E.R. Morrissey letter to W.S. Benson - January 22, 1917

Transcript

1649 Office Sunday U.S. Navy Msp of Machiny. [stamp] B.S.D.E.CO. GEN.MGR. [January] 22 1917 Second Endorsement. Works of Busch-Sulzer Bros.-Diesel Engine Co. St. Louis, [Missouri], January 22, 1917. From: Assistant Inspector of Machinery, U.S.N., St. Louis, [Missouri] To: Secretary of the Navy. Via: Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering. Subject: Submarines L-6 and L-7 (45-46); Delay in delivery of engines. 1. Forwarded. 2. The officials of the Company have in every case done their very best to ship these engines for the L-6 and L-7 with the greatest expedition. The case of engine #434, L-7 (Port), in which the car was received on December second, and the engine shipped December seventh, it would appear that there was unnecessary delay but such is not the case for: the car arrived about six o'clock on December 2nd, which was Saturday; loading was started the following Monday; car was shipped early on the seventh (Thursday); but on this car were shipped all of the spare parts for the L-6 and L-7 engines. A careful placing and securing of the engine and spare parts consumed the time referred to. 3. To further show the Company's earnest desire to ship engines as quickly as possible, take the case of the next engine which is to be shipped for the L-8; on January sixth the railroad company through mistake placed two cars in the shop, one of which was immediately used for shipping engine #435, L-7 (Starboard), same being shipped that evening. The Company is holding and paying demurrage on the second car, so that it can immediately ship the first engine for the L-8 when it has passed its tests. E.R. Morrissey.