CO129-350 - Public Offices - 1908 — Page 86

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Major. B. H. Smith to Crown Agents.

RECE

Red 22 JUL 08

Gentlemen,

1

Brunswick Tube Works,

Wednesbury,

Ref. W/254, Hong Kong.

January 22nd. 1906.

I have considered very carefully, your

communication as per above reference and come to one

conclusion only, viz:- That the tubes were not ordered

thick enough in the first instance and it is a great pity the working pressure was not stated on the original

enquiry.

Undoubtedly pipes of these dimensions (5" and 6") of a thickness of some fraction under " are in duty

bound to sweat and more than likely to burst.

Testing such tubes both as to size and thickness under Hydraulic pressure "for a few seconds" at 1500 lbs to the sq. inch, neither sweating or bursting would happen, but if allowed

to stand under this pressure for an hour or so, sweating

would commence. To obviate this use thicker metal.

RE the sending of a Butt-welded tube.

I have now ascertained we have never made a

Being myself a

butt-welded 5" or 6" tube at all..

practical man I may perhaps be able to throw some light

It is just possible

on this matter.

feasible solution

-

and the only

that this particular tube for seve ral feet down, came off the lap in the course of rolling, but as to it being a butt-welded pipe I may go so far as to say it is quite impossible.

I notice the remarks as to the pipes breaking

away at the screwed ends. I should say they have been

put

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