From Our Berlin Correspondent.
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Bringing Home the Traffic Regulations: A German Way.
The police authorities of Schoneberg and Wilmersdorf, to the west of Berlin, have decreed that, henceforth, first offenders against the traffic regulations shall attend at the police office and hear a private lecture on the said regulations In my mind's eye I can picture the culprit, vexed and fuming with impatience, waiting for the appearance of the "lecturer," who is not likely to hurry himself. One lecture will probably be sufficiently effective to teach him the required lesson. These authorities have laid down quite a number of excellent rules, one of which is that the slow-travelling freight wagon shall keep close to the kerb.
Michelin in Germany: Making Good an Indiscreet Advertisement.
In a note on a German tire company I referred to an indiscreet advertisement by the Michelin firm relative to the Turin International Exhibition, and stated that, in view of the disrespectful remarks made therein about Germany and the German Emperor, the leading German motor clubs had begun an agitation for a boycott of Michelin tires. Since then the German agent has openly disavowed all sympathy with the sentiments expressed in that unfortunate advertisement, and is making desperate efforts to regain lost ground by offering considerable reductions on the price of both covers and inner tubes. I reproduce figures from Michelin's German price-lists on let June and ISth September, respectively:
The Continental Co. have already reduced their prices for covers and inner tubes to the level of Michelin's, although the present price of rubber does not warrant such a 'reduction. On the other hand, Messrs. Polack, of Waltershausen, seem to be relying upon the patriotic feeling of German tire users to fight Michelin. The Continental Co.'s quotations for tubes and covers respectively are 26s. 6d. and 79s., compared with figs. 6d. and 102s. 6d. in June. A Prosperous Berlin Cab Co.
The Kandelhardt Aktien-Gesellschaft, of Berlin, which, in their fifth business year, raised their capital from 400,000 to 800,000 marks, are in a position to pay a dividend of 7 per cent. on the old shares and one of 3t per cent, on the new, 10,525 marks being carried forward to the new account. Messrs. Kandelhardt work petrol cabs (practically all Adler), and also do a big business in repairing chassis and bodies. It is a wellmanaged concern, and has produced a dividend from the outset. The net profits from which the above mentioned dividends are paid amount to 56,845 marks, or over 20,000 more than in 1909-1910.
Germany's Military Self-Propelled Vehicles.
If Germany went to war with France (which Heaven forbid!), she would have some six hundred subsidized petrol lorries at her disposal—I mean the type that has often been illustrated and described in these columns. Further, she could also lay her hands, without. delay, on a biggish fleet of steamdriven traction engines, such as those which are utilized in pairs by farmers for hauling a plough backwards and forwards across a field, the War Office having in its pigeonholes complete information concerning all such machines that are either owned by farmers or hireable by them in case of need. To secure the desired information, the War Office sent round a "Fra.gebogen," or list of queries, to the several farmers. Of course, army experts have made sure that the information ear: he relied upon. Most of these engines, by the way, are of Fowler make, or else are constructed on Fowler lines, for the two prineipal German makers of ploughing engines started their businesses by letting Fowlers out on hire and by repairing them. Consequently, so far as steamplant is concerned, Germany would take the field practically with Fowler machines. I may remind your readers that the Fowler traction engine was introduced into Germany about the time of the Franco-German struggle of 1870. Since then the War Office has always had a few Fowlers on the permanent staff, as it were. Officials are far too " slim " to acquire a lot of machines, as they know full well that engineering does not mark time, and that what is characterized as first-class to-day may be superseded to-morrow. Hence, they prefer to keep in toneh with users for military eventualities. Keep offethe Grass.
Hamburg motorcab drivers are forbidden, under pain of fine, to ply for hire in Altona, and vice versa. Recently, 25 Hamburg men appeared before the Altona Assessors' Court on a charge of having driven through Altona with the flag up. As these cities are contiguous, one might think that, instead of hedging themselves round with rights, the police officials of the two places would come to a mutual working arrangement in the interest of the cab-using public. After all, cabs are for the public convenience.
The Berlin Electric Cab Co.
After a lapse of several months, he winding-up account of the Berliner ElektrornobildroschkenAktien Gesellschaft (" Bedag ") has been presented for the delectation of creditors, and I note that the whole business of liquidation will be cleared up within a twelvemonth. Now that creditors have what is euphemistically described as "granted a rebate" of 1,899,039 marks, the ill-starred Co. owes but 247,405 marks. " Bedags " are still working in Berlin, of course—some, presumably, in " other hands."
Financial Re-organization of the A.E.G.'s Automobile Business in Berlin.
With a capital of three million marks (A150,000), divided into 3,000 shares of 1,000 marks each, a
new " company, called the Automobilbetriebs Aktien-Gesellschaft, has been floated by the General Electric Co., of Berlin (parent of the N.A.G.), for the purpose of working self-propelled vehicles, especially in public traffic, and of carrying on the business requisite and suited thereto. The General Electric Co. disposed of their private company with limited liability (Automobilbetriebs Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Hartung) to the " new" concern for a million marks, and secure practically all shares (2,996,000 marks); in other words, the General Electric Co, have re-organized their automobile business on a basis of higher valuation, arid at the same time, by changing its nominal character, increased the marketability of the shares. Amongst the members of the Supervisory Board are Herr Paul Mamroth, of the General Electric Co. : Director Karl Gossi, of the N.A.G. : as well as the hankers. Messrs. Ludwig Delbriick and Fritz Andreas. I may remind your readers that the N.A_.G. is simply a company formed to sell the vehicles and engines• manirfactured at the General Electric Co.'s
works,