The Late Prince Francis of Teck.
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The Royal Automobile Club has suffered aimo her loss, in the lamented and unexpected death of 11.Si-1. Prince Franvis of Teck, D.S.O., its chairman. Prince Francis had been no mere figurehead, and his death has removed one of the hardest workers in the cause of moterMg. His close interest in all branches of R.A.C. work, tor a full two years, has helped to bring a lanit remark1 tile adcanees in the Club's financial and genetal position. In fact, it is not going too far to state that the arrangements for the erection and equipment of the new clubhouse upon the site of the old War OM( e in Pall Mall, into which new building the transfer will lake place at the end of January next, would have been literally impossible but for the assiduity with which the late Chairman met not a few apparently-insurmountoble ,Not only did he give detailed attention to matters concerning the use of private-type motorcars. in which particular connection it is an open secret that he was largely responsible for the adoption of the programme tor next year's tour in respect of the '' Peittee Henry Trophy," but he heartily appreciated the true relat:ons bet \V een commerOal-vehicle in and these of private owners. At meeting of members and committees, and again at certain private conferences upon topics concerning both road makers and road users, Prince Franeis showed a, remarkable grasp of detail, and fully maintained his great reputation for zeal in any valise iv Ii icli it fell to his lot to take up.
It goes without saying that the Club will find a successor worthily to carry on the work which he has left for others to continue, but all who know anything of the internal conduct of the Club or of other like institutions will appreciate the fact that a sense of deprivation will reina,n for many months to come, if not for yt'ar!■.
Germany's Subvention Progress.
:Innes rather opportunely, in view of the meeting
1:lie Editor of tins journal has convened for .Nlonday next the 31st inst., at 112, Piccadilly, W., that we are able to publish (page 152) interesting and up-lo-date partn-il 111$ concerning the progress of Germany's subvention sehtenc. Many of our readers will recollect the generous bases upon which the German system is founded and worked, viz.., in respect of each approved five-tinnier, a. ronstructional bonus of £200, and thereafter a subventiim of .C50 annually for five years. The French scheme, we may recali incidentally, is on the basis of .020 down, and 4:10 per annum for three years, in respect of each approved three-tonner. The fact that no fewer 1.11i111 406 vehicles of all kinds are now at the disposal of the German it Office compares most favourably with the results ,Johiered in this country, especially when one sees evidence that the British War Office will not be able to retain its present support without material improvements in conditions and terms—a further letter from an miner. this being the twenty-first to which we have given publicity, will be found amongst this week's " Opinions from Others,' The Commercial Motor Users Associatiou, which has consented to the use ol its rooms for the meeting of next week, will probably form a permanent subcommittee to deal with future develepments. We have, by request, made it our business to take the initiative, in response to the written appeals of owners who felt that they had grievances of a character which cook! not he removed by isolated action.
Show Politics.
Makers of commercial motors do not want two allmotor shows in any one year. They are, at the moment, threatened in that manner, but it requires no greatperspicacity to see that February and March of next year will not witness displays in Manchester and London respectively. • The likely return to any large proportion ef die industry does not justify the holding of two exhib-Lions of this class during succeeding months, and not a few are restless under the prospect. A solution of some kind must be discovered, and we believe that the best course is offered in adherence to next year's undertaking at Olympia, with a limitation of the 1911 Manchester display to private cars. A national show in London must not be weakened by counter-attractions, and it is widely known that the terms of the contracts in respect of the contemplated second show at the .Manehester City Hall provide for automatic cancellation on the return of the deposits. We, for reasons which were given in these minium; some 30 months ago, in April of 1.908, should like to see another Commercial Vehicle Show held at Olympia. We then wrote:
"The 'Gate' at Olympia.
" We are left face to face with the situation that widespread advertisement has failed to draw probably much more than the hundredth member of each trade (bakers, brewers, confectioners, drapers, grocers, Italian warehousemen, launderers, millers, country store-owners) Co a commercialmotor show per se, whereas all the important members of any one of these trades are known to attend the annual shows which are peculiarly associated with their own occupations. Is it good policy, we ask, to continue, each year, a motor show that can do no more than bring up to London the enthusiast. the existing owner, and the huodredth man; or. is it better to give a turn to those shows to which the ,bulk of a particular trade is bound to go?. . . The path of least resistance may possibly be found in the declaration of an interregnum, say, of two or three years, during which the cultivation of specific trades might be allowed without restriction, thereby permitting the manufacturer to make hisown running at the annual shows for whose particular patrons his earlier sales had furnished him with the very patent weapon of satisfactory reLrences. Given that interval ii which to widen the basis of use, and so establish :ill
ineradicable nucleue where little more than the germ may be said to exist at the moment, a mass of interest and support ought to be created whose volume should justify a return to the single annual show in London."
The contemplated expansion has occurred: bodies of interested owners have been created in not fewer than the nine trades named in the quotation. No divided or individual support for any one of the several ant11141 I shows of particular trades, good as we know them to be from the business standpoint, can be of the same general or international effect as an official and representative exhibition, which is backed by the whole industry. We dc. dine to give credence to the rumours which are in circulation, that leading makers intend to put their heads together—in order to stop the 1911 Olympia Show--kcause they are full up with business and do not wish to give the so-called " little man " a chance. The Commercial Vehicle and other Committeemen of the S.m.m.T. are elected to foster the industry as a whole, not to advance their own personal interests, and they will do well to pause before they invite protests from numbers of their fellow-members. Yet, we are told, it is hoped in some quarters to " play into the hands of the big men," by inside working to bring about a revocation of the decision to organize a show at Olympia from the 31st March to Sth April next. We refer, of course, wholly to plans and projects which are being discussed by certain important and successful constructors. To those gentkmen whose personal qualities command the highest respect, we content ourselves by addressing this one sentence: will it not be more satisfactory to brush aside the temptation, to recall the fiduciary nature of a committeeman's position, and to get ready to make good exhibits? Is it not better to render the 1911 London Commercial Vehicle Exhibition a fitting and striking comparison with that of 1908, in order to mark the recovery in trade for which so many have worked very hard? Thedays when combined efforts are essential to the conversion of the sceptic and the waverer are not yet over, and the impressiveness of a kind show of the kd cannot be overrated in this connection, apart from its powerful influence in sustaining the Colonial and world-wide reputation of Great Britain as the home of utility vehicles and tractors. No other country can successfully run such a show, and to abandon it now will be to throw away an opportunity which in any event will never recur. We support the Show.