ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS.
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
Subsidizing Lorry and Bus Manufacture in Japan.
FOR many years Japan will be un able to manufacture motor vehicles on a competitive basis because of the limited home production of steel and the comparatively high cost of this essential raw material, the smallness of the home market, the lack of largescale production, the low state of development of allied and subsidiary Industries, and the heavy overhead expenses necessitated by the cost of machinery and other capital charges.
Japan is, however, now producing several hundred motor vehicles per annum under a subsidy scheme of the War Department, the purpose of which is to make the country independent of foreign producers in case of war. In other words, the present Jepanese motor industry is a military rather than an industrial undertaking.
The military subsidy applies only to motor lorries and buses and is given only if the vehicle bo completely manufactured in Japan by a Japanese corn .... pany. The subsidy is a large one, totalling about £450 per lorry and £375 per bus. The lorry subsidy is divided into seven stages as fellow :—.£150 to the manufacturer at the date of sale, 1100 to the purchaser on acquiring the vehicle, and an annual subsidy of MO for five years. In the case of buses, the grant to the manufacturer is £150, to the purchaser £75, plus an annual payment of £30 for five years. '
Ceylon's Motors.
THE total number of motor vehicles registered and in use in Ceylon on August 31st, 1928, was 13,634, the increase during the month of August being 301 as against an increase of 254 in the previous month, and of 246 during the month of June.
Markets in Which American Motors THE Present year has witnessed so far a further marked development in the overseas trade in American vans, lorries, and buses. The latest available returns are those for August last, during which month no • fewer than 16,192 commercial vehicles of a. value of £2,023,812 were shipped from the United States, as contrasted with 8,766 vehicles (11,171,095) in 1927.
The aggregate exports for the first eight months of the current year are returned at no fewer than 87,925 vehicles (fl1,919,297), as against 72,719 vehicles (19,317,129) in the comparable period of last year. An analysis of the exports shows that 66,365 vehicles, or over 75 per cent, of the total, had a carrying capacity not exceeding 20 cwt.;. 19,409 were in the 20-50-cwt catftory, whilst cnly 2,151 had a capacity of over, 21 tong.
The principal, markets for American commercial vehicles in the order of the number of vehicles which they imported during the first eight months of the year are as follow :—Argentine, 9,673 vehicles ; ,Australia, 0,078; Brazil, 8,852; Great Britain, 6,122; Canada, 5,509; South Africa, 3,697; Belgium, 3,636.
Diesel-engined and Producer-gas Road Rollers.
THE well-known Peterborough con cern of Barford and Perkins, Ltd., which during the past 12 months introduced a high-speed Diesel-engined road roller, has already supplied the machine to buyers in no fewer than 16 fore;gn countries. A new road roller equipped with a gas-producer working on waste wood has also recently been put on the market by the same company.
Irish Free State Imports.
DECREASE again falls to be re corded in the number of commercial vehicles imported into the Irish Free State, the returns for September last showing a total of only 42 vehicles, of a value of £17,572, bringing up the aggregate for the first nine months of the year to 414 vebieleR (£148,284), as contrasted with 608 (£178,225) in 1927. Few British Vehicles Amongst India's Imports.
FROM a recently issued official return we learn that no fewer than 3,104 commercial motor vehicles, of a Value oE 5,369,789 rupees, were imported into India during the quarter ended June last, as compared with 2,300 machines (3,646,611 rupees) in the correspond
ing three months of 1927. Canada headed the list of countries from which the vehicles originated with 1,715 vehicles,' the United States coming .next with 1,180, followed by Great Britain with only 122, the -remaining 87 vehicles coming from all other Countries. Here, surely, is a market deserving of greater attention from British makers.
Seeking Bus-service Tenders. NUMBER of additional motorbus services to be run in conjunction with the local railways of the Soefieto
Nationale des Chomine de Fee Vicinaux is shortly to be inaugurated in Belgium. For this reason the company is inviting tenders until November 24th for the establishment of services (1) in the Diest district,and (2) between Waremme, Aus, and Berleur, and until December 1st for similar services between (1) Dinant Gluey, Rochefort and Beauraing, and (2) between Saint Vith and Manderfield. Its offices are at 14, Rue de la Science, Brussels.
Germany's Growing Foreign Trade in Tractors.
GERMAN tractor makers are de
voting increasing attention to the development of their overseas trade. Evidence that their efforts are meeting with success is afforded by a recent return, which shows that no fewer than 1,079 such machines valued at £278,000 were exported from the country during • the six months ended with June last, as compered with only 321 of a value of £966050 in the first half of 1927.