WHEELS OF INDUSTRY,
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"The wheel of walth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is the roughness of the roads over which it runs."--elohn Beattie Crozier.
"CM." Staff Vacancy.
There laws vacancy on the editorial staff Of TAR COMNERCIAL MOTOR for a
• man (not liable to military service) who possesses some technical knowledge of motor engineering with a bent for journalism. Apply in writing, giving full details of experience, to the Manager, COMMERCIAL MOTOR, 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C. 1.
The Next Two Issues of the
61 CM:,
The issue of TILE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, 'dated 213th March, will be published a • day earlier (on Wednesday, 27th March). Advertisenaents • should reach the Manager by the previous Friday. The issue dated 4th April will he published On the Thursday as usual, but advertisements should be received by first post on Thursday, 28th March.
Tractor Driving in London.
It is by no moans a common sight to observe motor tractoric especially the heavier-class of machine, running under their own power through the streets of the Metropolis. Traffic congestion in London, as a rule, militates against the possibility, of handling, the heavier tractor with dexterity, even by the most skilful of steersmen. It is an outstanding difficulty, which is particularly apparent in the case of three-wheeled machines possessing single front wheel. steering.
However, • Ariel. Motors and General Repairs, Ltd., 32Q-322, Carnberwell New Road, SE., when recently .taking delivery of a representative model of three makes of machines for which they have been granted licence as sole selling . agents for the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey, had two of the machines driven down to Guildford, where the company's premises for this .side of the business will be installed, under their own power; the third machine being of the chain track type was carried by a Maudslay lorry.
The machines in question, which we had an opportunity of photographing en route to the company's London premises, are an Interstate, a Culti-tractor, and a Bates Steel Mule.
Transport ! Transport ! ! Transport ! ! !
Business Men Brought into the R.T.B.
The Road Transport Board has, we understand, decided to sat up a Central Advisory Committee to assist it in the consideration.-of the proposals which are to come before the Board; The Committee consists of eight business men who are engaged in the carrying and dis
tributing businesses. Major Nigel 0. Walker, a director of Messrs. Pie.kfords, Ltd., wilt act as chairman, Mr. Jahn Allen (Oxford Steam Plough Co., Ltd.), has also been asked to serve, and may in all probability accept, whilst Mr. Walter Woisey, Junr. .(Thomas Tilling, Ltd.); and Mr. F. G. Bristow (Secretary Com:mercial Motor Users Association). are two who have already accepted. The Incorporated National Union of Horse and Vehicles Owners has been asked to nominate persons to servo on the Committee, and as Mr. H. G. Hatfield is prekdent of the Union, opportunity may rise for his services to he utilised for this innportent national work.
The Central Advisory Committee will act, as "liaison, officer" between the Divisional Boards (of which there will be one in each of the 13 areas that have been established) and the Road Transport Board, whilst local advisory committeei will also be formed.
The first task awaiting these advisory committees is the classification and grading of all vehicles in their respective districts.
The Seoretary of the Automobile Association writes amending his letter to the press explaining the attitude of the Association towards the projected United
• Counca. We are asked to correct the punatuation so that the reply to the question as to what does the greatest damage to roads shall read " Heavy motor,. traffic, and .steam tractors the 'users of which do not pay for them." The misplacement of a comma' has often resulted in" litigation. Everyone eoncorned read the paragraph just as it was written, and. there was no reason • why they should have done otherwise.
The Work of the Electric Vehicle Committee.
During the past year the Electric Vehicle Committee's efforts have been directed to negotiations with Government departments with a view to facilitating the extended use of commercial electric vehicles.
It has been in close consultation with the Ministry of Munitions upon the question of the allocation of lead for leadplate batteries, and has obtained a promise from the Monitions Overseas Transport Department to allot shipping space up to a tetel of six tons per week for the import from the U.S.A. of lead battery plates.
The committee was also requested by the Mechanical Transport Department of the Ministry of Munitions to co-operate in a scheme, proposed by the Director of Mechanical Transport, for getting more electric vehiclea put into service with a view to saving petrol, and a concomitant to this scheme was a proposal to provide facilities for the building of electric vehicles in quantities by certain British firms, and the import of vehicles from the U.S.A. The committee met in conference with the Director at the Ministry and discussed his proposals in detail. Owing, it is understood, to the increasing stringency of the steel position for war purposes, the contemplated scheme did not
admit of adoption. • The committee's aim has been to make its constitution as completely representative as possible of all interests concerned, and, in accordance therewith, the following members have been added;—Mr. Goodwin (managing director of C. A. Vandervell and Co:, Ltd.), as representa: tive of the Motor' Trade Association; Mr. H. Wyatt, as representing the British Motor and Allied Manufacturers' A_ssoelation ; Mr. J. P. Kemp, as representative of agents for eleatric vehicles; Mr. P. Still, as representative of London elec tricity supply companies. ' •
An application for certificates and bonds to the value of £3500 was made at the Tank by the members of the Brown Brothers, Ltd., War Savings Association. The company also made a further investment of £5000, a total of g850o for the week.
