Notes from Our Correspondent in Paris.
Page 17
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The Societe des Automobiles, U.P.D.X., of Puteaux, near Paris, which was formed for the construction of commercial vehicles and fire appliances, has been dissolved.
Last October, the administration of Posts and Telegraphs in Montenegro applied for tenders for motorvans and omnibuses, but up to last week no offers were forthcoming, and, in consequence, the proposed change in the system of transports has been perforce abandoned.
MM. Liot and Noe Boyer, commercial agents for De Dion-Bouton industrial motor vehicles in Paris, have just supplied two De Dion buses to a Corsican firm. The vehicles, which are of a light and powerful type and run at an average speed of twelve miles an hour, will have some hill climbing to do in Corsica, where inclines from eight to ten miles in length are frequently encountered. The same agents have also furnished three De Dion buses to M. Juste, of Pau.
A French news agency reports from Constantinople that the commercial motor vehicle for both goods and passengers is making rapid headway in Turkey. Owing to the lack of railways over a great area of Turkey in Asia, most of the towns in this country are devoid of means of communication with one another, a state of things which, of course, binders and restricts commerce considerably. In several centres in the Ottoman Empire, however, companies have now been formed with the object of installing motor vehicles for inter-urban service, and one of the first steps to be taken will facilitate the distribution of letters and parcels in the country lying towards Mesopotamia. Motor vans have been ordered from Europe for service between Bagdad and Bassorah, and are expected to be running next summer ; and the thermal station of Coury, in Asia Minor, is to be connected with the port of Jalona, on the Sea of Marmora, mainly for the benefit of tourists.
Solidly-built vehicles alone are suitable for the roads of Turkey in Asia.
The " auto-mitrailleuse " which the French troops are using in South Aran has been doing excellent service, according to reports received in Paris. Recently it accomplished a remarkable journey. Leaving Marnia, it was driven to Mecheria, Fort Hassa, Ain Sefra, and Colotnb Bechar; then it was taken back to Mecheria, whither it went to Berguent and over the slopes of Djeroda to Oujda, Marnia, Tlemcen, and Oran, where it arrived the other day. The distance covered was about 75o miles, through regions. where roads are non-existent.
Some time ago M. Simyan, UnderSecretary for Ports, made provisions for the delivery of 120 motor vans for Paris by October 1st, 1908. Twelve electric vehicles have been running to and from the Central Office for a considerable time, but it has now been de cided to withdraw them from service and replace them by vehicles of the type selected for delivery in October, and already three of the new vans, running on petrol, have made their appearance on the streets. They look better and carry a heavier load than the electric vans, which were square, box-like vehicles.
New Spanish Motorbus Line.
Even Spain, whose notions of traffic requirements belong, generally speaking, to the antiquated order of things, is fully alive to the practical worth of the self-propelled vehicle as an instrument for creating " a movement of persons and goods " in localities where,. mainly on the score of the heavy initial cost, a secondary railroad or tramway would be wholly unfeasible. The fertile district around Trujillo, in the province of Estreinadura, affords a case in point, and quite recently, between this town and Caceres, 30 miles. apart, a motorbus line on a very modest scale was inaugurated. The rolling stock lies within modest limits: three Graggenau single-deckers comprise it— two 4oh.p. omnibuses and one driven by a 24h.p_ engine. The larger type contains first and second-class compartments with seats for 6 and to passengers respectively. There are seats for eight passengers in the smaller vehicle, its front pair of wheels being shod with pneumatics, whilst solid rubber encircles the rear pair. Solid rubber has been used for tiring the wheels of the heavier vehicles, which can attain a speed of 15 miles an hour under a full load, which includes about 8 cwt. of luggage, or. double the weight carried by the light omnibus.