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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

25th July 1918, Page 4
25th July 1918
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—john Beattie Crozier,

Road Transport Register.

The Read Transport Board (Board of Trade) issue a reminder that under the Road Transport. Order, 1918, owners of vehieles.in use for the transport of goods by rend are required to furnish returns giving particulars of their vehicles not )ater than 31st July.

The Order relates to all goods-carrying vehicles (both wholesale and retail), whether driven by motor spirit, gas, electricity, or steam, or horse-drawn; but returns are not required respecting. Vehicles used wholly or mainly. in agriculture nor for horse-drawn vehicles

with a load capacity of less than 15 cwt. Application for forms should be made to the police-station nearest to the garage or stables where the vehicles are kept. The forms should be .completed and returned in the stamped addressed envelopes provided for that purpose.

The Order also provides that notice must be given in writing 'before the disposal'of any vehicle in respect of which a return has been made.

On and after 1st September the use of a vehicle for the transport of geode by road will be subject, to the terms of a permit granted by the Road Transport Board. These permits will he issued by the secretaries of the Area Road Transport Committees as soon as the registration of vehicles is complete.

Walsall Bus Litigation.

' Pending the decision of the High Court on a mandamus obtained by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., calling upon the Walsall licensing authority toshow just cati‘a,, why they

should not consider the company's application for a licenee, police-court proceedings which had been commenced against the company for running unlicensed omnibuses have been adjourned.

Trial of H. J. Lawson and S. A.

Curzon.

The ease in which H. J. Lawson was tried in company with Stuart Alfred Curzon on a charge of conspiracy to defraud in connection with subscriptions for shares in the General Omnibus Supply Manufacturing Co., Ltd., was concluded last week. The jury. found both persons guilty, and the Common Serjeaut, at the Old Bailey, sentenced Lawson to 90 months and Curzon to 6 months, both in the second division.

" Extraordinary Traffic."

The decision of Mr. Justice Eve in the case of the Weston-super-Mare Urban District, Council versus Henry Butt and Son? Ltd., is expected to be given this week.

Mr. K. S. Murray, M.I.Mech.E.-, managing director of the British Oxygen Co., Ltd., will give evidence at the meeting of the Gas Traction Committee to-day (Thursday).

The wedding ef Mr. Algernon Edward Berriman, ORE., F. Ae. S. , M. LA. E. , chief engineer of the Daimler Co., Ltd., to Enid Kathleen, daughter of Mrs. Sut-eliffe, Westville, Leek, will take place at the Chapel Royal, Savoy, at 2.15 p.m. .,on. Wednesday, 31st‘July, '

Appeals to the Handy Man.

We have invariably found that men, with rare exceptions, like to make and mend, to devise and construct, and the result is the " handy man." In youth they build rabbit hutches, model boats, steam engines and model railways, rapidly developing into snob ventures as the improvement (by gadget fitting and even devising) and maintaining motor. cycles. In the case of the married man, well, there is simply unlimited scope foe. the mechanical faculty, and so it is not surprising to see what an extraordinarily interesting set of volumes can be produced as "The Amateur Mechanic," published by the Waverley Book Co." of the Old I3ailey, London, B.C. 4. We have nearly imperilled the routine of the printing and publishing side by becoming absorbed in the volumes which have reached us just before going to press, and if that can happen at a time so sacred we can 'well imagine that the pm-chaser of the set Weald be held enchained for many an evening by the interesting and informative articles explaining how to do and how to make things. From the simple household repair or adjustment to really fine mechanical jobs; the range of information in these volumes is wonderfully complete.

Congratulations to Brigadier-General R. K. Bagnall-Wild on his promotion.

