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).
The increased import of American engines due to the war and the opportunity to supply marine units for Admiralty patrol boats.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 133\3\ scan0139 | |
| Date | 5th March 1940 | |
| -2- To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} These figures show that for the part of 1939 under consideration, there has been an increase in the imports of engines from America, due, undoubtedly, to the possibility of war. Visits to a number of the higher-class Yacht Yards show that both the Air Ministry and the Admiralty are alive to the use of small boats up to 50' for coastal patrol, rescue and harbour work. Hulls at the moment are lying in many yards without engines. They are waiting for shipments of units from America. Such Marine Engineers and Yacht Yards as The Parsons Engineering Co. of Southampton, The Walton Yacht Works and William Osborne of Littlehampton, have all stated that the Admiralty would undoubtedly prefer a British engine. They, the Admiralty, have actually discussed the matter with Parsons with a view to designing and building units themselves. The Admiralty are daily commandeering private motor yachts from Yacht Yards and also hulls that were ordered before the declaration of war which are now nearing completion. It would be a simple operation to persuade them to fit two of our units in one of these hulls. The engines would then have practically continuous wear under arduous conditions. If the engines prove satisfactory - and there is no reason why they should not prove so - we would have put over our Marine units and a definite market would have been established for peace time production with builders such as William Osborne, The Walton Yacht Works and James A.{Mr Adams} Silver of Glasgow. These three firms produce ranges of cruisers and definitely have programmes laid down for each year. The price of our units is very definitely comparable with American prices, when it is remembered that all American engines are imported free of duty if ordered by a registered Ship Yard. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/AA.{D. Abbot-Anderson} | ||