| Description | Written from Darlington. The letter discusses the difficulties that Mr Kittoe, the ship's engineer is finding with his work and fellow officers (especially John Yates and Mr Dickson) and comments how the system of hierarchy in the Navy tends to smooth out such conflicts of personality as are experienced in commercial shipping. Froude explains that he is so concerned about the possible effect of these difficulties on Kittoe's future prospects that he has had to write to Brunel, in whose sense of justice he has complete faith, and comments that the pressure of a great project seems to exert considerable strains on the personnel involved, comparing the strain on Kittoe with the strain being placed on the pilings under the launching ways. Froude wonders if Brunel has time to meet with Froude to discuss the matter further and also to discuss Froude's theories on the movement of a ship on the side of a moving wave. The letter also updates Brunel on the work that has been done with regards to making a model of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company's ship and the calculations for the weight and centre of gravity of the ship. |