WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it rune. '—John Beattie Crozier,
C.M.U.A. National Council.
At the annual general meeting of the Comntexcial Motor Users Association, held at, the Savoy Hotel, the following were elected the National Council of the Association for 1920-1921, to represent the various diyisions of the-Association: Messrs. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E. (chairman); W. G. Lobjoit, J.P. (deputy chairman); H. W. Wigan, E. G. Guest, Walter Wolsey, -Junr., R. C. Reynolds (vice-chairmen); E. W. Rudd (hon. treasurer); F. G. Bristow (general secretary), John Allen, O.B.E. (Oxford), R. W. G. Barnett (Liverpool), E. Percy Beavan (London), H. A. Bennett (T'rottingliam), Major E. J'. Burt, -R.E. (Westminster), J. C. Caldwell (Glasgow), F. J. Cleeve (Limerick),) J. Crombleholme (Preston), A. D. Currie (Newcastle), G. H. Dalgleish (Nottingham), ) W. G. England (Barnsley), J. Faulkner tMancheeter), W. F. French (Balhana), C. le M. Gosselin (Preston), R. Hall (Smithfield), R. A. Hannah (London), R. A. Hobhouse (Bath), S. N. Horne _ (London),..J. F: Kitchen (Liverpool), W. T. Lalonde (Weston-super-Mare), R. C. Macdonald (London), J. R. Maidens (London), H. Mayes (Southampton), W. McDowell (London), J. C. Mitchell (London), Geo. Munro, June. (London), j. Llewellyn Morgan (Cardiff), T. Morgan (Newport), F. Nicholson (Sunderland), L. G. Oldfiehl (London), 0. C. Power (Birmingham), A. Paterson (Lou. don), G. E. D. Rills (Birmingham), A. Reynolds (London), G. W. Smith (Nottingham), W. Somers Schuster (London), W. J. Thompson (Edinburgh), S. K. Thornley (Birmingham), F. Underwood (Worcester), W. Vernon Smith (Bristol), J. Wail (London), W. Webb (Southampton), N. F. Wentworth (London), J. J. Wilkins (Barnsley), F. H. Wort (Salisbury).
Dead Mileage and Hauliers' Profits.
A point which hauliers would do well to consider is the effect which light running to terminals, garage, etc., has upon the rates they are getting. Where a garage is not in close proximity to the picking-up place, there must inevitably be a big leakage in dead mileage every week, and unless running and maintenance costs are carefully kept, inexperienced contractors are apt to overlook these littleincidentals that mount , up so rapidly. The haulier cannot do better than systematically keep daily record charts of mileage covered and seeing to it that the profits of productive journeys are not ewallowed. up during the unproductive periods of light running to and from " home" after the day's work is over. It is difficult to state what percentage margin should be allowed for terminal mileage, as no two cases are alike,
Sequel to a " C.M." Hint.
We commented recently on the evils attendant on the payment of bribes by owners of privateesehieles to drieers of , enernereiel cars for favourable positions in the queues leading to the ferry boats eet crossing the Ricer Mersey. The Birkenhead Road Transport Association has been considering the unprecedented situation created on Grand National day, and it was decided to send a letter to the Chief Constable on the subject. Attention was again directed' to the congestion of the ferries, and one member spoke bitterly of the constant delays. The Birkenhead Association is also in communloation with the Borough Surveyor on the subject of bad road eurfaces.
Brokers' and Manufacturers' Reciprocal Service.
The Commercial Motor learns from a Manchester source that some of the cotton brokers in Liverpool are contemplatinglbuying a fleet of petrol and steam wagons between them and that they are, at the present time, canvassing amongst spinners in the adjacent towns—Oldham is one of the places mentioned—for loads to bring back. So far as we have been able to gather, their idea is to sell cotton to mills, with the stipulation that the buyers shall provide the return load. It isistated that this is pot the first tima such an enterprise has been attempted, and that three years ago a similar scheme failed.
Haulage contractors are not friendlily disposed towards the project, and it is likely that more will be heard of it later on, when more details are known.
Motor Ship Progress.
