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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).
Deferral of a new grouped instrument scheme due to supply commitments and considering alternative American designs.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 15\7\  Scan045
Date  1st September 1927
  
48530
HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}
To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from BJ.
Copy to ST.{Capt. P. R. Strong}
Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}
Copy to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}
Grouped Instrument Scheme. BJ17/E13/9/27

I am sorry to say we are all going to be greatly disappointed about the new instrument scheme being shown at Olympia.

We have been making careful enquiries as to how this could be arranged but find it is impossible.

The reason is that, in order to obtain a sufficient supply of instruments to prevent our output being held up, it has been absolutely necessary for us to order quantities of these instruments in advance, and it so happens that a set of 200, which were ordered and being delivered to us, will not actually be used up and delivered on chassis until the end of April.

We are at present making strenuous endeavours to persuade the instrument makers to reduce the quantity ordered, but on the other hand, if they have proceeded far in completing the orders, we can hardly expect them to do so.

It would of course not be possible for us to show at Olympia anything on our chassis or car which would not be delivered until May next, as those who order cars at Olympia would want and expect what they saw exhibited there, and it would cause considerable annoyance if they were told they could not have it or that they would have to pay a considerable amount extra, which is the only other alternative.

In regard to your excellent scheme, we understand Na.{Mr Nadin} will be seeing you soon and will explain to you that the up-to-date American cars have taken a step still further in their instrument boards by not showing the whole dial and only showing the numbers and the end of the hand pointing to the numbers, and as regards speedometers they just show the number on some form of revolving drum indicating the speed at which one is travelling at the moment.

This makes the whole arrangements of instruments much simpler and cleaner. Therefore, you may think that this is the next step for us to consider.

We are very sorry and disappointed to have to defer the introduction of your scheme for the present.

BJ.
  
  


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