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 from The Chloride Electrical Storage Company discussing a battery additive or 'dope'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 164\4\ img148 | |
| Date | 26th April 1934 | |
| WST 86122 ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE COMPANY THE Chloride ELECTRICAL STORAGE COMPANY LIMITED TELEPHONES: SWINTON 2011 (7 LINES) TELEGRAMS: CHLORIDIC, PENDLEBURY. CODES: BENTLEY'S, LIEBERS, A.I. AND A.B.C. (4TH & 5TH EDITIONS). LONDON OFFICE, 137, VICTORIA STREET, S.W.1. EXIDE WORKS, CLIFTON JUNCTION, NR MANCHESTER. OUR REFERENCE ECM/LJ. YOUR REFERENCE Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst.6/KW. Messrs.Rolls-Royce, Ltd., Derby. 26th April, 1934. For attention of Mr.H.E.West, Exptl.Dept. PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. Dear Mr.West, I have your letter of the 25th instant. The biggest argument which the vendors of the dope to which you refer put up to prospective customers is that the big battery companies are frightened of them because it is feared that the use of this elixir will make the batteries last twice as long, which of course would be bad business for the battery makers. The best I can say of the dope is that there is nothing in it which will harm a battery beyond the fact that the bulk of it is sulphuric acid and all battery makers are emphatic that no sulphuric acid should be added to a battery except for specific objects. The dope is beautifully tinted, presumably to make it more attractive or imposing, on the theory that pink sulphuric acid has virtues which a colourless sulphuric acid does not possess. The pink tint is obtained by an innocuous dye. When one investigates the testimonials, including the list of important users of the dope, it is usually found that the claim is based upon a sample order, or even a free sample, or that someone has been carried away by the | ||