News and Comment.
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This journal Is the recognized Users' Organ : it has a genuine circulation (Home, Colonial and Foreign), genuine advertisement support, and an Editorial Stall whose members have had experience In the last line of the first leading article of our preceding issue, for " bonus '' read " forms.
Accidents Not Due to Motors.
The coroner for the City of London has expressed the opinion that street accidents " are not so intich due to motor vehicles as to carts arid vans."
The Brewers' Exhibition.
On Saturday next, the 16th inst., the 31st annual Brewers' Exhibition will open, at the Royal _Agricultural London, N., and some of the leading makers of commercial motors a ill be represented. We shall deal with the motor exhibits next week.
Better Roads and Bridges.
The Development Bill passed the House of Commons, amid loud cheers, on Friday last, and its consideration by the House of Lords is now proceeding. Although the useful application of the provisions of the Bill are contingent upon the passing of this year's Finance Bill, it is highly improbable that any circumstances whatsoever will now disturb the arrangements for creating a Road Board.
Light Vans in Scotland.
Mr. T. Roland Outhwaite, of Westport Works, Cupar-Fife, who was one of the earliest pioneers of public-service conveyance in Scotland, and who read a highly-instructive paper before the Royal Automobile Club after its first house dinner of the present century, is turning his attention to the exploitation and sale of light delivery vans. He favours those of Vi not manufacture, and a further test, at the hands of the Scottish Automobile Club, over a period of twelve hours of road service, was successfully cora• pleted on the 30th ult., with a load of half-a-ton aboard.
Another Mail Tender.
The Postmaster-General is inviting tenders for a motor-mail service, between London and Portsmouth, via Chichester. Particulars and forms of tender may be obtained from the Secretary, General Post Office, London.
London's Fifth Parade.
Entries for the C.M.U.A. parade, which is to take . place on the 30th inst., in London, must reach 1, Albemarle Street, W., at or before the end of next week the 23rd inst. is the latest date for their acceptance. Full particulars can be had, together with entry forms, on application, to the Secretary of the Association, at the above-named address. There is no charge for participation in the meet and parade, which is the third of the kind to be organized by the Association. Sir John I Thornycroft, as we have previously acknowledged, arranged the musters of 1903 and 1904.
Intimations have already been received from many of those who supported the earlier meets, that it is their intention to be represented again this year, whilst not a few new names, -both of makers and owners, will figure in the lists. It is hoped, in view of the fact that the judges have to conduct a eica-core examination on dates prior to that of the parade proper on the Thames Embankment, that all who intend, to participate will not wait until the last minute to advise the Association.
Next Month's Pleasure-car Show.
Many readers of this journal, who are not versed in the interior polities of motoring, appear to be still in some doubt about the exhibits at the Olympia motor show of next month. It is desirable, therefore, to emphasize the fact that no commercial motors will be staged, and that all other exhibits, including accessories, components. stores and tires, will be primarily intended for pleasure-ear users. The owner of a utility motor cannot afford the same ranges of accessories as those which appeal to the private owner, but we shall not fail, if anything of a really-novel and interesting character be presented, to deal with it Ill our columns.
It is our intention, as in previous years, in conformity with the avowed policy of the promoters of the show, who do not desire to see commercial :cud private vehicles " mixed up," to present no detailed report in conneetion with it, and to bring out no special issue of tide journal. At a recent meeting of the Tramways Committee of the Bury Town Council, the question of the purchase of a horse for the council's tower wagon was being discussed, when Alderman Duxbury drew attenticm to the advisability of the council's purchasing a motor vehicle for use in connection with the repair of its overhead tramway equipment.
Pickford's Ltd., at Sheffield.
The Sheffield branch of Pickford'a Ltd., the well-known carriers, has just taken delivery of the five-ton " Commer Car" lorry which is illustrated on this page. This order was placed as the result of a demonstration that was
given, some few months ago, to many 'nation, but the chief constable, Major interested people in Sheffield, when Gordon, said that, on investigation, the vehicle gave a satisfactory account of its capabilities on steep hills.
A Projected New Road.
Propo,sals are afoot for the construction of a new main road between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, at an estimated cost of £70.136. Six miles of new roadway will have to be provided, whilst five miles of existing road will require to be converted and improved. If carried out, the project e ill pro ride a road with a width throughout of 35 yards.
Conjectural Weights and Speeds.
A complaint against the police of the Garioch district, of Aberdeenshire was considered at a special meeting of the District Committee on the 8th inst. A Mr. M'Combie had lodged information with the chief constable of the county, to the effect that a certain motor vehicle, which was engaged in the conveyance of wood in the Monymusk area, had exceeded the legal limit, carried more than the legal load, and had not been stopped by its driver when the man was called upon to stop. the facts had not proved to be in accordance with Mr. M'Combie's conjecture and judgment. After lengthy consideration, and private discussion, it was resolved to recommend the Garioch District Committee not to raise any action in the matter.