Recent Registrations.
Flight Motor Co., Ltd., -with a capital of £250 in £1 shares, to be motor agents, automobile engineers, manufacturers of, and dealers in, motorcars and vehicles, • wagons, aeroplanes, etc.
A new company was recently formed in Paris under the title of "Machines Agricolas Rip," with a capital of 600,000 francs. The address is 60, Avenue de is Republique, and the object of the company is to manufacture agricultural motors and machinery.
A limited company was recently formed at Suresnes, France, with the object of running the Samar commercial vehicles. The capital is fix•ed at 15 million francs, divided into 30,000 shares of 500 francs each. The title and address of the new company are Automobiles Industrials Saurer, 6 and 8, Rue Benoit-Malon, Suresnes.
Oil Fuels Economizer Development Syndicate, Ltd.' with a capital of £10,000 in 9,500 1.0•per cent: cumulative preference participating shares of £1 each and 10,000 ordinary shares of is. each. To acquire and turn to account patents and inventions, etc., and to enter into an agreement with Oil Fuel Economizer, Ltd. -(of Australia). Registered office is 31 Moorgate , Finsbury Pavement, E.C.
Societe American de MachinessOutils, with a capital of £40,000 in £1 shares (10,000 pref.), to be mechanical, industriEd and consulting engineers, manufacturers of, and dealers in, plant, machinery, apparatus and +tools, electricians, motor and tractor manufacturers, tube makers, wire pullers, lamp makers, motorcar and motor boat builders and owners. Registered office is at 28, Russell Square, W.C.
Richard Lloyd and Co., Ltd., with a capital of £25,000 in £1 shares, to take over the business of a merchant-manufacturer, patentee, importer and exporter of machine and hand tools, and engineers' fine tools, manufacturer of taps, dies and tools of precision, motor and cycle requisites, etc. carried on by W. Shaw, at Galton Woks and Trident Works, Steelhouse Lane, Blaney Street, and Weaman Street, Birmingham, as '' Richard Lloyd and Co.n
Estate Dividends.
A fifth dividend of is. 411. in the £ has been declared in the failure Of James Madgwick, motorcar dealer and agent, 82-88, Brighton Road, Surbiton, Surrey. The dividend is payable on 19th March, at the office of tlse Official Receiver, 132, York Road, Westminster Bridge Road, S.E. 1.
Notice of intended dividends are given in the following failures :—(1) Florence May Lee (trading as the Myra Motor Co.), motor engineer, haulage contractor, and taxicab proprietress, Barkerend. Rd., Bradford. 16th March is the last day for lodging proofs with the Official Receiver, 12, Duke Street, Bradford ; (2) Percy Miles Hopkins (trading as the Fovant Motor Co.), motorcar hirer, Fovant, Wilts. 12th March is the last day for lodging proofs with the Official Receiver, City Chambers, Catherine Street, SaJisbury.
Harry Blanshard, carrying on business at the Norfolk Street Garage, Nelson, Lancashire, has been adjudicated bankrupt.
Useful Agritrailer.
Messrs. Martin Walter, Ltd., of 62, Sandgate Road, Folkestone, have just produced and placed on the market a trailer intended to be coupled to the rear of the tractor, or between the plough and the tractor, or even at the rear itself, its purpose being to carry fuel, lubricating oil and spare parts. The chassis is strongly Made of wood and is armoured throughout with ironwork in order to stiffen up every joint subject to strain. It has .a drawbar in front, a coupling at the rear, and two folding legs, one at the front and one eh the rear. The box itself is of stout timber, thoroughly well braced. The lid is hinged on one side, and is fastened with hasps and staples end two padlocks. There is a shelf inside from 9 to 12 ins. wide to carry tools, tractor •shoes, spare parts, etc. The capacity of the trailer is 70 gallons of fuel, that is to say, 30 two-gallon cans and two frve-gallon
drums. It is mounted on a strong axle with two broad-faced cast-iron wheel*, -and is altogether a stout, sturdy job.
When the tractor moves from one farm to another, by coupling up the trailer it can take the whole of its belongings with it, and, owing to the fact that the fuel in the trailer is locked up every night and not left iseanding out in the fields, there is a substantial saving of fuel, as, without this precaution, pilfering is not, unknown. We understand that the manufacturers are now prepared to supply a large number of these trailers, either singly or in quantities.
