LEAVES FROM THE INSPECTOR'S NOTEBOOK.
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Big Engines are Baits for Buyers. The Manchester Show and Its Profits.
IF IT HAPPENED to be my job at present to have to design a new chassis there is one conclusion at which! should have little difficult in arriving, and teat is the provision of ample engine power. Of course, it is apparent that the strength and, proportionately, the weight of the chassis depend almost directly upon the b.h.p. that will be available, if need be, for transmission through the gear to the road wheels. The smaller, the engine, other things being proportionate, the lighterthe chassis. Nevertheless, even at the risk of increasing the tare weight, I am more than ever convinced that it is poor economy, in the long run, to provide a chassis with an engine of which the average output is not on the
generous side. ' * The average user is very little concerned, unless, he happen to be an expert engineer in charge,. with consumption, providing that it is not excessive. But, what he does care about is that the engine will always be well up to any work he cares to give it. • How very often one hears a comparison between two vehicles to the disparagement of one, the whole comment being based on the generous provision of horsepower, for the buyer is on the side of the big cylinders in most cases.
Is it not a fact that very much of the popularity of Yankee chassis is due.to the embodiment of an amplecapacity engine ? Reputations • of different lorries on active service are, nine times out of ten, settled on the basis that "we always had to send for a Thornyland if we got our Leyeroft ditched. You could get anything out with one of them." Again, a reputation built on horse-power almost entirely 1 Of course, if the chassis as a whole is a poor proposition, then no horse-power reputation will serve to boost it into popularity. But, I repeat, if I were a, designer to-day, I would take very good care to avoid that damning criticism on the part of would-be buyers:— " Yes, it's a good enough machine, but it's underpowered, you know." And, for industrial purposes, it isn't a solution to secure the extra horse-power merely by extra revolutions.
To Run a Manchester Show and Keep the Profits.
On Monday of last week, there was a motor-trade meeting of rather an unusual kind at the Midland Hotel, Manchester. It was convened by a number of wide-eyed North Country agents who had, apparently, at the time of the meeting, already formed a company and appointed themselves directors, with
which it is intended to act as promoters of exhibitions of all kinds, to build and own an Exhibition Hall, and, if it seem fit to them to establish and run an aerodrome and a race track, and a motor club and other 'similar activities, to organize boot and shoe, confectionery, coal mine, furniture engineering and any other eort of exhibition—much, apparently, in the style of the old Agricultural Hall at Islington where, in. former days the Stanley. and the early motor shows were. held, and where., be it said, much money accrued to the promoters. Air. J. Newton, of Messrs. Newton and Bennett, who presided,did his best at some length to explain the financial part of the proposals in his usual lucid manner, but I must admit to have failed to secure a, clear perception as to the respective responsibilities and interests of the ordinary shareholders and the founder ditto.. The capital is to be ,E25,000 in Li shares, of which 700 are to be founders' shares, the seven. directors taking X500 in ordinary and £25 in founders' shares each, and, as I understood it, a similar allotment might be made to subscribers for the balance, at the discretion of the directors, who also might invite one or two of the "chosen few" amongst the subscribers to join thema on the Board.
. Mr. Newton disclaimed the suggestion that the motor show was to be a very important side of the yompa,ny's business. . He suggested it would not amount to more than five per cent. of it. But he declared-that the company was going to approach the S.M.M. and T. for a permit to hold. a Motor show in Manchester for the North of England, with the important provision that any profits accruing should, in future not go to the S.M.M. and P., but, presumably, to the promoting company. He did not disclose what would be the company's attitude if, by any chance, the S.M.M. and T. did not see eye to eye with the suggestion, which is quite on the cards, of course. He pr9mised, however, in reply to an inquiry, that shareholders in the company should have preferential treatment at exhibitions. As apparently, all the directors are members of the S.M.M. and T.—as, too, were almost all of the considerable audience—and are, therefore, bound by the bond, it will be interesting to watch developments. It is quite evident that this new band of northern stalwarts is out to test the sti-ength of the S.M.M. and T., although quite rightly professing, at the. moment. no antagonistic feeling to the parent organization. But, the question of those profits " going to London '? is not an acceptable formula to Manchester and other North Country traders.