The Sentinel Wagon Works, Ltd., Leyland Motors, Ltd., and the National Steam Car Co., Ltd., will all shortly be conducting 'experiments with -the gas firing of steam wagon boilers,

Midland • Motor Volunteers.._

High praise was • bestowed officially uponthe work of the Notts. Motor Volunteer Corps during the tour of inspection, which was made last Sunday, by Major Cope, of the Northern Corn-, rowed, who was accompanied. by Major Holmes, commanding officer. Beginning in the north of the county, at -Worksop, when the local company •paraded under the direction -of Lieut. Cafierato; the, inspecting officer subrecifiently proceeded to • Mansfield and Newark, •Lieut. Ward' being in command at the former place. The growth of this important branch of vo:Unteer work in the county town was tvideneed by the fact that at Tattershall trive, Nottingham, 100. motor Vehicles had been assembled, including No. 1 Company under Capt. P. G. What/tall, No: 5 Section of No. 2 Company under Copt. L. R. Ransome, and the light ear seetion under Lieut. R. S. Whaley. Subsequently Major Cope proceede,d. to Eastwood and Rucknall, where Lieuts. IF. E. Woralhaner and Dalgleish Were in command.

Eastbourne Buses.

The. annual report of the general manager of the Eastbourne T.C. motorbuses shoWs that the profits for last year's working were £2211 as compared with £672 for the previous year. The war allowances were £1300 as compared with £1068.

A Monarch Neverslip Tractor in Yorkshire.

The first of the large Monarch 15-32

Neverslip rail-track chain-tread tractors to reach this country was. delivered last, month to its purchaser, Mr. :fames Fairbank, of Manor Farm, Appleton-is-Street, near near MaItem where it Was started up by Mr. Breeze Hall, the Power Farm Supply Co.'s representative, and a demonstration given in the presence of representatives of -the local -and technical Press_ This.anachine; Which is the largest of the 'light tractors made by the Monarch Co.; has two 12-in chain tracks supporting the entire weight, and is driven by a four-cylinder Doman engine of 4,'4 in. here by 7 in. -stroke, which delivers about 3500 lb. pull on the drawbar, and well over -30. h,p. at the belt pelley, being capable of driving a fulleized 4 ft. 6 in. threshing machine. Mr. Fairbank's land is an upIarld .farm ci a little under 400 acres. The land is cf mediumdensity.The machine was put to work on a 17-acre field for Crossploughing, for which work, operating. over the broken surface, the chain tread proved itself to be particularly adaptable.Mr: Fairbank already has a 22 inp.. steam .tractor and iiiiidements to work With it ; the Monarch was first-hitched up to a big 9 ft, Emperor cultivator, a . ponderous implement weighing about.25 cwt.., and carrying. 11. tines with blades 13 -ins, apart at the ends: thus breaking a Collective width of 12 ft. thins, With these big. blades Working 10 ins. deep, Miss Fairbank the daughter of the owner, driving' the . tractor, -and Mr. Breeze Hall on the cultivator it. went gaily around the field in fine style, starting in the middle of an up-grade_

It 'Was then hitched up to a five:furrow Mannplough, set AO cot

6 ins. deep ; Mr. Fairbanks son—who was in khaki, and hasbeen sent back to the land during criblealeseence—drivirig, and went. away with .its • load With great ease, working both up and dawn the field at about 2 mph, and leaYing headlands 5 to 6 yards wide. This was. the shortest headland which the plough would make. Had the plough beencap.able of shorter turning, the traCtor could have left much narro■Ver headlands, as, unhitched from the plough, it was swung round several times. in a complete circle of only 9 ft. radius.

Later a trial was made with .a big Oliver four-furrow 14-in. plough, weighing about 30 cwt. This implement was being worked by the operator of the steami plant with only three ploughs in

• operation, and for that a. muth. higher head of steam than -the driver cared about had to be maintained: The Monarch., however, had no difficulty in pull-. 'hug it with all forir ploughs set both hp and down the field. although -the plough wheels frequentlyballed the earth up in • a wall iii front of it. However, as this -plough would not make the headlands short enough, the other was preferred. Great interest is being taken in the tray: tor in the neighbourhood, and the annexed, illustration shows it working with the .3101/1 plough:. We understand the owner has expressed himSelf in high terms as toits performance.