Winding-up.
At an extraordinary general meeting of the I.D.L. Motor Cab Co.,-Ltd., presided over by Mr. T. Woof, a resolution e-as passed, and was subsequently confirmed, to the effect that the company would be wound up voluntarily, and that Mr. Thrale Coulson Martin, chartered accountant, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, be appointed liquidator.
The Paris concern—Case de Fiance— builders of agricultural motors, ,recently increased their capital to 1,500,000 francs. The address is 251, 'Faubourg Saint Martin.
Local Proceedings.
Chesterton (Cambs.) U.D.C. are to purchase a motor ambulance to cost about £160.
Warrington Corporation is making inquiries as to the cost of a new motor fire engine.
Barnstaple R.D.C. has decided to purchase a locomotive for haulage purposes at a cost of about £1000.
Bradford Corporation Electricity Committee has authorized the purchase of another • chassis for a five-ton motor lorry.
Walsall Corporation Public Works Committee proposes to purchase a steam motor lorry at+ a cost not exceeding £1000.
Sheffield Corporation Health Committee ha e purchased a steam wagon from Messrs. Carter, Milner and Bird, Ltd., for £600. • Norfolk C.C. Highways Committee has purchased a second-hand fiveston steam tractor for £630, and two side-tipping wagons are now to be purchased.
Having considered thequestion of motor teaction,„ Barnstaple U.P.C. has now decided to purchase a .steam trac' tor with two trailers at a cost, of about £1100.
Partnership Dissolutions.
Notice is given of the dissolution of the partnership between John Spear Stephens and 'Richard Hawke, carrying. on business as motor and general engineers and motor agents at Vigo Bridge, Tavistock, Devon, under the style of J. S. Stephens and Co. All debts due to and owing by the late firm will be received and paid by John Spear Stephens, who will continue to carry on the business.
Notice is given, of the dissolution of the partnership between•Bernard Charles Hammond Thorn and Clifford Salesman Thorn, carrying on business as coachbuilders and motor engineers, at St. Giles Gates Norwich, under the style of Charles "Thorn, All debts due and owing to and • by the late firm will be received and paid by B, C. H. Thom, who will continue to carry on the business as heretofore.
The Lyons Fair.
The Lyons Fair, which was opened on 1st March and closed on the 15th, can safely be claimed a complete success, and there is no doubt that in this show Frafice has secured a commercial asset of considerable value. Started in competition with the famous Leipsie Fair; it is quite certaia that Germany has now found a rival which will cut a large slice out of her cake. There were about 200 e2r,hihitare in the motor section, and nearly every well-known make of French commercial vehicle was represented (apart from pleasure ears). Aries, Atlas.
Berliet, Cottin-Desgouttes, La. 'lithe, Saarer, La.tll, Delahaye, etc., all these made a good show of lorries, vans, buses, etc. Many agricultural motors and mach agricultural machinery were shown, and naturally created a large amount of interest. It is extremely unfortunate that no English firms in the motor section were in evidence, as there is no doubt that the enterprise of the exhibitore will meet its reward. Several American firms had exhibits and, in addition, the American Consul had a stand where catalogues ef all kinds of American goods could be obtained. Messrs. Fiat were the repreeentatives of Italy's motor industry.
German Profiteering.
Some years ago a prominent German engineer, toiling in the tropics, expressed to the writer that German patriotism
as purely a matter of pounds, shillings and pence. Judging from recent developments on the other side of the Rhine, the foregoing critic does not appear to have been very wide of the mark. At the moment+ a ripple of exasperation is passing over the country at what has already become colloquially known as the " Daimler Scandal," in which the Daimler Motor Co., of Stuttgart, is involved somewhat deeply. Certainly this concern appears to have done excellently out of the, war. Its dividends rose trout 16 per cent. in 1914 to 35 per cent. in 1916, while its shares have appreciated from 228 marks in 1911 to over 1000 marks to-day. The company .ha,e been assailed by .a Committee of Inquiry for charging £600 for a vehicle in Germany which could be produced for £250 in the United States. But even the directors appear to be dissatisfied with the rapacity of which they have been accused, since recently the company demanded an increase of 50 per cent, in its prices, failing the receipt of which night-work was to be suspended. The authorities, piqued at the receipt of this ultimatum, promptly stepped in and commandeered • the works, which are now being run under military supervision. The latest development is g charge the directorate with deliberate falsification of the accomets to deceive the commission of inquiry which was appointed to investigate the company's affairs. For instance, it 'is stated that the company declared it had paid wages in excess of what had actually been the case. It is somewhat enlightening to learn that Germany, despite its much vaunted powers of organization, has been enable to squelch the war profiteer.
