"Napier's list of customers, like the passenger list of the Titanic, recalls all the thundery afternoon sunlight of Edwardian England.

Here is ancient landed wealth: here is the recent profit of industry and finance: here are the rich Radical politicians.

Here is a memory of the days when there were forty servants below stairs at Longleat, when Sir William Lever, vastly rich on soap, could say he was 'in love with petrol', and when the Liberal Party, profiting by the social discontent which is the other side of the medal, could promise something recognisably like the Welfare State and sweep the Conservatives from office.

And all behind a Royal Navy that could send sixty-four battle ships to sea at once, and in the reign of the German Emperor who both patronised motor racing and made indiscreet, threatening speeches about 'shining armour'." How well Charles Wilson and William Reader in Men and Machines – A History of D Napier & Son, Engineers, Ltd.

summarised the background against ...