Municipal Vans for Sydney.
The city fathers of Sydney have been exercising their minds very much lately in regard to the adoption of motors for their cartage work. Ultimately, a report was asked from the city surveyor, and he, after obtaining some tentative quotations from firms interested, submitted estimates. According to his figures, a 54-ton lorry would cost £121 per annum to work in Sydney, including interest on the cost. Ti it be intended to work a steam lorry to its full capacity, this should not be too high. The report states that such a wagon could do the work of at least four carts, which cost 4748 16s. per annum to work. For the removal of garbage a petrol motor is recommended as an experiment. In concluding, the Surveyor states that, whilst steam has proved the best for street watering, street sweeping, and all such heavy work, petrol can be economically used for trade refuse. Stretford (Lancs.) Urban District Council has accepted the tender of the Vulcan Motor Co. to supply, for 085, a 16 h.p. petrol-motor arc-lamp wagon fitted with a hydraulic lift.
Rome's Motor-mail Vans.
No fewer than 56 self-propelled vehicles were recently put on for the transport of Rome's mails, including parcels. The new service is in the hands of the Co-operative Transporti Postali, managed by Town Councillor Alberto Paglderini. These automobiles should have started running at the beginning of August, but were not ready for delivery. Meanwhile, the horsed-vehicle contractors, whose contracts lapsed at that date, refused to render any further assistance, and the post-office had to hire all sorts of ye hides for mail work, much to their inconvenience and that of the public. Their refusal was, as it were, the last spiteful kick of a moribund, and it was equally ineffective and puerile.
A Veiled Threat.
The owner of a steam wagon in the Reigate district advises us of the receipt of a letter, from a solicitor resident, which is couched in terms that can only be classed as of a threatening character. It is suggested that certain roads in the district have been damaged, and that the use of the vehicle renders it very dangerous for carriages to pass it. It proceeds: " At the present time, I have one horse only just broken in, and the other one is a high-couraged animal . . . . the road from past your works will be practically closed to us. . . . You may think that this communication is superfluous, but, in the event of any unfortunate accident's occurring from the causes stated, I wish there to be no misunderstanding that due notice has been given you."
We have advised our correspondent to address a reply in which he points out that if this gentleman continues to bring partly-trained forces on to the highway, when he knows legitimate forms of motor traffic will be upon them, he does so at his own risk, especially as he is in possession of due notice that the roads will be so used for their normal purposes. At the same time, if any of the roads in question are particularly narrow or tortuous, we trust this subscriber will send his engine along any wider and better roads that are available.
Military Authorities defy the Folkestone Town Council.
At a meeting of the Folkeetone Town Council, held on the 6th inst., the Town Clerk reported having written to various proprietors of traction engines, etc., and to the Commanding Officer of the Royal Engineers, whose drivers are alleged to have taken water from the Pent Stream at the bottom of Park Road, informing them that the practice is illegal, and asking that it should be discontinued. Replies had been received in which the proprietors intimate either that water from the place named is not taken for their machines, or they would give instructions for the practice to be discontinued. The officer of the Royal Engineers declined to give any instructions upon the matter, stating that the practice had existed for the past 23 years, and that it would be impracticable for the machines to get up Dover Hill without taking in water from the Pent Stream. No further action was taken. Mr. Croft, a member of the Gainsborough Rural District Council, declared, at a recent meeting of that body, which had before it the question of making an application to the Local Government Board for the entire closure, to motor traffic., of certain roads on the east side of the river Trent, that motorists paid considerably towards taxation, and, therefore, if any part of the highway was not safe for them, it should be made safe. He was quite sure that roads which were not safe for carefully-driven motors were not altogether safe for any other form of vehicular traffic.
A first meeting of creditors in the failure of John Taylor, a motor and general engineer, of" Merlewood," Coombe Lane, Norbiton, was held at the Bankruptcy Offices, York Road, Westminster, on 8th October. The debtor stated that his liabilities were about £1,500 and he had no assets. For 18 months previous to March last he was general manager for Motor Cabs, Ltd., of Queen's Road, Battersea, at a salary of £6 a e eel:, and for 18 months prior to that he occupied a similar position for the Pullear Motor Co., Preston. at the same salary. Debtor thought that through friends
he could come to an arrangement with his creditors, and his affairs were left in the hands of the Official Receiver.
An Adler Motorvan.
The first Adler motorvan to be introduced into this country is that hich we illustrate on page 115. The machine was delivered, in April last. by Morgan and Co., Ltd., of Long Acre, IN .C.. the sole concessionnaires for the Adler Company in this country, to Mr. H. C. Russell, of Sydney Place, Leicester Square, W.C. Since it commenced work for Mr. Russell, the machine has run over 6.000 miles in a satkfactory manner.