Andersen, Meyer & Co. Ltd to Public Works Department. "RE: ELECTRIC SIGN". Shanghai, October 7, 1921.  Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0520). 

It is the intention of the British American Tobacco Co to dismantle the present Pirate sign located on Bubbling Well Road and replace with a sheet metal sign, size of which will be 45' wide and 39' high. The sheet metal will be 1/16" thick and bloted every 6" to the existing iron frame. We would greatly appreciate your early attention to this matter and notifiy us if a permit will be granted.  

Public Works Department to Andersen, Meyer & Co. Ltd. "Proposed Alteration to Sky Sign Cad Lot. 10 - Bubbling Well Road". Shanghai, October 11, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0521). 

With reference to your letter of the 7th instant, I beg to inform you that I am unable to issue the permit applied for until calculations showing whether the existing structure is of sufficient strength to safely withstand the additional wind pressure which could have to bear, if the proposed new sign were substituted for the present sign.  

Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works" to Commissioner of Public Works". Shanghai, October 21, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0524). 

We have been requested by the British American Tobacco Company to give Messrs. Andersen Meyer & Co. Information regarding the structure designed and erected at the Horse Bazaar to carry an electric sign by ourselves in 1912. The enclosed letter from Messrs. Andersen Meyer & Co. dated 17th inst. shows our attitude in the matter in so far as we are willing to submit to your department any information you require and refusing to give Andersen Meyer & Co any plans or information.

This structure was designed by us and approved by our Mr. Chas. H. Godfray at the time, to carry all stress as required for the "Pirate Sign". Now that it is proposed to erect on the structure a larger sign of greater area, we have gone into the matter and now submit to you our calculations in a diagrammatic plan and recommendations, leaving your Department to deal with the matter as you think fit. We trust you will appreciate our position to prevent Commission Houses dealing in steel structures of this nature in and about the Settlement which, if encouraged, would no doubt give your department much concern.

Any further information you may wish, will gladly be given you on application.   

Acting Commissioner of Public Works to Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works. "Sky Sign - Cad Lot 10 - Bubbling Well Road". Shanghai, October 27, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0525). 

I beg to acknowledge with many thanks your letter of the 21st instant and the plan and calculations which accompanied it. For your information, I enclose herewith a copy of my letter to Messrs. Anderson, Meyer & Co. Ltd. of today's date.

Public Works Department to Andersen, Meyer & Co. Ltd. "Proposed Alteration to Sky Sign Cad Lot. 10 - Bubbling Well Road". Shanghai, October 27, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0522). 

With further reference to your letter of the 7th instant, I beg to inform you that Messrs. The Kiangnan Dock and Engineering Works have submitted data regarding the above sky sign, from which I find that the sky sign is not structurally safe to withstand the additional wind pressure chich it would have to bear, if the existing sign were submitted by a sheet metal sign as proposed. I am therefore unable to issue the permit applied for.

Andersen, Meyer & Co. Ltd to Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works" - ATTENTIONS MR R.B. MAUCHAN - Re: Iron Structure of Pirate Sign, B.A.T.". Shanghai, October 27, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0523). 

We have been advised by Mr. Strassman of the British American Tobacco Company that you would give the necessary information to the Shanghai Municipal Council Public Works Department as to the strength of structure to withstand the wind pressure of a solid face sign of the following dimensions. This proposed sign is to be 45' wide by 39' high and to consist of No. 16 gauge galvanized iron sheets bolted every 6" to the present structure. The sign is to be installed as high as possible on the present structure with one electric lighted character upon top of this 8'x8'. Thanking you for your attention in this matter.  

Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works to Commissioner of Public Works. "Re: BAT Electric Sign Structure". Shanghai, November 4, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0526). 

We have again been in communication with British-American Tobacco Co. (China), Ltd. With reference to the steel structure carrying Pirate Sign at Horse Bazaar. They now request us to take up this matter with your department, and to inspect and make good any defects or deteriorated parts to your satisfaction and to scale and paint the whole structure with a view to getting your permission to erect the larger sign. We shall be obliged if you would indidacte to us what you would require us to do to fet your permit to allow the larger electric sign to be fixed.

In the calculations we submitted on the 22nd October last we gave you our figures and suggested that all three legs should be ballasted with concrete. If this method is unsatisfactory in your opinion, we could get the whole structure examined and report to your the condition with our suggestions for reinstating same in sound condition.  

Acting Commissioner of Public Works to Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works. "Sky Sign - Cad Lot 10 - Bubbling Well Road". Shanghai, November 11, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0527-0528).

With reference to your letter of the 4th instant : If the legs of the sign are weighted as suggested in your letter of the 21st ultimo, there would be no objection to the erection of the proposed new sign, but before any work is done, the whole structure should be carefully examined in order to ascertain if any serious deterioration has taken place. I would particularly draw your attention to the condition of the base of the north leg which shows signs of corrosion.  

Letter from Kiangnan Dock & Engineering Works to Commissioner of Public Works. "Re:  "Sky Sign - Cad Lot 10 - Bubbling Well Road". Shanghai, November 14, 1921. Source: SMA (SMC), U1-14-3262 (0529). 

In accordance with your instructions of the 10th instant, we have examined the above Sign situated in the premises of the Shanghai Horse Bazaar Co. Limited and found it to be in good condition with the exception of the flat iron braces of three (3) columns broken about twenty feet (20') from the top, also the heads of rivets in way of angle lugs connecting two columns to base plate badly corroded, the structure in various places badly rusted.

Recommend: The drilling of additional holes, tapping same and fitting new screw pins in way of horizontal flanges of angle lugs, also the rivets to be cut out and renewed in way of vertical flanges. The three (3) broken flat braces to be cut out and renewed with brases 25% heavier. The rusted places to be scaled to bare iron and painted with anti-corrosive paint, and the whole structure to have one full coat of best oil paint. The above mentioned repairs, when completed with, reinstate the steel structure in good repair.