| Description | Written from 18 Duke Street, Westminster, London. The letter mentions Brunel's anxiety at Yates' previous letter giving the results of a meeting of the Directors of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company and their decision to proceed immediately with certain work on board the ship. Brunel wishes he could have explained to the directors why it was not a good idea to do so. Amongst Brunel's reasons are the wish not to add weight to the ship since the tides that are coming in at the moment are not as high as he had calculated on having and he does not wish to add to the ship's draft. Brunel also does not wish to distract from the myriad tasks that are connected with actually getting the ship afloat by distractions caused by these additional works as well as Brunel's concern that, unless things are properly attended to after the long delay, they will be done wrong and will have to be redone. In addition, most of the plates required for the finishing work are currently stacked around the yard, being used as supports to the hydraulic presses assisting with the launch and must not be moved yet. Brunel also wants to start afresh with a new, much better, more well-regulated system of work which Brunel feels will be much more cost-effective and efficient. Brunel comments on the work that he thinks could be done and the best way he thinks of going about the work. The letter mentions that Brunel has suffered a visit from Prussian royalty and has had to spend time that he could ill-afford being nice to his visitors and hopes that Yates will soon be well enough to spare him such duties. A pencil annotation at the bottom of Folio 379 underlines a particularly important passage of Brunel's criticism. |