| Description | The volume contains copies of six contracts: Contract for ship, Contract for Paddle Engine, Contract for Screw Engine, Contract for the Modification of the ship, contract for the hire of rails for the launch and contract for the painting of skylights.
At the beginning of the volume are two indexes; one a basic index showing the starting page for each contract; the other a more detailed index for the first four contracts indicating where the different clauses of the contracts begins.
Folios 1-52 contains the Contract for the ship, between the Eastern Steam Navigation Company and John Scott Russell, dated 22 December 1853. The contract contains a specification with general dimensions and descriptions of material and workmanship and specifications for how various components are to be made. The contract covers the dimensions, ironwork, timber work, erection and launching dimensions and weights, general stipulations, periods of completion and stipulations as to the progress of works, the mode and times of payment. There are red ink underlining and annotations as well as pencil annotations in the margin of folio 30 relating to the calculation of payments. The contract is signed by John Scott Russell and witnessed by George. G. Newman. There is an annotation in red ink on Folio 1 dated 29 May 1866 certifying the red ink annotations are the writer's.
Folios 53-93 contain the contract for the paddle wheel engines between the Eastern Steam Navigation Company and John Scott Russell, dated 22 December 1853. The contract contains specifications for the main engines, boilers, auxiliary engines and boilers. The contract specifies the form of construction, the sizes and type of engines and specifically calls for the jacketing of pipes and surfaces and the inclusion of expansion valves and governors and defines the power of the engine, the boiler strength and pressure and also contains clauses dealing with the paddle shafts and disconnecting apparatus and general stipulations, clauses for alterations and additions to works and extra works, delivery and completion and mode and times of payment. The contract is signed by John Scott Russell and witnessed by George G. Newman. There are red ink underlining, pencil marks and annotations in the margins and a long ink annotation or insertion in the margin of Folio 89.
Folios 93-136 contain the contract for the screw engines between the Eastern Steam Navigation Company and Henry Wollaston Blake and James Brown of London and Gilbert Hamilton of Soho near Birmingham, trading as the firm of James Watt & Co, dated 22 December 1853. The contract contains specifications for the main engine and details the sizes, dimension and construction of the engines and calls for jacketing of pipes and surfaces and the inclusion of expansion valves, throttle valves and governors as well as the power of the engine and stroke rate. There are clauses dealing with the boilers, their construction, materials, strength and pressure and rate of work as well as clauses dealing with the funnels, auxiliary engines and boilers, the screw shaft and disconnecting apparatus, general stipulations, alterations or additions to the works and extra works, periods of deliver and completion and mode and time of payment. The contract is signed by Henry Wollaston Blake and witnessed by George G. Newman. There are pencil annotations in markings and, on folio 101, the marking of passages and calculations relating to horse power.
Folios 137-168 contain a contract for the modification to the contract for the ship between the Eastern Steam Navigation Company and John Scott Russell, dated 5 February 1855. The contract stipulates the various modifications that are occurring and any changes to the terms of the contract. There are various red ink annotations across the contract.
Folios 171-172 contain a contract for the hire of rails for the launch of the Great Eastern between Isambard Kingdom Brunel, for the Eastern Steam Navigation Company, and Rowland Brotherhood of Chippenham. The contract deals with the hire of 500 tons of iron rails and sets out the terms of payment and any other terms or elements that the Eastern Steam Navigation Company will be responsible for.
Folios 175-177 contain an extract of minutes from a meeting of the Committee of Works of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company from 26 February 1858. The extract records the reading of a letter from John Scott Russell to John Yates, company secretary, undertaking to finish the intermediate shaft for the Great Eastern for 250 pounds and within six months. The extract also records the passing of a resolution accepting Russell's offer and resolving not to enter into any agreements regarding the brasses for the ship. The extract also records the reading of a letter from John Scott Russell to John Yates dated 26 February 1858 offering to complete the rudder and the passing of a resolution to accept the tender.
Folio 180 contains the Great Ship Contract for Shipwrights (?) Work (Mr Charles Langley 'Cont' Board of Trade). The page contains a list of payments and tenders for specific tasks including the payments for Contract Number 1, dated 23 March 1860 and the terms for the completion bonus. There is also a list of tenders for painting old and new work, for painting and varnishing the dining saloon, skylight guards and funnel casings.
Folios 169, 170, 173, 174, 178 and 179 and all the pages following folio 180 are blank. |