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OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.

10th August 1920, Page 26
10th August 1920
Page 26
Page 26, 10th August 1920 — OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Power Alcohol.

The tditor, THE COMMERCIAL 14eTort.

[1742] Sir,—In view of the national importance of this matter, I cannot help thinking it is to be much regretted that the thernoranclum issued by the Fuel Research Board is-of so negative a character.

Few people seem to realize the serious position in which this country is placed for supplies of spirit fuel of any sort, even petrol, and, though the production of. mineral spirit is increasing, the demands all over the world are increasing at an even greater rate. Our coal measures, from which benzale (and little of it) is available, cannot be replaced, and petrol is entirely imported, causing millions of money to be sent out of the country.

In my opinion, it is futile to hope for very much in the way of compressed gas for the propulsion of vehicles, and, apart from the danger to the public from this system, it seems physically impossible to carry sufficient fuel for any distance on account of the, weight of containers, etc. Supplies of spirit fuel for internal combustion engines are vital to this country, and I believe it is a fact that in Australia, India., South Africa, United .States, and France ample supplies of alcohol fuel are, or Will be, available shortly. Not only are we here lagging behind in what might he an enormous industry, but the position is reflected in the fact that other countries will be open to purchase alcohol engines.

Engines suitable for running on alcohol will, therefore, be required for export in quantities shortly, and unless alcohol fuel is common in this country, and the development of alcohol engines naturally follows, we shall be handicapped as regards our export trade. If something is net done in Great Britain soon, we shall find our passible supplies of raw material for alcohol fad denied us when we most need them. No one would suggest that we should diminish our food supply for the produetion of power alcohol, but many tropical and sub-tropical countries can produce un., limited amounts of vegetable matter for the production of this fuel, and what is wanted is encouragement to private enterprise, and financial interests, to allow of the necessary developments. It is well known that before the war Germany was sufficiently far-sighted to ensure extensive supplies of indigenous alcohol fuel, and if she had not done so, her transport would hardly have been possible in the early stages of the war.

The chief stages through which this vital matter has passed are, briefly, that theCommitte& which reported in 1905 saw no reason to do anything on account of the low price of petrol at that time ; the Committee which reported in 1919 recommended, amongst other things, the removal of legal restrictions, such as the Excise Duty and-the operation of the Distillery Laws, and this last Report of the Fuel Research Beard gives one the impression that those in authority are not really serious in endeavouring to remove the obstacles to development.

Gannet something be done ta focus interest on this matter,' and to leave the ground clear by removal bf all reStrietiondireregard tomanufacture and use With suitable safeguards,. so that private enterprise can have at last an opportunity of showing what it_ can do? If., my infamation, is correct, Australia has recently taken this course, and it follows that that country will soon be requiring alcohol engines. -The action of our. Government. is .in .strong contrast to that of Frianc,, for example, where the authorities, so far frem discouraging theame of alcohol fuel, offered rewards some years ago for the best alcchol engine

results. . _ _ .

It must be reMembered that at present alcohol is the only reproductive supply of spirit fuel, and it is to be hoped that the Government will not be obsessed

328 with the idea that no one but they can do anything. If restrictions were removed, no great harai could follow in any case—Yours faithfully,

THE PARSONS MOTOR TD., •

' HARRY PARSONS, Co.,ianaging Director.

. Scruthampton.

Mersey Transport Muddle.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[1743] Sir,—Your very valuable and exceedingly able article on the ferry question between Liverpool and. Birkenhead should do much to arouse, still further, such a volume of public opinion as to cm:4d even an ex-railway manager, to realize that if the Ministry ofTransport is to justify its existence it must do something more than meditate on a future which the present Minister at any rate will not live politically long enough to materialize. .. There is one feature you might have mentioned, the haulage rate-Manchester to Liverpool is 20S. per . ton. ..The rate Liverpool to Birkenhead or Wallasey is 15s. 9d:-, and, as a fact, even at that rate, the haulage contractor, in the long run, will make a loss, if he allows his vehicle to-take part inthe long-. drawn-Out, parades on either side Of the river.—.

Yours faithfully, •

• TRE.DAImLER MOTOR CO., LTD.,

Warrington. A: J. BAILEY, Director.

72,000 Showmen and _Railway Transport.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR..

[1744j-Sir,—I have just been reading " Leaves from The Inspector's Note;bcrok ". in your issue of July"27th, and I beg to State that " Inspector "is under a -wrong .impression altogether in thinking that showmen can always get railway transport.

Showmen experience inconvenience at the present time just like other users of the railway. Often we have to wait so 'long for carriage trucks that we are cempelled to miss 'many important fairs. Showmen who send their goods by goods tram do not get them

till too late for the fair. at the they have been ,sent to. 1, mySelf, hiSt year -sent my goods from Birmingham to Newcastle. They were sent a week before the fair, but I did not get them till three weeks afterwards. In that time I had missed three fairs.

I was so-fed up. with railway transport that I bought a 3 ton petrol van,which I had converted to a • living van ; this also Carries my goods, and my family, from place toplace. Showmen are leaving the railways and going in for road transport more than ever they did, and since I started to travel with a petrol inciter many showmen have followed suit, and in a few years' time. nearly all showmen will be travelling by petrol or steam waphs.

venture to 'think that when the showmen have given up railway transport, the railway companies*. will feel a, bigger. draught-than they feel now. There are aver 72,000 showmen in the United Kingdom, and most of them used to travel by rail, now the great majority travel by road, and so. the .railways are losing thousands of pounds from showmen alone.

. The minimum charge for, a showman's van by passenger train, is is. 3d. per mile, that is for a van weighing no more than ,50 cwt. (the rate is higher according. to tiniweight of the van), added to which -he, has to pay for horse or other transport at each end :from. fair .ground to station and .vice .versa, as well as ordinary railway -fares for his wifeand family, . hiniself, and his employees, if he hag any. So. his transport does not finish at is. 3d.. per mile by a long shot, and he does not get .about by railway as . easily as if-. Inspector P . seems to think.—Yours faith faith fully, . tor Living 'Van, Ashton-under-Lyne.


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