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).
Potential competition for engines for Coastal Motor Boats.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 53\1\ Scan022 | |
| Date | 23th September 1930 | |
| HS {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X 4528. To Wbr. from Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Engines for Coastal Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} 7/E23.9.30 Copy to Ra.Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Sy. Motor Boats. You will recollect that at the last conference at Derby on July 24th the above matter was discussed and the Minute indicates that it was thought that the Saunders-Roe enquiry was worth further investigation etc., and I said that I would get in touch with Mr. John Lord who had been talking to various of our people about this matter including myself. I wrote to him next day asking for full particulars of the engines that we should be competing with, i.e. the types now used in the coastal motor boats for naval purposes etc. I did not receive any reply, probably due to holidays but after following the matter up again I received the enclosed particulars of the Wright Typhoon and the Thornycroft 400 HP Engine. Although Mr. Lord does not actually say so, I gather that these are the types with which we should be competing. Unfortunately he has not given me any particulars of price of either of these engines and, although I immediately wrote again asking for this information, I have not up to the present time received it. It will be noticed that both these engines are turned out complete with reversing gear etc. and made to run both left and right hand and there is little doubt that if we wish to enter into this type of business we should have to be prepared to turn out the unit complete in a similar manner. Some system of easy starting would also, I imagine, be essential, as also items such as water jacket and exhaust manifolds. The enclosed specifications of both the engines give a fairly complete list of what these makers include with their outfit. Cx. {Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} who knows Mr. Nicholson personally of Saunders-Roe had a letter from him yesterday in which he said that he had a long discussion the other day with the Navy Chief Constructor and he is most anxious to put forward a C.M.B. designed with RR engines as there is every | ||