Document 6R7XGwpR4oK9JgJxExYVLzmo4

Confidential July 11* 1939 Mr* Hugh Fossett She Associated Sthyl Company Ltd, She Adelphi .. London * C, 2 England Dear Mr. Fo|ssett5- I have your letter of June 9th concerning the wishes of the British Air Ministry with respect- to bosh proof and explosion p'roof mixing plants. X have given some thought to the matter and I have seen the comments made both by Mr, Lewis and Mr, Schaefer, Without going into the details of the matter* X am disposed'to be sympathetic with their general point of view in that in ay opinion if will be much more feasible to protect a storage place against destruction than it will be te provide the ventilation which will be necessary to operate a mixing plant under ground with a reasonable .security* Xtrwould appear' to me that drums of Fluid could be stored satisfactorily and without undue danger from exposure to the Fluid, On the other hand the mixing plants might just as well be as simple as possible with the idea that even though they might be damaged-by explosives* they could be reconditioned in a fairly ,short time by the substitution of extra parts in the mixing lines*. X should think that an adequate supply of extra parts could be kept available for prompt, substitution when needed. X see no reason why.this should not be generally satisfactory.' ' . ' - I confess; to an inadequate knowledge and experience with cathode of human combat and the .effects of-air-raids bte.'\ On the other hand - I am disposed to feel that it would be rather difficult . for.anyone to predict the outcome of air-air raid or . bombardment, X should think* therefore* that the simulest mixing mechanisms capable of easy replacement* might well be the best and most Sktisfactory for use in war time. In any Case X doubt if one would be justified in putting any dependence in artificial ventilation since I should 1 thihk that power lines, of whatever kind used* might well . be cut off. Under pressure the underground mixing plant would almost certainly be used* even though disabled* and the effects might well be disadvantageous* although they might hot be counted too highly, under conditions of f 2- 1 would not be In position to give specific Information as to the capacity of ventilating fans with reference to a specific instance for the reason that there Is a background of engineer ing experience which can give you much better Infor mation than X could hope to arrive at on theoretical circumstances. Therefore if the Air Ministry is Insistent upon the use of such nixing plants as you have described, you can better obtain the technical information from Mr, Schaefer, I am sure that he will give you such Information if indeed it becomes necessary to make use of it. I am With, kindest personal regards. Sincerely yours, RAjCsis Rob er t ^ ^ "K^oe 7'''1057