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).
Reputational damage caused by a third-party selling old, poor-condition Eagle engines and the company's response.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 43\1\ Scan043 | |
| Date | 16th January 1923 | |
| X3989 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from BJ. BJ15/H16.1.23. (Private and Confidential.) (Copies to:- Hg. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}) "EAGLES" to GERMANY. With reference to K2/M15.1.23, our reason for stating in the press that the Eagle-IX was the latest development of the Eagle is that the Disposal Company have a lot of old Eagles in very bad condition, which have be en lying idle for many years, which they are selling cheaply to Colonial and Foreign Governments, in competition with us. We are endeavouring to let it be known that these are old war stock, and that if an up-to-date engine in good condition is required, people should buy them from us. There is no doubt that these old Disposal Board engines are injuring our reputation in many parts of the world, as of course the Disposal Company do not consider our reputation, and therefore do not mind what sort of condition the engines are in when they are sold. We [handwritten insert: believe] that they indicate to purchasers that they are up to date Rolls-Royce Eagle engines, which can be obtained for about half the price which would have to be paid if the customer bought from us. We believe that the publication of the information contained in the enclosed letter has done a great deal to prevent the Disposal Company selling our old Eagle engines under these false conditions, as we are receiving many more enquiries now. For instance, the Australian Government [handwritten insert: we believe] had ordered a number of these old engines, and they are now making urgent enquiries for Eagle IXs, to be used instead of the Disposal Company's engines. [handwritten note: were ordering or] B.J. | ||