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).
Letter to the Managing Editor of 'The Autocar' magazine regarding a technically inaccurate article on crankshafts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90\2\ scan0101 | |
| Date | 29th October 1938 | |
| 261. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}5/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 29th October, 1938. Geoffrey Smith, Esq., Managing Editor, "The Autocar", Dorset House, Stamford Street, S.E.1. Dear Mr. Geoffrey Smith, Many thanks for your letter of October 26th. I realise how difficult it is for you to get technical contributors who can write lucidly on current development, but I must say that every time I have read an article by 'B' concerning any technical point he has succeeded in making some obvious mis-statement of fact. Your Correspondents' Column indicates that the more technically minded of the public observe some of these errors. I must say that I think his article on "Crankshafts" was the limit. Considering that the Straight Eight is basically the smoothest power unit that I have ever sat behind, with the exception of the 16-cylinder, it is rather painful to see long crankshafts being criticised as being 'thoroughly undesirable'. I must apologise for writing to you on this subject, but I have the privilege of knowing you, and I have a very high regard for the wonderful amount of information circulated every week in "The Autocar" in highly palatable form. I have, however, never met anyone at all technically minded who thought that the series of articles written by 'B' had so far done anything except lower the reputation of "The Autocar". If I may say so, as Douglas Clease has indicated, it is not necessary to be inaccurate to be interesting technically. | ||