One learns, on the authority of The Motor p, of which the second monthly issue was published on May 1st, that areallty remarkable etrides in the development and use of the internalcombustion engine for marine purposes were made during the month of April. The largest motor vessel ever. built, the " Afrika," a 13,000 ton craft was completed at Copenhagen, and ,pliotographs of the vessel on her trial trip, of one of her 2,250 h.P. Diesel engines and of one of the three auxiliary sets installed, are included in the deecription given by our contemporary. The plans, which are also published, show how remarkably small is the, engine room, This vessel attained a speed of 12 knots on a consumption of 14 tons of oil fuel per day— quite a revolutionary accomplishment. Then we are told of the launch at Glasgow of a still larger vessel, the 14,000 tons 14 knot liner" Glenogle," and of the first of a series of British standard 11,000 ton motor ships at Sun
deriand. In this series a marine oil engine is to be installed of higher effective power than any yet constructed for ship propulsion. The extreme importance of the employment of oil engines instead of steam machinery is brought out in respect of the recent announcement of the increase, by 10s. per ton, of Nights to and froin South Africa. At present prices for Welsh coal and for oil, the respective fuel bills for the voyage would be £6,562 10s. for the steamer and £1,550 for the motor ship, whilst £150 per voyage could be saved owing to the smaller number of men being required in the motor engine room, and nearly 10 per cent, more cargo would be carried.
Thornycroft's Retrospects.
Anyone 'who knows the members of the Thorrixcroft family can imagine the pleasure with which they have watched the preparation of the material for a book just published by the company entitled "Thornycroft: A Retrospect and a Prospect." Apart from an interesting history of the company, and an equally interesting account of the war work in the shape of the design, development, and construction of naval craft, the production of engines and boilers, the reconstruction work upon torpedoed and damaged vessels, and the production of motor vehicles, Red 0'0W vessels, trench mortars, and bomb throwers for submarine-destroying depth charges, the by Fred Taylor, R.I., and the general decorations of the book with his work are really delightful. We had the pleasure a few moaths ago of seeing Mr. Taylor at work at Basingstoke upon his drawings of the motor vehicle works, and were then struck with the masterly --skill with which he was handing his subject, but the sketches of the works at Woolston. of the flotilla leaders, coastal motor boats, and other craft in dock, afloat or building, all show the hand of a man revelling in his subject. At the &Mae time, two impressions are irresistibly created: one that the resources of the company were vast, and the resourcefulness and enterprise 'of the directors -and the staff without limit, and the other that a wonderful degree of efficiency must have been attained for the output to have reached the high figures given at the end of the record. One feels on completing the study of the book (although, let it be remarked, that One can with added pleasure turn again end yet again to Mr. Taylor's delightful pictures) that the country owes a deep debt of gratitude to the Thornyerofts. They vastly helped the Navy, whilst the Army's movements were accelerated, and it was able to rely upon provisioning and reinforcements because of the high quality of Thornycroft vehicles.
Tractors in Spain.
German manufacturers have sold quite a number of agricultural tractors of various types in lBadajoz and the neighbourhood. It is considered that there might be openings for British machines in that district, as the quantity of land used for growing cereals is increasing. The Agricultural Syndicate of Sagunto (province of Valencia) has been experimenting with motor tractors in the «range groves. The type of machine employed was asmall one, and it was found that it could be manceuvred without difficulty, even in the denser parts of the gardens. The syndicate appears to be inclined to adopt this system of culture.
General Motors Expansion.
The General Motors Corporation has completed plans for the expansion of its lorry-producing factory in Pontiac, Michigan, at a cost of 1,000,000 dollars. Starting on July 1st, the annual production will be increased to 20,000 lorries as compared with 10;000 for the current fiscal year,
Pneumatics for Heavies.
The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., have organized a series of trade shows in various picture theatres throughout the country, where interested members of the trade and others are invited to view a most instructive film portraying a journey of close upon 8,000 miles recently undertaken by two vehicles of the Goodyear Akron Express Service, shod with giant pneumatics.
The journey undertaken was from Boston to San Francisco via the Goodyear cotton plantations, and the planters towns of . Goodyear and Litchfield in Arizona. The total distance of 7,763 nines was covered at an average speed of 13.43 miles per hour, which is remarkably good going when the nature of the journey is taken into consideration. Many hundreds of miles of absolutely trackless desert were covered, in which sections the cinematograph has faithfully recorded the tractor power of the Goodyear pneumatics through loose sand and mud. Thirty:one mountain chains were crossed, the highest point attained being 8,790 ft.
Each vehicle had .a gross load of no less than nine, tons and except for some slight damage sustained by one of them, when a wooden bridge over a culvert proved unequal to the weight, no trouble of any kind was experienced. Over a run ofethis nature the highaverage speed and immunity from trouble speak volumes for the efficiency of the giant 10 in. pneumatics, the resiliency of which must greatly minimize the depreciation of heavily-laden vehicles when they are operating over exceptionally rough and uneven surfaces.
