Fire-Brigade Matters.
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News contributions are incited: payment be made on publication. win A sub-committee having inspected various types of machines, it was decided, at the last meeting of the 13rom1ey (Kent) Council to invite tenders for a motor fire-engine and a first-aid petrol machine.
No More Steam Fire-engines; Important L.C.C. Recommendations.
The Fire-Brigade Committee of the London County Council report that when the estimates for 1910-11 were framed, the additional appliances proposed to be obtained consisted of five motor fire-engines and six motor escape-vans. At that time the committee were considering the advisability of obtaining two new petrol engines to take the place of two of the steam engines at present in use in the brigade. The cost of maintaining the steam-motor engines is very heavy,
and the Committee are-5=wn'iCi!ed that, apart from this, petrol-driven engines are more efficient, and that the cost of their upkeep will be considerably less. In the case of steammotor engines, it is necessary constantly to keep up a full pressure of steam, and, consequently, there will be a saving in the cost of fuel by the substitution of petrol-driven engines. The Committee, therefore, proposed that, in the interests of efficiency and economy, two of the six steam-motor engines he dispensed with, and that the number of petrol-driven engines now proposed to be obtained should be increased from five to seven. Some recoupment will be received from the sale of the two steam-motor engines.
For the supply of petrol-driven motor fire-engines, the following ten ders were received, the prices which follow each maker's tender being the prices per machine for orders placed at the same time for one, two, three or four machines :—Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., Greenwich Road, S.E., £847, £837, £830, £830; Henry Simonis and Co., Pretoria Works, Walthamstow, N.E., £941, £887 10s., £900 10s. £887; Leyland Motors, Ltd., Leyland, Lancs., £951, £913, £919, £903 Dennis Bros., Ltd., Onslow and Bridge Street, Guildford (provisionally accepted for four), £1,046, £1,005, £1,010, £985; John Morris and Sons, Ltd., Salford Fire Engine Works, Cross Lane Manchester, £1,080, £1,080, £1,080, £1.080 ; and the B.U.R.T. Co., Ltd., 36 Ca ust,on Street, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W., 41,310, £1,300, £1,290, £1,270.
It is mentioned in the report of the Committee that Dennis Bros., Ltd., is prepared to supply a further three fire engines at £955 each and to deliver the whole within the time specified for four. This offer appeared to the Committee to be reasonable, and they have accepted same ; therefore, Dennis Bros., Ltd., will supply seven petrol-driven motor fire-engines for a total sum of £6,805.
The following tenders were received for the supply of petrol-driven motor escape-vans, the prices following each name being the prices per machine for orders of one, two or three machines at the same time :—Commercial Cars, Ltd., Cambridge Circus, W.C. (provisionally accepted for three vans), £790, £752, £732; Leyland Motors, Ltd., Leyland, Lanes., £816, £773, £752; Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., Greenwich Road, S.E., 2819, 2810, 2800; Dennis Bros., Ltd., Onslow and Bridge Street, Guildford, 2871, 2830, £705; John Morris and Sons, Ltd., Salford Fire Engine Works, Cross Lane, Manchester, 2926, 2926, £926; Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., 1-5, Poland Street, W., 2930 9s. 8d., 2916 Se. 5d., 2894 1s. 2d.; the BURT. Co., Ltd., 36, Caust,on Street, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W., £1,000, 2990, 2980; and Messrs. Shand, Mason and Co., 21,010, 21,010, 21,010.
The Committee mention that Cornmercial Cars, Ltd., had previously supplied to the Council motor escapevans which had proved satisfactory. The company propose to sub-let the body-work to Messrs. Henry Simonis and Co.
For the supply of electrically-driven motor escape-vans, the following tenders per machine for one, two, or three machines were received :—Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd., 14-16, Cockspur Street, S.W., 2900, 4850, £825; Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., Greenwich Road, SE, including 291 for Tudor batteries and 2280 for spares, 21,217, 21,015, 2947 16s, 8d.; " Cedes " Electric Traction, Ltd. (provisionally accepted for three machines), including 2380 9s. 3d, for spares, 21,298 lie. 9d., 21,108 7s. 2d., 21,044 18s. id.; Messrs. Henry Simonis and Co.. Pretoria Works, Walthamstow, N.E., 21,270, 21,112, 21,046; Crompton and Co., Ltd., Salisbury House, London Wall, E.C„ including E66 for Tudor batteries, 21,272 10s., 21,111 10s., 21,048, and the lastnamed company also sent an alternative tender (not to specification) which provides for a rear drive, and includes 466 for Tudor batteries, but excludes spare motors included in other tenders, 21,063 10s., 298.5 5s., arid 2954.
