Enlightenment

Sir,
May I suggest that the somewhat condescending attitude adopted by Mr Griffith Borgeson towards Pomeroy’s The Grand Prix Car, referred to in your March issue, is scarcely worthy of him?

When, some 60 years ago, I began to write notes on motor racing history for Motor Sport, they were subject, I regret to say, to endless errors and omissions, if only because nobody else at that time seemed to take any interest in the subject and the establishment of a satisfactory bibliography for research was exceedingly difficult. When Pomeroy embarked on his technically brilliant Milestone of Speed, conditions were little better. Nature and Nature’s laws lay hid in night, God said ‘Let Pomeroy be!’ and all was light.

Or nearly all. No doubt there are still some odd nooks and crannies into which Mr Borgeson can most usefully poke his torch, but broadly speaking, he is working by day while we had to grope before dawn broke.

I used to know several people who did not even know what “desmodromic” means!

Kent Karslake, South Molton, Devon