Buses v. Trams in Nottingham
The uncompromising hostility of the Nottinghamshire authorities to scheme under which, incidental to annexation proposals, the Nottingham Corporation had sought to make a wide extension of the city's tramway system into contiguous areas, again found expression at the last meeting of the County Council It was suggested that the municipal project was merely designed as a diplomatic move to shelve off' opposition to the larger design. The original idea was to connect up Nottingham on the One aide with Plucknall Torkard, and on the other with Beeston and Chilweli.
, But the report which was presented at the recent assembly did not he,sitate to declare that in the present inadequate condition of the city's electricity supply, there was never any intention of carrying out the tramway schemes, bills relating to which were blocked by the Council in Parliament, with the renilt that certain clauses which would have afforded availability Over the routes mentioned were struck out.
Meanwhile there is abundant evidence that the popular feeling in Nottinghamshire as elsewhere is increasingly in favour of motorbuses, and the County Council has therefore wisely interpreted the public View in withdrawing opposition to Nottingham and Sheffield Bills as to running such conveyances in various parts of the district upon the understanding that the model clause to be inserted in these measures by the Ministry of Transport, to cover the ground generally in regard to such 'schemes, will be suffioient to protect county and other interests. By these Bills the Nottingham Corporation may acquire the power to run buses to the centres for which they failed to acquire authority as to tnamways, whilst the Sheffield Corporation proposes to deal with the needs of the Worlpop district., which, although
geographically situate in Nottinghamshire, is more allied to Yorkshire than the Midland county. With other plans also in contemplation,, Nottinghamshire promises before long to be covered. with a perfectly comprehensive system of motorbus traffic, Which will certainly best suit local .needs.
Heavy Traffic and Road Damage.
Glasgow Corporation has had further reports as to roads stated to have been damaged by exceptionally heavy motor traffic, and is holding the firms concerned responsible for the damage. In one case four boilers weighing about 66 tone, in eluding the bogie, had been removed from Messrs. Barclay, Curie and Co.'s boiler shed in Kelvinhaugh Street to the large crane at the foot of Finnie,ston Street, via Kelvinhaugh Street, Argyle Street, and Finnieeton Street. When. the route was subsequently examined, 1,960 stones, weighing approximately 18 tone, were found broken. In another case, an oil engine weighing about 110 tons, including the bogie, had been removed from Messrs. Harland and Wolff's engine shop in Lancefield Street to the crane, and after the passage of this heavy traffic. 740 stones, weighing about 61 tons, were freimi broken.
Personal Pars.
Mr. Harry Persona, managing director of Parsons Motor Co., Ltd., has been elected president for the ensuing year of the Chamber of Cornaneece of Southampton.
Mr. Bernard Steele, of Messrs. Joseph Lucas, Ltd., Birmingham, has resigned his position as managing director of that company after 28 years of active service.
/sir. J. Harper, who is chairman of the Liverpool branch of the Commercial Motor Users Association, is one of the senior partners in the concern of William Harper and Sons, haulage contractors and forwarding agents. He was one of the pioneers in the formation of the C.M.U.A. at Liverpool, and is alse elated with with the local Cart-owners Association.
On this page will lie found the reproduction of a photograph of Mr. R. B. Emerson, the genial and energetic manager of the commercial vehicle and tractor department, Fiat Motors, Ltd. Mr. Emerson has been with the Fiat Co. in various capacities since 1913. During the war he was in charge of their.
contracts. His previous experience in the motor trade began ins1906, when he was with the Stockport Motor Co. After this he was for some years with the Talbot Garage, Lad, also of Stockport. We must not omit to state thatsMr. Emerson is a Lancashire man', and is proud of the fact.
Tyre Investment Trust Prosperity.
At the recent directors' meeting of the Tyrre Investment Trust, Ltd., it was decided to recommend a final dividend of ls, per share less tax on the company's 2s. ordinary shares, making a total dietribution of 4s. per share for the year, equal to 200 per cent. At the annual meeting to be held on. May 14th, the members present will be fully informed of the exceedingly prosperous condition of the company.
" C.M." Chassis Specifications.
The three pages of chassis specifications contained in this issue complete those for British petrol vehicles. Specifications of vehicles of foreign manufacture are wow in course of preparation, and the first of these will appear in an early issue.
For the information of those of our new readers who may not have observed the.sspecific,ations of electric and steam vehicles which we have already pubs lished these were contained in our issue dated April 20th, 1920.
More Advances.
Motor-vehicle users in Liverpool will be interested to learn that from June 1st the scale of weighing charges on weighing machines controlled by the Corporation will be advanced to the following rates:— General traffic, not exceeding 7 tons, 6d. per weigh. General traffic, exceeding 7 tons, 10d. per weigh. Goods on motor lorries, 4d. per ton, with a minimum charge of'is. 6d. per weigh. These charges also apply to trailers attached to motor lorries where weighing entails the motor having to pass over the weighing machine.