The Committee went on to report that up to the present no electricallydriven appliances have been purchased for use in the London Fire Brigade, although such appliances have for some time past, been in successful operation in the principal cities of Europe. The first cost of electricallydriven appliances is somewhat higher than that of petrol-driven appliances, but the wear and tear are less, and it is to be expected that, if new batteries be provided from time to time, the chassis and motors should last much longer than those of petrol-driven appliances. The mileage run by fire appliances, and especially motor escapevans, is very low, and in such circumstances the batteries should last for some years. The Committee therefore think that the time has arrived when the Council should try the experiment of obtaining electrically-driven escapevans for use in London, and they had decided that three should be purchased, two of which could be placed at stations for duty, the remaining one being held in reserve. The purchase of one such appliance would not be economical, owing to the extra cost proportionately of the spare motors required. Having carefully considered the tenders set out herewith, the Committee were of opinion that the interests of the Council would be best served by the acceptance of tho tender of " Cedes " Electric Traction, Ltd., owing to the special type of vehicle offered by that company, and the wide experience possessed by it in this class of work. The specification provided for a complete set of four spare wheels for one, two or three vans, hut the Committee think that two spare wheels for the three vans will be sufficient. In consideration of this, the company's tender for the supply of three escape-Yens will be reduced from 23,134 16s. 9d. to 22,957 10s. id. The cost of each petrol-driven lire-engine was estimated not to exceed 2950, and the cnst of each motor escape-van 2900.
Southport Watch Committee's Recommendation.
The Watch Committee of the Southport Town Council, at its meeting on the 14th ult., decided to accept the tender of Dennis Bros., Ltd., for the supply of a motor fire-engine, the price being 2875. The point which appears to have been a deciding factor with the Watch Committee is the turbine pump which is fitted to the Dennis machine. So far as concerns the relative merits of the turbine and reciprocating pumps, the committee prefers the former type because, with it two, three, or even all the jets may be shut off without causing any damage to the mechanism, whereas, if the jots were shut off from a pump of the reciprocating type, there would be great danger of breaking and completely disabling the machine. The recommendations of the committee were placed before the Southport Town Council on Tuesday last.
Surscough and Lathom U.D.C.
The surveyor of the Burseough and Lathom U.D.C., which district has no fire-lighting plant of its own, but is dependent upon the Birkdale Brigade, some 14 miles distant, has written to the Birkdale authority on the subject of a motor fire-engine, and, in reply, has received a letter stating that Birkdale does not possess a motor fire-engine, and, further, that it considers the distance from Birkdale to Burscough is far too great to permit of the use of its present horse-drawn fire-engine within the latter district. A letter has also been sent to the Birkdale authority by the chief officer of the Ordnance Department, at Burscough, requesting that it shall send its steam fire-engine in case of fire. This appears to offer an excellent opportunity for a co-operative seheme of ownership of a motor fireengine.
Commercar-Simonis
The accompanying illustration is reproduced from a photograph of a new fire-fighting machine which is being produced jointly by Commercial Cars, Ltd., and Messrs. Henry Simonis and Co. The chassis is fitted with a 70 h.p. engine capable of driving the vehicle at a high speed, or of maintaining a number of powerful jets from the Simonis positive pump, to which it may be connected by means of a clutch. At a recent test with this machine, made before a large gathering of provincial firemasters, the pump lifted water from a depth of 24 ft. in six seconds. The suction pipe was 6 in. in diameter, and was not provided with a foot valve. This performance was commented upon at the time, and also at a subsequent discussion before the Society of Firemasters. A chassis on exactly similar lines is now on order for the fire-brigade of Calcutta.