Licence by Wheelbase.
The province of Alberta, Canada, which hitherto has followed the horsepower rating system at two shillings per horse-power in determining licence fees for motor vehicles, has made a somewhat novel departure. In future 'the rats will be governed by the length of the wheelbase upon the following enale:—. Up to and not exceeding 100 ins., £3; with an addition of 10s. for every 5 ins. (or less) up to £5 10e.; 130 ins., £6 10e., and 135 ins. £7. It is not made clear to us whether emnreercial vehicles are included.
Austin Presented to M.T.V.
The Motor Transport Volunteers have been, presented with a three-ton Austin lorry by Mr. S. p. Joel, who paid £800 for the machine. The vehicle is being used for 'night work, and in the course of a week conveys over a thousand leave troops between the various railway ter'mini of the Metropolis at an hour when all public means of conveyance have
ceased. Mr. Joel is maintaining the lorry during the war at a cost of about £400 a year.
Six Fodens Ordered.
The Birmingham and Midland Transport Co., Ltd., Bradford Street, Birmingham, has placed an order with Messrs. Foden's for six five-ton wagons, The sole Midlands agents are the Castle Motor Co., Ltd., and represented by Mr. Charles Cooper, Kidderminster.
Chicago-New York Lorry Service.
To ease the railways between New York and 'Chicago, the Master Truck Transportation Co., of the latter city, has prepared a comprehensive scheduled lorry service' the distance being about 900 miles. Each train, the first two of which are ready, oomprises 24 twotanners, and is complete, carrying sufficient oil and fuel for the journey. One vehicle is equipped as a kitchen to prepare meals for the crew, while another is designed to carry the tents and impedimenta for sleeping accommodation. By this arrangement delays and confusion incidental to a search for hotels and restaurants will be eliminated.
The journey lies via Buffalo, and any class .otl freight capable of being handled by lorry will be accepted. One principle is firmly laid down to assure maximum financial success. Only complete truckload shipments will be received—i.e., the load must represent the maximum loading capacity of the vehicle. The train will make daily runs of from 10 to 11 hours' duration, and will operate upon the convoy system. Rates will be the same as those prevailing by express. An average speed of 25 to 30 miles per hour is anticipated, the pneumatic ,tyre equipment having been laid out to this end.
Water for Wagons in Chester.
The Chester Coroporation has arranged a water supply for steam wagons in 'Grosvenor Street, Chester, on the main route between Manchester and Liverpool and North Wales. The charge is fourpenee for any quantity of water up to 25 gallons.
Petrol in France.
The French Government allows petrol to be bought by users of agricultural motors for various purposes, preference being given to the users of tractors and threshing machines'. Application has to be made by the consumer month by month. Manufacturers or importers of these vehicles can also obtain petrol for testing them.
. Portsmouth Taxicab Radius.
• The Home Office asked Portsmouth Watch Committee if the three-mile radius for taxicabs outside the borough could be increased to five. The Chief Constable has been instructed to reply that no increase in the radius was required in that district.
Furbishing .1.1p the Paintwork.
In these days, when it becomes extraordinarily and increasingly difficult to get vans or their parts repainted and varnished, it is useful to know that really presentable jobs can be done in the garage with Robbialac enamels, the only requirements being a thorough and careful cleansing of the work, clean brushes, and a garage that is clean and free from dust. Messrs. Jenson and Nicholson, Ltd., the makers of these enamels, of Goswell Works, Stratford, London, E. 15, will send on application a sheet of instructions for treating van bodies in different stages of condition: such as fairly good condition after a fair amount of wear, or in had condition, whilst the means for effecting repairs, the elimination of scrateheh and dents is given in good detail. The Painting of wheels and wings with Whitley black Robbialse gloss by drivers and owners has become very popular. Not only is the appearance improved but rust is prevented.
Electric for Bolton.
An electric motor wagon is to be purchased for the Cleansing Department of the Bolton _Corporation, which sent a sub-committee to see an electric motor wagon in use at Accrington. The Electricity Committee of the Corporation, however, has just failed to get permission to purchase an electric vehicle, but is trying again.
U.S.A Military Lorry Confusion.
Judging from reports which have come to hand, tihe military department at Washington appears to be encountering difficulty from the diversity of lorries Which it is being compelled to accept. The tyre makers appear to be the most concerned. Such confusion will doubtless continue across the Atlantic, as it did' here until co-ordination is achieved. The first step in this direction ba.s been taken by placing everything pertaining to'the motor transportation of the Army under single control.