Less Tar-Sp-raying. • The Islington Council's Works Committee report that as regards London,where, traffic _conditions are different from those prevailing in the -country, it is, by no means convinced that tarspraying is desirable or necessary, except on macadamized roads on . motorbus routes. On other macadamized roads watering'in the ordinary way is sufficient. As. tar is new scares! and must -not be used Merely for the amenities of dustlessness, the committee only propose to -tar important roads. .

Soldiers' Road Passes..

Instances have occurred in which " road passes issued to soldiers to proceed by read only have been used for the purpose. of hiring motor vehicles on the assumption that the pass. is a definite instruction to all concerned-that the he41.er has authority to proceed by a road conveyance, and that the owner of such conveyance may disregard the Motor Spirit and Gas Restriction Order, 1918. To obviate such misunderstanding an Army Commit Instruction an

nounces that road passes ". will in future hear an endorsement to the effect that the pass does not authorize any coutravention of the above-mentioned Order

Oil for Fordsons.

One is so used to associate thin oil with Ford cars that it is not surprising to find that this idea is prevailing for the lubrication of the Fordson tractors. Of course, if the Fordson waS run exclusively on petrol, nothing could be said againat. the use of thin oil, but since these tractors invariably run on paraffin, it is absolutely imperative that, a different grade oil should be used. • C: 0. Wakefield and Co., Ltd.,Who have de

Voted considerable time in experimenting with lubricants for tractors, wfll be pleased to give advice and the fact that the Government has .placed with this well-known firm a very large contract for oil exclusively for the Fordeon tractor.

Local Proceedings.

Worthing has failed to obtain a priority certificate for the purchase of its motor &Teti:cart.

• Parcels on Brighton Trams.

Brighton tramway manager reports that a new_ development has occurred in the conveyance of mail bags at certain times of the day, which promises to develop considerably. In keeping with other towns, the number of parcels carried lost year on the trams went down but the cost of delivering them went up a great deal owifig to the high wages which had to he paid to the youths employed; however, this branch almost paid its way at the old charges, but they have now been revistd. •

White 'Lorry, Production Increases. •

The -White 'CO., -of Cleveland, Ohio, manufactured 5900 lorries arid 1000-Passenger cars -in 4917. It is reported that the output of passenger cars this Year Maynot be more than 100L Lorry busi.-ciesS, on the other hand, will be 60 per cent. lorge•i• than that of last y.sar, it is stated: The comeary hi now working on an Order for -3000 1 and 2-top 'army lorries,. and is finishing_ an order for 1500 lorries -for France, Eight thousand lore Ties have been -delivered to Russia and 6000 to, France since August,-1914. The eapaeity of the plant is 32 lorries a day, • • _arid this will 'be increased to 50. It is reported that the year's business will amount to between -440,000,000 and • $.45.000,000_ More than 70 -tierCent. of the company's capacity is given over to war work.

Mr. Manville Honoured.

Mr. El:Iva-id Manville, who has recently retired from the presidency of the Association of British. Motor and Allied Manufacturers, was entertained at dinner at the Royal Automobile Club a fortnightago by the officers and mesa. leers of the Association, Mr. H. C. B. Underd5wn, the new president, proposed Mr. Manville's health and reminded his audience of the long period during which Mr. Manvilfehad been a recognized figure-head of the motor industry. He said that Mr, Manville could congratulate himself upon .what • the Association, under his presidency, has been able already to achieve, and has fitted itself to achieve in the future.

Mr. Underdown dealt with a number of important matters in the course of his speech, and one remark of his was pregnant, being to the effect that, whilst large outputs and a high degree of standardization were desirable, they should not sacrifice quality to quantitv. Mr. Manville, in his. reply, said that the. early and successful efforts of the

motor 'industry to organize itself were rendered necessary by the difficulties which were put. in the way of the use ofmechanically-propelled vehicles. Only comparatively recently had it become necessary to create a representative organization to look after the interests of British manufacturers alone. Ite was now generally recognized that the country must support its own industries and its own labour, and, as a result Of the formation of the Association, good

results had followed, • • Mr. Manville said that the general mental attitude was a fluid one. There should not be the same diffieulties as there had been in the past in convincing people of the need for changing their methods, so that there should be an ..enormous demand for motor vehicles, especially with a view to the increase in efficiency of transport and business ir ebb och Mr. Bernard .Cailiard, the vice-president of the Association, dealt with the need for pulling together, and Mr. Pullinger asked for proper recognition of the . technical side of the industry.