The Key to the North,
An intoreating staterneat on the importanets of the Mersey goods ferries to vehicular traffic was made at a Government inquirj• held at Birkenhead into the application. of the Birkenhead. Corporation for-extended borrowing powers to raise AEI amount of £150,000 and to obtain authority to raise the.maximam tolls and charges at the ferries.
The Chahman of ,the.. Ferries Cosne mittee. Mr. Fletcher, said that up to the beginning of the century the ferry was chiefly a'connecting link between Liverpool and Birkenhead, used by braille witha radius of 17 to 20 miles. Now it carried vehicles from every part of the country. On two recent days it carried 288 "foreign" vehicles from as fax southas Loadon and as tar north as Glaggow, and that was typical of the change whiola.motor traffic had brought
into the service. made. the ferry not merely a connecting link between two highways, but one of the mainhigh.ways between the north and south of the country.
As ta the congestion of traffic, Capt. Langahaw stated that an the Cheshire side of the river, between 9 a.m. t and 11 a.m. every day, these was a continual stoppage of traffic for a distance of a quarter of a mile. In Liverpool, on the return journeys, from half-past thsee in the afternoon until the finish, there was a line of vehicles three-quarters of a mile . long. It is proposed to run foilr steamers instead of three, and have one as a' stand-by and one under survey. At present the cost of a new traffic boat is £100,000.
Misleading Methods.
A blow was given to the unfair practice of trading on the names and re.putation of widely-known industrial concerns, when the American Federal Trade Commission issued an order that the Good Wear Tyre and Tube Co. of Chicago should refrain from using a name so confusing in similarity to the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co., and also to cease unfair methods of competition in the manufacture and sale of reconstructed tyres as new products.
Form,a1 complaint was made on October 20th, 1919, to the commission that the trade name "Good Wear Tyre and Tube Co.," so closely resembled that of Goodyear that the public was misled. It was further asserted that the owners of the Good Wear" company adopted 08
in their advertisements a style and general type of copy used extensively for many years by Goodyear for the purpose 'of securing the benefits of world-wide advertisiag costing Goodyear millions of dollars.
The Chicago company was also charged with wording its advertisements of its semade tyres so as to lead the public to believe that they were new and unused. The ruling of the Federal Trade Commission is made on the practice of solutioning and sewing two second-hand tyres described as " double-tread" and selling them without the use of other words to show that they were not built of new material.
Albions Abroad.
The splendid . work performed by' -Albion lorries under the severest conditions for motor transport during the campaign in German East Africa is corn'non knowledge. A 'further order for six 50 cwt. chassis lias just been ,received from the South African Government constituting perhaps the best poSsible proof' of the high reputation whIli Albioris enjoy in the South African Government Departments.
Bristol's Co,operative Delivery.
In connection with its deliv'erY of goods, the Brietol Co.operative Society has 2 Foden steam lorries and 15 petrol vehicles, using Thornycrofts' for heavy work and Belsize for the lighte.r needs. During the present year it has expended 23,219 on new vehicles, Its motors and tractors are being depreciated at the rate of 10 per cult, per annum, and now ' stand at £4,787 in the balance sheet, £2,211 having already been written •off.
Another 3d. a Mile.
The Hertfordshire .Health Committee reports that for some time past arrange, ments have been made with Messrs. H. Barker and Son, of Hertford, for the supply of a motor ambulance for the removal of patients to and from the County Tuberculosis Hospital at Ware at a cost of 1s. per mile. Messrs. Beaker and Son have now made a.pplication few a further payment of 3d. per mile, stating that such increase is necessary owing to the increased cost in running expenses, petrol, tyres and oil. The Committee considers the application is reasonable, and have accepted the new terms.
If you are a Ford van user you need " The Book of the Ford Van' price 3s. 20. post free from the offices of this journal.
• The Tank's Origin.
It would be much worse than unjust if the work of many of the concerns in the motor and allied industries during the war went unrecorded. Much of it is barely known beyond the four walls of the individual factories or the boundaries of the towns where they were located much of it again • has been obscured. The origin, the development, and the methods of production of the wonderful " Tank " for all that has been written thereon, could still be lost to posterity for, of course, the official inquiries into the parentage of the new weeper' did not produce the coherent history that one might hasse expected, because 'much of the information would have been irrelevant in tha case. But Wm. Foster and Co., Ltd., of Lincoln, have made good the omission, and in a most delightfully interesting and beautifully . produced book entitled "The Tank: Its Birth and Development," the whole of the facts are for the first time placed before the British public in orderly array, and in ehronologic,a1 sequence. The publication is of an expensive nature (in these times), for it is printed on good paper and is profusely illustrated —in fact, the illustrations are made, in a very large measure, to tell the story, for the text is modestly written yet is extremely convincing.
