Record

Ref No	DM1306/11/1/5/folio 357-359
Title	Letter from John Williams to Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Description	Written from 19 St Georges Terrace, Kilburn, London. Williams comments on the number of plans that he has seen advanced for the launching of the ship, all of them apparently involving considerable cost and hopes to put forward his own, relatively inexpensive plan. Williams' plan is to cut two semi-circular grooves; one in the iron launching ways, one in the cradle supporting the ship, which completely line up to create a circle then inserting a series of metal balls into the grooves that will push apart both halves of the circle, forcing the cradle up and away from contacting the launching ways and thus allowing the cradles to glide down the launching way to the water, using only the existing tackle to steady her. Williams deems it a matter of patriotic pride to have an Emglishman devise the succesful plan for launching the ship.
Date	22 December 1857
Format	Manuscript volume
Extent	3 pages
Access Conditions	This material is held at the Brunel Institute - please contact the Brunel Institute to arrange access.

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