Elucidatingthe Gas Orders.

The Motor Spirit and Gas Restriction Orders • of 1918, although,as we said at the time when they wen issued, more than usually lucid, yet requite a certain amount of interpretation and explana tion. This, work has been most efficiently done by Mr. E. J. Purchase, of the Middle Temple, and Mr. A. CCrane, solicitorof the Supreme Court. They have taken the text of the Orders, and, point by point, have explained and cleared up any matters that in the slightest degree called for explanation, and they have based their, ointments on recent magisterial decisions and existing staintory. obligations. These notes are published in a pamphlet at 6d. 'net, obtainable from Messrs. Stevens and • Sons, Ltd.., 111 Chancery Lane, London, -W.C. 2, and W. A. Standring, 19-21, Wilson Street,. London, E.C. 2.

lye! Tractor Quality.

. -Testimony to the good quality of the rye) tractor is s-upplied by Mr. Harry (;. Nash, of Langthorns, Little CarAeid, Dunn-tow, Essex, who bought one in April, 1909, and at the end of nine yeais iervice writes the following letter under date 15th July, 1918:-.- • " Thanks for your letter. Yes, i hove still. got the old ttactor, and she is and has been doing good work. Thanks for your stiggeetion that .1 should .send her over to your works for overhaul, 'hut I want her for the coming harvest and eoe -shall have to be content with my own amateur work. I still say 'he is the cbly tractor on the market for standitig up_to her work. We have a unit of .. working 'in this district, and one season's work has practically done the let in.' Best wishes."

The Olson Unit.

If will be remembered that the Olson Unit enables a. Ford car to carry loads up to one ton, although it only adds about one cwt to the weight of the car, whilst its cost is lees than £50. This unit used to be imported from the States until the submarine menace restricted imports. Up to that, time about 200 of these units were put into use in this country with a practically unbroken record of satisfactory service, many of the earlier equipments used in mail service on-rough Irish country roads having records to their credit exceeding 40,000 miles and being still reported as gonig strong.

We learn from Messrs. Bramco, Ltd., 1, Ellys Road, Coventry, that permission has now been obtained for the manufacture here of the Olson Unit, and that the first order received for the new • British-built models is from the Government for postal service. Orders ear/ now be accepted for fairly prompt delivery.

The L.G.B. have made a regulation Tinder section 8 of the Motor Car Act, 1903, which came into operation on 3rd July, prohibiting the driving of heavy motorcars and limiting to five miles per hour the speed at which °Bier motorcars may he driven upon Norfolk Bridge, Shoreham, for a period of two years.

Sheffield tramways manager reports the disc.ontinuance of the Upperthorpe motor omnibus service in consequence of the shortage of petrol and the difficulty. of getting drivers.

Ford differential cases are now being' made by the Utility Garage, 321-323, Romford Road, 'Fort Gate, London, E.'

Institute of Metals.

Vol. 19 of the Journal of the Institute of Metals for the first half of the year 1918 has reached us absolutely up to time, despite ths difficulties of securing prompt publication in these days. The volume includes a number of ex-. tremely useful papers, their utility beisg further increased by a number ot useful communications on each paper, now published for the first time. One of the most important papers is that read by the President, Profe-ssor H. C. H. Carpenter, and Miss C. F. Elam, on an investigation of unsound castings of Admiralty bronzes, dealing with the cause of this imsoundness and the remedy.. Quite apart from the quality of this paper, interest arises from the facto that it is the first contribution by a" lady member to the -proceedings of the institute. The discussion on the paper runs to no less than 46 pages, which is a testimony to the interest which was created by an exceptionally practical and suggestive piece of work. Another very important and exceedingly interesting paper is that on die-casting of aluminium bronzes, the illustration Showing some very intricate pieces of casting and demonstrating the advantages of casting by this method. The volume is publisheA at 21s. net, members receiving copies without charge.

