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).
Legal case involving aluminium pistons and a request for attendance at a Committee hearing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 77\1\ scan0019 | |
| Date | 10th December 1919 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from CJ. Copy to EH. Captain Bentley. Re Aluminium Pistons. Mr.Bentley, the brother of Captain Bentley, is a Solicitor belonging to the firm of:- Druces and Attlee, 10, Billiter Square, London, E.C.3. (Telephone: Avenue 1186 and 1167) He has just called here with Colonel Briggs. They have explained that they have learnt that, in the case which is to be heard by Mr.Justice Sankey's Committee, concerning aluminium pistons, etc., the Government will resist the plea that the information concerning the successful use of aluminium pistons was not sufficient to warrant their use. I am not quite sure of the wording but the statement made in the first paragraph of your statement on the matter will be resisted. Therefore, the Committee would probably not allow your statement to be put forward unless you were there to support it personally. The object of Mr.Bentley's visit was to ask whether it would be possible for you to attend before the Committee on Monday next. The Committee is going to sit somewhere at Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster. It will sit at 11 o'clock. Counsel's opening statement will probably occupy the Court until 1 o'clock. The Court will probably re-sit at about a quarter to 2. Mr.Bentley says it would be quite easy for your evidence to be taken immediately you come into Court and that it would be convenient if you were to arrive there at 2 o'clock. I have told Mr.Bentley that it was only yesterday that I was writing to you to state that I thought it was in the best interests of this Company that you should not travel to London during the winter. Mr.Bentley points out that the total claim, including the claim for the design of the engines, is over for £100,000 and that the piston claim is largely fundamental to the whole claim. | ||