The "1923 Outlook" Number.
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N Thursday next, the .26th instant, the " 1923 Outlook" Number of The Commercial Motor will be on sale 'throughout the country and will be despatched for circulation overseas. it is an., issue apart from the regular .weekly issue and will not deal in any way with the week's news. It is intended as a.review of the commercial motor industry, dealing with the trend of design in chassis and bodywork, and with the "developments .Of transport in every one of its spheres of usefulness.
Authoritative articles on important subjects have been contnibuted to this issue by Sir Raymond Dennis, K.B.E., Mr. J. Maughfling,Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, GEE., Mr. E. V. Hien, and other writers qualified to deal with special features.
There is a complete survey of the vehicles and appliances on the market, with the fullest possible technical specifications thereof, and it will be found that this type of information has never before been presented so fully.
Extremely valuable tables with accompanying matter cover the question of operating costs and recommended charges for all types of vehicle. The Commercial Motor's cost tables have done more to stabilize the road transport industry than any other factor. They are now presented. in a greatly amplified form, and on their account alone the issue will be kept. A great deal of enlightenment is thrown upon the question of insurance; for instance, few hauliers who have entered the haulage business since the armistice really know how and when they become "common carriers" or know the effect of their status upon their liability far loss Or damage.
A number of other special features will be found extremely useful or interesting, and readers should make a point of obtaining a copy and of protecting it with a stiff cover for the bookshelf.
The Legal Status of the Tractor-lorry: • riTURALLY, it. will take a little time for a legal status to be secured for the tractor-lorry, and, in the meantime, those departments which are employed to ensure a, due' observance of the law will find in it a new justification for their own existence, and will .proceed to harry its users, until the latter arise -in their -wrath,apply, adequate pressure, and secure an amendment of the law, :after :which peace will reign. The course of events is inevitalfle ; upon the like of it depends the soundness of tha British Constitution. The -Minister of Transport, in his Order of May 29th last amending the Heavy Motor Car Order of 1904, and the Order of 1905 applying -to Scotland, took cognizance of the tractor-lorry by limiting to 33 ft. a heavy motorcar which draws a trailer which is so partially superimposed upon and attached to the heavy motorcar that at all times the weight upon the roar axle of the heavy motorcar shall exceed the weight upon the axle of the trailer." But the Minister did not proceed to place the tractor-lorry in any particular category, as he could have done, for instance, very well simply by deciding that a sixwheeled articulated vehicle, as described, should be regarded as a heavy motorcar, and should come under the regulations laid down in tho Heavy Motor Car Order of 1904. At present, what is included in the Order amending the 1904 Order is the tractor portion drawing a " partially superimposed trailer." The result of this indefiniteness was seen in the Mansion House Police Court last week, when the Lord Mayor had to decide whether a Knox tractorlorry towing a trailer was a heavy motorcar and trailer or a locomotive and two trailers, because locomotives with trailers may not go through the City streets during certain hours of . the day. The Lord .Mayor went very fully into, the ease, and witnessed a demonstration of the extreme handiness of the combination, and came to the conclusion that the novel and ingenious construction of the vehicles reduced the obstruction to a minimum, and that he would riot convict, although he was of the opinion that the vehicles in the .case comprised a locomotive and two trailers, But the information was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act of 1907, which virtually means, "do not do it again " so it, cannot be regarded as a complete'.acquittal.
We submit that the tractor-lorry has now definitely proved its usefulness in dealing with a large load on a short wheelbase, and with no increase in the labour charge (driver's wages), or in road wear and tear. It will serve to enlighten manufacturers in spreading the load over more wheels, and will certainly lead to great developments in multi-axled vehicles—the whole reason for which is economy in highway maintenance. We urge upon the Minister of Transport the need for removing the anomalies of the position of the tractor-lorry at the earliest possible moment.
Shall We Impose a Reciprocating Tariff on Imports from America ?
THE FULL text of the new United States Customs Tariff, passed by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President of the United States on September 21st last, taking effect as from _midnight on the same day, is now to hand, and it is interesting to see how a protectionist country is aiming to protect, inter alma, its commercial motor industry, and to do unto othera as is done unto them.
Upon (to quote the words of the appropriate section of the Act) " automobiles, automobile bodies, automobile chassis, motorcycles and parts of the foregoing, not including tyres, all of the foregoing, whether finished or unfinished" an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent, is imposed, but if any country, dependency,province or other sub-division of Government imposes a duty on any of the specified articles when imported from the United States in excess of the 26 per cent. duty thus announced, there will be imposed upon any such article when imported, either directly or indirectly, a duty equal to that irapoSed by the country, dependency, etc., on the article imported from the United States.