New Companies.

Sargent's Empire Stores, Ltd. Private company. Registered 3rd July. Capital, L'5000 in £1 shares. Contractors. Registered office: Larkhill Camp, Salisbury Plain, Wilts. Frank Allen, Ltd., Private cdmpany. Registered 3rd July. Capital, £15,000 in £1 shares. To take over the business of a coach and motor builder, engineer, etc., carried on by F. H. Allen, at Brigg, Louth' and Market Rasen:

• Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd. Private company. Registered 5th July. Capital, £900,000 in £1 shares. To take over the tyre department of the business of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., with the premises, and to carry 011 the business of manufacturers and dealers in wheels, rims, tyres;" etc.

Rewarding the Heroes.

The sinking of the Austrian superDreadnought, the " Saint. Stephen," when surrounded by ten destroyers, is another triumph for the motor industry. Without giving away any secrets, it may be stated that the boat used by Captain Luigi Rizzo in his successful attack on the Austrianbattleship was fitted with a couple of Italian petrol motors of the airplane type.This boat is rernarkably fast, and It is undoubtedly Owing to its high 'turn of S'peed that its gallant cornnaander was able to destroy the battleahip.. As a mark of appreciation of the wonderful Work done by. the crew, the Fiat Co.; of Turin, has Cent to the Italian Ministry, of Marine the solid of

100411 to be distributed among the crew.

A Substantial Set of Lamps.

.A really well-made lamp is an absolute necessity. on m commercial vehicle. We recently inspected a set of oil, lamps specialty designed'. for hard ;Service .13YSs Smith Mid -Sons,. Ltd:,179-85-z Great Portland_ Street, W. 1. The material. is lmayy gauge .sheet steel riveted and braTe0.. _Care has been taken _to make the bull's-eye lens -easily replaceable in case of fracture, althmigh, owing to. the stoutness of the glass such a breakage is unlikely. The simple buteffective push-down typeof door catch is used, and the cowl often-a weak point, seems well designed and weatherproof. The side lampscan be supplied, to fit either a tongue or forked bracket-. Service. green (Mama finish is standard, and the price id the complete set is 63s. The lamps may, of course, be bought separately.• The wagon which was illustrated in iy COMMERCIAL Mount of 11th inst. in the full. page advertisement appearing with Spencer-Moulton solid rubber tyres was inadvertently described as -a " Kars ries " instead of aThornycroft. It may be appropriately added that a large number of' tyres have been supplied to Messrs. 'John I. Thornyoroft • and Co., Ltd., and to Messrs. ..Clayton and Co. (Huddersfield), Ltd., by Messrs. George

Spencer-Moulton and Co., Ltd.

A new edition has just been produced of a very interesting bosklet describing the works and methods of the makers of the All-British " M-L " magnetos, 4 copy will be sent post free to any reader of this paper who applies to the M-L Magneto Syndicate, Ltd., Coventry.

Local Proceedings.

Cupar Town Council have decided to purchase a motor 'road tractor to haul their, fire engine.

Finchley LT.D.C.. are to consider the purchase. of a motorcar for the -Medical.

Officer of Health. '

Hampstead B.C. has purchased a Ford van for £160 for IU'd in connection with the national kitchens: Application has been -made To the Masvlehone B.C. for permission to convert' a disused manure pit. in Bryanston Mews West into a petrol chamber.

The L.C.C. is negotiating with the Miniotry of National Service and the trade' unions with regard to the employ ment of women as tram drivers. • At Worthing Corporation the Berough Surveyor reported thatthe Ministry of Munitions was unable to grant a priority certificate for the purchase of -an electric motor dust van, and the makers were therefore unable to promise delivery.


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