1 |
I am Edward Harland, the owner, and manager of the Harland and Company shipyard. I am looking for a reliable supplier for my business. Would you be interested? |
2 |
My company is new and we have just received our first order for three vessels. I need a supplier asap. Can you help me get the material for the ships? |
3 |
These will be steamships for John Bibbby’s shipping company. I have designed them myself. We need mechanical parts for the steam engines. They have to be built separately and then installed into the vessels. |
4 |
The first vessels we make will help us succeed or doom us to failure. I am prepared to do anything to avoid that second option. So bring only the best materials whatever the cost. |
5 |
I personally supervise our workers. I don’t want them distracted by activities such as smoking or overly long lunches. The food will be provided in exchange for the discipline. |
6 |
There are not enough competent workers on the market. I am even willing to raise the wages if I can just get good shipbuilders. Can you help me? Do you know some shipbuilders? |
7 |
I need a personal office. Until now, I have just occupied a corner room in the factory. But that is not sufficient anymore. Let’s build a small office building outside. |
8 |
There is a personal matter I would like you to help me with. I am having a wedding in a few weeks. It will be a small affair, nothing fancy. But the food and drink need to be on point. |
9 |
I can’t spend much money on the wedding now. All I have must go to the company. I know my fiance would like something special but the company takes up a lot of finances right now. |
10 |
Mr. Bibby was very pleased with our ships. He has ordered additional vessels. We need to start the construction as soon as we get the necessary material. |
11 |
We also need metal for the hull. I think the age of the wooden boats is coming to an end. Our ships will be modern and made of metal. I trust you know where to get some good iron. |
12 |
The wedding is tomorrow, so I will take one day off from work. Then I must go back to work. You are invited to the wedding ceremony, of course. But please, wear something appropriate. |
13 |
The ceremony was pleasant but I could not stop thinking about the newest order. I want to start designing the new vessels right away. Please, take care of the wedding feast for me. |
14 |
We are getting more new orders by the day. We need to hire more workers. I have also decided to make my assistant a partner in the company. Gustav Wolff is a very competent young man. |
15 |
I have just closed a contract with the White Star Line. If all goes well, this will be a long-lasting partnership. It’s time we expanded our docks so we can build more ships at the same time. |
16 |
We should hire some people taking care of the business side of our company. I am skilled in ship design but I am no accountant. Also, business negotiations were never my strength. |
17 |
The flu season is coming but there is a lot of work. We need to keep our workers healthy and ready to build more ships. Maybe some vitamins will help. |
18 |
Have you heard? There is a war in America. War is never pleasant but we got more orders for ships from the Confederate Navy. And I am not one to refuse good business. |
19 |
The Confederacy has ordered fast steamships. They must be able to outrun the blockade of Union ships. We need to make them light so we have to use more wood than iron. |
20 |
There is a shortage of food in America due to the war and the blockade of ports. We have the opportunity to arrange shipments of food to America. This will help people and earn us some money. |
21 |
I want to experiment with some new materials on the next order of ships. If we find something that will give our vessels an advantage over the competition, we will never long for business. |
22 |
Will Pirrie, my former associate, will be joining the company as a new partner. He promised to help expand our business. He is a superb businessman and negotiator. |
23 |
I think we are ready to open a new factory in another city. It won’t be as large as our headquarters in Belfast but it will help us construct more ships faster. |
24 |
Our clients from across the Atlantic have requested their ships be delivered to them. Usually, the customers pick up the vessels at the docks. But I am sure we can make an exception this time. |
25 |
I am very pleased with our workers. We could give them a bonus. But I was thinking of something more special than just money. How about some Dutch cocoa? |
26 |
I have designed a new screw propeller for the next vessel to be constructed. Take the plans to the workshop and show it to the smith. This could make the ship much faster. |
27 |
I will take some time off. My wife wants to go on holiday. Actually, I don’t remember the last time I had a holiday. I was thinking we could take a boat trip on one of my experimental vessels. |
28 |
I have been gone for just a few days and already we are behind schedule. Tell the workers they will have to work through the weekend. We will provide food that should calm them down a bit. |
29 |
The quality of the cloth for the sails has been steadily declining. I decided we will have our own sails made at the local fabric factory. Deliver them cotton, they will take care of the rest. |
30 |
We need to have more materials at hand when we begin the construction of a new vessel. However, our warehouse does not have sufficient capacity. We need to build a new bigger warehouse. |
31 |
I have found one of the men smoking a pipe. Smoking is strictly forbidden in my factory. We need to make an example and fire him. But I am not a monster so he will get severance pay. |
32 |
We need to put no-smoking signs all over the factory. I won’t have any more incidents like this. Make sure they are made from metal, so they will last. This restriction won’t change as long as I am alive. |
33 |
When we hire new workers, I want only reliable people. Just like your sailors. No lazy unskilled loafers. Our business needs to keep certain standards. That goes for ships and people too. |
34 |
I have heard about a new type of vehicle, powered by a special fuel. I want to experiment with this fuel. Maybe we could use it for our ships too. Can you get it for me? |
35 |
Let’s make a small boat powered by this fuel. I am not sure how it will work. But that’s what experiments are for, right? But let’s keep our distance when we turn it on. Just to be safe. |
36 |
Quick! Put out the fire! It seems I was not ready for this invention. I am not a specialist for engines and this invention is probably beyond me. At least no one got hurt. |
37 |
I will be leaving the management of the company to Mr. Wolff and Mr. Pirrie. This last failure has me thinking that it might be time to leave the firm in the hands of the younger generation. |
38 |
I will still keep designing ships. I can't imagine my life without this activity. But maybe I will keep it more as a hobby during the evenings with a glass of wine. |
39 |
The firm will hopefully prosper even without me. I have full trust in my colleagues. Mr. Wolff is a great ship designer and Mr. Pirrie is a wonderful manager and businessman. |
40 |
I am retiring today, captain. It was a pleasure building my company alongside you. Should my former partners need help, I trust you will assist them. |
Final |
Before I take my leave, I have something for you. Farewell, captain. |