T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 26

Royal Air Force, Mount Batten, Plymouth. 6th November, 1931. Dear Flight Lieutenant Beauforte-Greenwood. The last A.M.O. (a) put the 200 class back on Aviation, so we are using that now; but the boat did about 20 hours on Grade III. As I said, performance was identical (though max. revs. as the propellers were, could not exceed 2,500) and so the test was inconclusive. Starting in the morning seemed harder; and adjustment of the slow-running jet, or means of hand-swinging, would cure that. Campbell, the head tester at "Meadows" told me that No.5 was his favourite. After the boat gets fit we could well test her on 5, if you directed. Or it could be done with a boat in ...int condition from Hythe, upon taking over. Wing Commander de Courcy is reported to have said that its use might involve broken pistons. I doubt this. We took off the propellor that failed and the rudder-shaft. Scott-Paine's will tell you about the propellor, which is not an R.A.F. damage; the rudder-shaft had broken clean across where pinned into its sleeve. The pin-hole was too big for the strength of the metal just there. It is good to have the rudder-post weak, to prevent hull-damage; but I think this overdoes it. They have gone to Hythe, where I hope you will see them ...mim... eventually. The rudder must have hit something.