Reading the account which has bern written and carefully studying the photographs, one realizes most clearly the genesis of the idea, and can follow the lines of thought pursued by Sir William Tritton and his collaborator Major W. G. Wilson and, knowing the past hiiory of the triTo men, one feels justified in hernias them as creative'geniusiss of' whom the British nation is proud, and to whom it must be eternally grateful. There is not a shred. of doubt as to the effect of the Tank upon the whole course of the war after it first crossed No-man's Land on September 15th, 1916. A new factor was then introduced into warfare, and one that waS destined to dominate. It entirely altered the course of events, and in favour of the Allies, so that the names of Tritton and Wilson will go down to posterity, coupled with other names made famous in the war.
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The International tractor exhibited by the International Harvester Co., of Great Britain, attracted great attention at the first Scottish agricultural show of the season at Ayr last Tuesday.
Bournemouth Bus Costs.
The revenue account of the bus service of the Bournemouth Corporation for the year ended March 31st, 1920—which -shows a loss of £382--giyes the following details as to expenditure and isicome _per bus mile in pence:—
TRAFFie EXPENSES. el.
Traffic wages ... ... 5.17 Cleaning, Oiling and shed main tenance 1.37 Ticket cheek ... 0.16 Uniforine ... 0.24 Petrol ... ... 11.39 Licences, etc.... ... 0.16 War bonuses ... ... 4.42 The total for traffic expenses'was thus 22,91 per bus mile.
GENERAL EXPENSES.
Salaries and establishment ... 1.83 Rent, etc. ... 0.50 Printing and stationery ... 0.15 Insurances, etc. ... 1.96 Miscellaneous... ... 0.12 REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE. d.
Tyres ••• • -.• 0.75 \ Bodies and classis 2.52 Tools and machinery 0.02 Miscellaneous... .. 0.07 Thus the total working expenses aver-aged 30.83d. per leas mile.
The income was 23.49d: pet bus mile, the loss therefore being at the rate of 7.34d. per car mile,
Co-operative Traffic Work.
All the leading co-operative societies, like those at Plymouth, Leeds; and Stratford, have their traffic-managers to organize routes for the delivery of goc-ale and to supervise the overhaul and equipment of the vehieleS. The snealler organizations are following the lead. The West Hartlepool society, which has 10 petrol motors and 44*horses, will Shortly appoint its,superintendent of traffic, and the Blackpool. society, which has several electric vehicles as well as petrol cars, is appointing a traffic manager solely for its motor vehicles.
Although the Co-operative Wholesale Society is now turning out a C.W.S. Bell lorry practically every week, these vehicles are reserved for the use of the factories belonging to the federation. Scores of distributive societies have motor vehicles' on order ; several like that at. King's Lynn have motor garages in course of erection; and co-operative eta)), ling has now reached its limit. At Stratford, the co-operative society has its own engineering department, for keeping its commercial motors in running
er.
A New North-east Coast Road.
The Durham county surveyor has carefully inspected the country-between Easington Colliery and Sunderland, with a view to ascertaining whether it is possible to extend. the ocheme of a coast road to join up with Sunderland, but is not yet able to submit a definite report.
A.E.C. Dinner.
On May 1st, some 446 people comprising the salaried staff of the Associated Equipment Co., and their wives and friends, were entertained at an invitation dinner given by the chairman of.the company, the Rt.-Hone-arable Lord Ashfield of Southwell, and the directors at Con-. naught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London. An -exceptionally pleasant evening' was spent, the musical programme carried out leaving nothing to 1-,e desired.
• A Contract Point.
At a meeting of the •Ilford Councils Works Committee the surveyor read a letter received from Mann'sPatent Steam Cart and Wagon Co. Ltd., stating that as a result of the moulders' strike and the recent wages awards, the contract price of the steam. roper now on order is increased from £910 to £1,029.
The Committee directed the clerk to write in reply, pointing out that in accordance with the terms of their tender, theeroller in question should have been delivered prior to the moulders' stfike, and that, in the circumstances, the Council does not see its way to agree to pay the increased cost now asked for.
Star Tipping Gear.
