their opinion the "production curve" would be the flattest in years, (i.e. production would be more evenly distributed over a This information must not be communicated to third parties without the previous consent of the Department being secured. | ||