Document mpbgyEpn1mMGeGG01RnqYyk1d

cc: Dr. R. A. Kehoe SAFETY BSPABEtERT August B, 1945 \ Mr* H# f^psett Tirr'Assooia'bed Ethyl Company Limited Ariilii*gt Hous'fe^ Artillery Bo* London, 1, Bhgland Dear Hugh* I hare read vrith Interest your letter dated July 17th, together with the attached correspondence to and fro Mr. J. 2. Batchelor of Australia# W have a sufficient number of copies of Dr. 1'sehle* e report oa hand. .One each is being sent to Batchelor and Eisso-Gill and two under separate cover to yourself. So far a w know it is not a general practice in this country to maintain a variable water bottom as a means of keeping down evaporation, losses in & task with a fixed roof* Water bottoms are used primarily to prevent the loss of gasoline as a result of tank leakage. It has been observed in certain cases where the water bottom has been changed frequently that considerable sludge collects in the tank. In on ease, in a tank that had not been cleaned for a number of years, the depth of sludge varied from 12 s to IS8* Such of the sludge consisted of mud and silt .fres-tfe source of water supply. While the lead content of the sludge may be low, it 1 doubtful.if the total load content was materially reduced* It would seem logical that some lead would b carried off with the water if"the water bottom sore changed with ary degree of regularity* La the ease that earn to Batchelor* s attention, he mentioned that there, was but a trace of lead in the-sludge* ' -If-he has a. more accurate"-figure, - w should liks to have it and we should also like more information with regard to the amount of water held in the tank and the frequency with which it vac changed* ; .. Certainly the phenomena is of interest but whether it goes \ beyond the point of academic interest, thereby affecting ottr tank clean- N\ing precautions, seoas questionable. If Batchelor is correct la hie assumption and the oil companies were encouraged to change the water in floating roof tanks at frequent intervals as a means of reducing the lead httT 0015752 content of sludge, probably the companies would then infer that the lead hazard would be reduced to such a point that our tank cleaning precautions would no longer be required, We doubt if this ever would, be true. Efforts expended in. this direction sight then paradoxically result in less assurance of safety in tank cleaning then now exists. We shall be pleased to review from time to time any additional information you care to supply. An analysis of the additional data may change our opinion of the ultimate result of the procedure. fery truly yours, ; MhzLf 0, B. LEWIS Manager KE 0015753