The Star Engineering Co., Ltd., of Frederick Street, Wolverhampton, are specializing in threetypes of tipping gear—a ;single-screvr gear for loads up to 30 coat., a twin-screw for loads upto 3 tons, and a twin-screw with reduction gear for loads up to 6 tons. ,
The Star tipping gear is at the present time being fitted by a large number of commercial-vehicle manufacturers. The Mechanism is most useful, as it can he employed for converting existing lorries into tipping wagons. It was owiri to its great success on the company s own vehicles that they decided to manufacture the gear in separate units for conversion purposes, and it has been designed so that it can be made adjustable to suit almost any type of commercial vehicle,
The gear is carefully designed, and in the case of the heaviest type the bevels for operating the screws are protected by casings, which also act as supports for the tipping screws and which Work in trunnions carried on the frame and not on the shaft.
Lubrication is provided for by means of greasers-on all the bearings, and all the nuts for the tipping screws have large grease chambers. Ample thrust 'washers, are provided at the bottom of each screw, and a stop at the end of each screw renders overwinding an impossibility.
Lectures on Motor Tractors.
The Durham. " County Council has arranged for a lecture on motor tractors to be delivered to the Darlington, Durham, and North Riding Chamber of Agriculture, and after receiving a report thereon, proposed to consider further the question of continuing such lectures in the county..
The G.O. Tractor.
It was stated in the article dealing eith the forthcoming tractor trials in cur issue of April 27th that Messrs. Noyes, 'Stockwell and Co. were not represented at Lincoln last year. This is not strictly correct, as they have entered the well-known G.O. tractor, which did so well at Lincoln, it being entered by Mr. A. Stockwell.
A Split-Pin Extractor.
A useful little tool is being marketed by Drama), Ltd. Radford Fields, Coventry. Its construction can clearly be seen from the sketch which we reproduce. It is designed for the purpose of overcoming the difficulty which is often experienced in extracting split pins, particularly when these are situated in the somewhat inaccessible positions so often found in motor vehicles.
The device consists of a plunger provided with ratchet teeth at one end and a serail hook at the other, this hook. beingsmall enough to engage with the head of the split pin. The plunger is contained in a case which takes a similar form to that of the handles of a pair of pliers. As these handles are closed a small pawl engages with the ratchet teeth and pulls the plunger down one
notch. By rapidly opening and closing the handles, the split pin can be withdrawn entirely, the leverage being so great that little effort is required. .The retail price of this extractor is 9s. 6d.
Inst.A.E. Meeting.
The last ordinary general meeting of the session of the Institution of Automobile Engineers will be held en May 14th at the Technical Institute, Coventry, at 7.30 p.m. when a paper on. "Cast Iron in relation to the Automobile Industry' will be read by Mr. J. E. Hurst. Cards of invitation to the meeting may be obtained on application to the Secretary, the Institution of Automobile Engineers, 28, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1.
Lancashire Bus Routes.
Lancashire CountyCouncil propose to consent to the running of motorbus services by the Wigan Corporation to Westhoughton; Hindley, Standish, Coppull, Orrnskirk, and Colborne; andby Mr. Oldham, of Crumpsall, from Manchester to Blackpool, on the following condi tions :— • 1. That the motor omnibuses, will only
run along the routes, from point to point, as defined on a plan to be supplied by the county surveyor.
2. That a payment of 3d. per car-mile, so far as the mans roads are concerned, shall be paid to the County Councili to gether with an initial lee of is. per allrit1211.
3. That a proper journey book he kept by the applicants, in which are to be recorded the journeys made each day, with the number of passengers carried, such hook to be open to the inspection of the county surveyor, or his agent, at any time.
London Traffic.
Recently the. Lambeth Borough Council decided to urge upon the Chief Commissioner of Police :— • (i.) The absolute neceasity for adequate steps to be taken to prevent motor omnibuses using the same stopping-places as those fixed for trams ; and (ii.) The need for an order to be issued that no vehicle (motor, steam, horse, or hand power), shall pass a tramcar on the near side when the said car is picking up or setting down a passenger or passengers.
Now the Transport Ministry replies, stating that the Minister can hold out little hope that it will be possible to accedeto the request ; whilst the Council has had a letter from the Commissioner of Police, stating that the Police have for some years endeavoured to improve the stopping-places of omnibuses and tramcars, and that the matter is now being pushed forward as rapidly as possible through the Ministry of Transport.. With regard to th.e second proposal above referred to, the Police can only act when a breach of the law is observed, and passing a tramcar on the near side does not constitute such a breach.
The summer agricultural show season of 1920 is England opens with the Oxford Show at Oxford on May 12th and 13th, and the Devon County at Exeter on May 12th, which closes on May 14th.
