Document MJRmpGY3EgGX1r8oogZVKaeyy

\ January 13, 1939 Mr, Hugh F o s s e tt Ethyl Export C orporation Thames House, K lllb a n k London, 3 . W, 1 England Dear Mr, F o s s e tt 1 enclose herew ith a c o n firm a to ry copy o f my c a b le o f January 1 1 , 1939* A word of ex p lan atio n I s in o rd e r. On re a d in g your l e t t e r o f December 30t h , came to th e c o n c lu s io n t h a t In view o f th e u rg en cy o f th e q u e s tio n r a i s e d , we co u ld w e ll affo rd to take the p o sitio n th a t the fle x ib le hose could be tr ie d o u t. I f i t works s a tis f a c to r i ly , a l l w ill be w e ll. I f I t does not work s a t i s f a c t o r i l y , th en we sh o u ld be a b le to s a t i s f y th e American P etro leu m p eo p le th a t th is i s th e c a se and make such m o d ific a tio n o f th e equipment as is ncessary to elim in ate th is d i f f i c u l t y . As you a r e f u l l y aw are, X do n o t l i k e to have a v a r ie ty o f m o d ific a tio n s o f our equipment- In a l l p a rts o f the w orld sin ce I t becomes p r a c tic a lly Im possible to keep tra c k o f them and to In su re our s e lv e s a g a in s t d i f f i c u l t i e s , On th e o th e r hand when we a r e d e a lin g w ith a s i t u a t i o n t h a t c a u se s m echanical d if f ic u lty and w hen.custom ers suggest methods which In th e minds o f our en g in eers a re s a tls ~ f a c t o r y , we sh o u ld be w i l l i n g to examine th e s e on t h e i r m e rits ra th e r than on the b a s is o f ' our - preconception. When t h i s can be done w ith o u t. I n tro d u c in g c o n fu sio n In to o u r s a f e t y p ro g ram , I th in k we sh o u ld be w i l l i n g to do i t . I n t h i s c o u n try , I hay t r i e d to keep e x c e p tio n a l m e asu res sh arp ly lim ite d by making I t a req u irem en t th a t my c o n s e n t must b e o b ta in e d b e f o r e a d e p a r tu r e from s ta n d a rd m ethods i s employed, I th in k we m ight w e ll make u se o f th e same g e n e ra l p ro ced u re w ith r e s p e c t to y o u r problem s f o r i n t h i s way you w i l l be b e to u se me a s re a s o n f o r th e avoidance of ir r e g u l a r i t i e s , u n less s itu a tio n s a r is e which would seem to malee e x c e p tio n s a d v is a b le , There a re two problem s In connection w ith the use of fle x ib le hose of the type su g g e ste d w h i c h ! th in k m e rit a c a r e f u l s tu d y . The one, obviously, is the d u ra b ility pf the fle x ib le hose in th is serv ice, I f such hose req u ires frequent replacem ent, - 2- a somewhat g r e a t e r fre q u e n c y o f r e p a i r w i l l "be r e q u ir e d th a n would seem a d v is a b le , The o th e r r e f e r s to th e e x te n t to which le a d compounds w ill accum ulate in th e m a te ria l of which th e hose Is fa b ric a te d . O bviously th e more accum ulation o c c u rs , th e g r e a te r w ill be th e hazard in connection w ith the use and re placem ent o f th e f le x ib l e h o se. A ccordingly you should keep a f a i r l y sh a rp eye on th e developm ents which fo llo w th e u s e o f th is f l e x i b l e h o s e , M oreover, i f and when the hose h as to be rep la c e d , I th in k you should obtain a s e c tio n of i t , fo rw ard in g I t to us f o r chem ical exami n atio n , along w ith a piece of unused hose of sim ilar s t r u c t u r e , so t h a t we can have b e fo re and a f t e r d a ta on th e le a d c o n te n t. I t would be b e t te r in th is con n ectio n i f the se c tio n of hose were put in g la ss or m e ta l c o n ta in e r s ,.and,, s e a le d .so.,as..n o t to . s u f f e r : any la rg e lo ss of v o la tile lead w hile in tra n sp o rt. I r e a l i z e th a t th is w i l l be . a l i t t l e tro u b le to you b u t I th in k in re tu rn fo r our con cessio n , these people might bo q u ite agreeable, to sup p ly in g us w ith th e n e c e s s a ry m a te r ia l when th e tim e cones. : I f t h i s th in g works out p r o p e r ly , I see no re a s o n why we m ight n o t a g re e to th e u se o f such f le x ib le connection perm anently, where they a re necessary and where they a re advantageous. : Sincerely yours, HAKiiS' H e b e rt A, Keho's, M.D. KE 0015358