Great Britain imposes a duty of 33k per cent. upon motor vehicle,s chassis, and parts, unless the imported article is intended to be and is used solely as an omnibus, ambulance, or in connection with the conveyance of goods or burden in the course of trade or husbandry, or by a local authority as a, fire-engine, or
el8 for the purposes of their fire brigade service, in any of which eases the article is imported free of duty. There has been some misconception concerning the motor coach hired for the conveyance of private parties, but that has all been cleared up. On automobile tyres, composed wholly or in chief of rubber, a 10 per cent. ad valorem duty is imposed under the United States Customs Tariff. On the ground of fairness to the commercial vehicle and motor tyre industries, similar duties to those imposed in the States upon our productions should be imposed upon American imported articles, but, so far as we know, no concerted effort is being made by the commercial vehicle industry to secure this measure of protection for themselves, although the rubber tyre industry has certainly laid a strong case for itself before the Government.
The Importance of the Heavy-oil Engine.
VERY little note is being taken in this country Of what may well prove to be one of the most important developments in engine construe, tion which have oecurred since the internal-eombuse tion -power unit was first brought into service for propelling road vehicles. We refer to the increasingly successful experiments which are being conducted with engines designed to run entirely, or almost wholly, on the heavier grades of fuel oil. In France an engine built by M. Tartrais, of the Peugeot Co., has for some considerable tune, been utilized on a Paris omnibus with very fair results, and a similar, but smaller' type has recently been tested in the capacity of the power unit for a touring car, which has achieved speeds of well over 40 m.p.h., and this at a fuel cost varying from one-seventh to one-ninth that of a petrol engine which would give similar results as regards speed. All honour is due to the inventor of this French en:gine, and to the company which is conducting experiments with it, but we would prefer to see some similar interest being taken in the matter here. it does not do for us to sit back, hoping that we may benefit in the future by what is being done elsewhere. We must endeavour to win the initiative with engines which will do more than those already constructed, and if we are to have our fair position in the market which will undoubtedly open to really successful engines of this type, our manufacturers M117t encourage and promote the development of new
deigns. •
We understand that one well-known British concern has under construction a, heavy-oil engine which will be suitable for use in aircraft. If this proves to be a success, it will certainly be a long stride in the right direction, for an engine with a power-weight ratio which proves satisfactory in a heavier-than-air machine should do just as Well for road vehicles, providing that sufficient reduction can be made in its bulk to permit of its use in this capacity without absorbing an excesAve amount of the space available. It is hardly probable that a heavy-oil engine would soon become popular for the private car, but it might revolutionize the design of commercial vehicles—particularly those of the heavier types. The cost of fuel. is not everything in the running of road transport, but it is of considerable importance, and there is no doubt of the commercial success of any engine which will greatly reduce fuel costs, if, at the same time, it can be made as reliable and flexible as the modern petrol engine.
Fraud Charges Against Petrol Dealers.
THE MAINTENANCE of an undl'ily high retail price or charge to the consumer for any commodity invariably brings the speculator and the adventurer into the market. Unfortunately, the anxiety of oonsuthers to secure cheaper supplies, and their opinion (created and confirmed by common talk) that such supplies can be obtained through dealers who are content with smaller profits, provide an opportunity for the ingenuous gentleman who has few qualms concerning the sanctity of a contract.
We were suspicious of an organization, circularizing from Aberdeen about a year ago, offering petrol in 50-gallon drums-at a cut price, because, on the receipt of information from readers, we ourselves wrote to the concern, and were compelled to draw certain deductions from, the correspondence which ensued. The result was a warning to those Who sought our opinion upon the merits of the proposal.
We observe that the High Court at Aberdeen has been called upon to try three defehdahts on charges of alleged fraud and embezzlement, and that sentence of seven years' penal servitude has been passed on one of theni, whilst the others have been dismissed with admonition, the presiding judge saying that the convicted man had involved, in the course of his wicked conduct, two men of hitherto blameless character.
It is as well to give publicity to the facts, and to repeat the recommendation we recently gave to users —to deal with reputable concerns. There are a number of smaller concerns honestly competing with the big companies selling motor spirit under well-known trade names.