Local Proceedings.
Durham County Council suggests the acquirement at a cost Of i.:2,500, of Peele's Yard, Old Elvet, Durham, for the purpose of a central garage and depot.
Bolton Corporation Cleansing Committee has referred to the chairman and vice-chairman the question of the purchase of motor wagons for the removal of refuse.
Hull Corporation has keepted the tender of Auto-Traders, Ltd., for three reconstructed A.E.C. 3i to 4 ton lorries, with W.D. subsidy bodies, at £775 each,
with new tyres. • The Health Committee of the Liverpool Corporation has cancelled the order for certain electric vehicles, and have instructed the City Engineer to make fresh inquiries.
l3oltron Corporation Electricity Committee has authorized the chairman and vice-chairman to purchase a motor vehicle for the fittings department and a motorcar for the supply department.
'Manchester Corporation proposes to borrow £80,000 for the reconstruction of main trurth roads carrying heavy traffic in such a substantial manner that they will have a life of at least 30 years.
Bath Watch Committee has refused to grant an application front the British Petroleum Co., Ltd.' for a licence to store 41,000 gallons of petroleum at the Midland Railway Goods Yard, Weston.
The Waltham,stow Council surveyor re, ports that he has made inquiries of tinsvarious Government departments with respect to ,the purchase of additional motor. lorries, but without success up to the present.
At Hull Corporation Tramways Corn. mittee the geeeral manager submitted a plan showing the intended bus route to Stoneferry, and meanwhile the chairman and general manager -were authorized to inspect any buses they might consider suitable.
The Walthamstow Tramways Committee has considered a report of the tramways manager as to the results of his inquiries of various authorities using motor tower wagons, and reccnrunends the purchase from Edectronsobile Ltd., ef an electric tower wagon at a cost 4,4,1,287.
A HAULIERS' SYMPOSIUM.
Pointed Observations Made at a Meeting of Liverpool Haulage Contractors.
y DO not suppose," said one speaker, " that there is another trade in the country ma-king lees profits than the transport trade, and I don't think there is any worse organized."
"The problems of return loads and finding loads for idle lorries are more complex, and more vexed even than these Of _rates."
"Complete organization will enable the haulage trade to divert surplus goods and eurplus lorries to a given centre, where their respective needs could be met."
"All rates should be equitable to the merchant but remunerative for the haulier."
" Owing_ to insufficient organization and co-ordination, it is possibleat. the present time that Manchester hauliers are underentting Liverpeol,.. inlet • as
. . . laverpool,4riess might -.be &ding at Mad
cheater."
"We are living in a new age, and have to scrap old ideas. We must co-operate with other. branches of the transport trade, with merebants*.whohave loads to offer, with labonte organizations to avoid trade dispute,. snd4 abokt all amongst
ourselves.
"It is a false • policy to accept a load at what you knew is a. losing rate—to be below the cost ef a working load—in order to escape a greater loss of keeping a lorry idle, because, at the same time, you are making a standard rate which the merchants are going, to hold on to and will be reluetant to Increase."
"When we have to work at cat raters some scheme will have to be formulated -whereby, if-lorries are unduly detained, demurrage ran be obtained from the merchant."
"There have been instances Where orders have been given by people regarded as qualified to issue orders emurately, and when lorries have been sent they have had to come back without a .load. Some remuneration, will have to be paid. le die haulier for the Toss of -service."
"If' you are an owner-driver, don't omit, first of all, to set on one aide the money you would have had to psay in wages, had you had to employ a driver, before you calculate your profite."
"Running costs are the beet barometer you can have. If you employ drivers, it is useful to have a cheek on light en
gine running. Many drivers are ,too lazy to switch the engine off when not needed. The cost of running engines light comes out of your pocket."
" have been able to take a. useful hint from The CorninereW Motor, and it is one I ant going to bring before the Council of this Association (Liverpool Motor Haulage Contractors). It refers to the Manchester rates. In Liverpool we have a basic rate of 22s. 6d. per ton on minimum four-ton loads. Manchester
has gone a little further, and has percentage rates for instarme, for loads. 3 to 4 tons, 2 to 3, 1 to 2, and less than I ton."
" If yen don't get a. full load, it is only right that you should get better terms for a three-ton load on a four-ton wagon than on a four-ton lead."
" Detention of buries is a very ticklish point, and one of the worst people have had to deal with was the Ministry . of Food. As things are at preseut, the " people from whom you get the oxder, the people who pay no freight, have' in the majority of eases, no. control whatever over you getting your loads' or getting loaded. The merchants give their orders but can't control' getting the load. You are dependingon another set of people entirely—the deck labourers—and if there are one or two wagons in front of you, you must wait your turn. We should make allowance for that."
" Take the case of provisions, cent to another town, carriage paid.' When you,. get. there; the people at the ether end eon keep you as long as they like and you can't get at them."
"Halosshould be scientific-ally compiled, taking into consideration silileage, difficulties of roads, badly-payed roads, hills, circuits (which have to be made); bridges where •tolls haire to he paid— quite a big task foI' a terminal . like Liverpool, where within a. radius. of 50 miles there arebetween 200 and 250 towns."
LIVERPOOL BY-LAWS.
Drastic Clauses Controlling the Operation of Hire Vehicles-.
NEWgarage motor hackney carriage by-laws have been drafted at LiVerpool, and they: were presented to the City Council at their -meeting on May 6th. They apply to vehicles which. are kept for the 'purpose-of being let out-on hire, but do not stand or ply in any street °republic place. The drivena a garage car, under penalty of afine, is forbidden to,stand or-leiter with one of-those vehicles elsewhere than in a garage tiniest] waiting for a fare peeviously booked by the hirer at the garage, and he is' not permitted to pick up any fare in any public thoroughfare unlese so booked. One of the things the owner or 'driver of a garage ear must. not de is to carry a dead body ! But, further down We read "Every owner or driver 'who shall unknowingly convey a deadbody shall immediate. thereafter, notify the fact tothe medical officer of health."
Fares for carriages not exceeding 20 h.p. are la. for the first tyre-thirds of a mile Or detention for 10 minutes or for any lees distance or time, and afterwards at the rate of 3d. for each succeeding one-sixth of a mile or detention of 24. minutes luggage -at the rate of 6d. per package of 56 lb or ever. and 2d. for packages of less than 56 lb. Fares are t-ce, be reckoned from the garage where the vehicle may be hired, provided that no other arrangement has been made with the hirer. Taximeters must he tested and approved by the Council, and if the seals are broken, notice must be given within 18 hours to the Town Clerk and the car not used until the. taximeter has again been tested and approved by the Council. In all, there are 33 clauses.
THE, GERMAN INDUSTRY.
Fusion of Interests Unable to Check American Competition.
LARGE increases of capital have lately L. taken place in the German motor industry, but fusions of interests, by which it was hoped American competition might be met, have made but little progress. According to the Deutsdle Borgwerks Zeitung, the Cermet' industry is showing „signs of anxiety in the face of American developments, which have as their intention the capturing of European markets. Latterly, German concerns have issued new shares, but fusions of interests, by which they hope to meet American competition, have made only slotv progress, New Wiles of capital have furthermore been primarily made to inset the higher prices of raw materials, which have to' be faced on account of low rate of exchange, and in less measure due to increased costs of labonr.
Between 1915 and 1920 the new issues of shares and bonds decided upon amount to about 215 minis:in marks, but which, however, have only in part been paid up.
Increases in capital • amount to ... 176,350,000 :narks New companies ... 18,100,000 „ New bends ... 20,500,000 „ 214,950,000 „ Taking into considerations that automobile wtirks, not-limited companies, have also made increases-in capital, the total new tnvested. funds will be appreciably over 215 million marks.
Of the principal. German works, the greatest development is showmi in the Daimler Co., whose capital in 1917 was increased from: Fe to 32 million marks, and is now being. ineivased by another 36 million. Other worn are in process of increasing their capital, such as the Eartea-Lloyd works at Bremen from 12 to 32etaillion marks.
The fetal capital (shares and bonds) of the German automobile industry may be estimated at • from, 350 to 406 million .rnarles, asagainst 120 to 150 million marks in 1914, which, though a good increase, bears no comparison to Anseiican figures, and, according to German opinion, does not permit of the industry developing mass production to cope with American competition. The tendency to fusions is apparently not strong enough to leartto any results, and up to the present only two associations of smaller interests . have been formed, namely, the German Automobile Konzern and the Guild of -German Automobile Factories, under which, however, the various -works preserve their individual character and collaborate only in an. agreed programthe of production. Keen anxiety is felt that American interests, aided by the high value of the dollar as against the mark, will, by the. lack of German capital, purchase interests in the German motor industry, and it is stated that Americans have already seeauire.d a larg.e number of shares of the Daimler Co., whilst the General Motors Corporation are reported to be active in other directions. In order to combat this, the large German firms are reported to have announced new issues„--with
mini tuiple voting powers. At present the rate of exchange operates favourably for export and unfavourably for import.