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News and Comment.

28th November 1912
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Page 12, 28th November 1912 — News and Comment.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

This journal is extensively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses.

Great pressure on our space this week necessitates the holding over of several pages of interesting text, descriptive articles, and other usual features, inclusive of some communications from overseas correspondents.

Apropos the exhibition which is now in progress at Olympia, we would direct particular attention to the representative parcelears which are shown there. Pages 271-273 of this issue contain some particulars of these models.

Our leading articles this week deal with the following topical subjects : (1) " The Overseas Annual for 1913 ; "(2) "Parcelears at Olympia; " (3) "The Amenableness of the Road Board ;" (4) "Are Officials of London Borough Councils Criminally Negligent? " and (5) " Improving Rural Transport."

The Late Mr. Mid Witherington.

We record with deep regret the sudden death, on the 5th inst., of Mr. Iltid Witherington, senior partner in the firm of C. H. Witherington and Sons, millers, of Sonningon-Thames. Mr. Witherington was highly esteemed in many public and semi-public capacities, and in none more than as a member of the General Committee of the C.M.I.TA.

Are Agents of Any Use?

The Agents Section of the S.M.M.T. has decided that its members deserve to be increasingly recognized by all commercial-motor manufacturers ; the manufacturers are inclined to go slowly in the matter, because of the great. efforts which they have themselves had to put forth to secure sales in past years; owners and users of commercial motors are now asking themselves whether agents are of any use to them, and if so in what directions. We hope that additional " Opinions from Others " will be communicated by readers.

The Cyclecar."

Over 20 cyclecars, representing most of the prominent makers, took part in a parade organized on Monday last. by our new contemporary " The Cyclecar." After being marshalled in Regent's Park, they proceeded through the West-end thoroughfares to Olympia. Their smart appearance and ease of control under crowded traffic conditions undoubtedly made many converts to this new form of motoring amongst the interested spectators. The first number of this new journal, which is now on sale, has created a splendid impression upon all who have seen it. Its con tents are strikingly arranged, and are entertainingly instructive. It contains 54 pages of text and illustrations and 85 pages of advertisements : no fewer than 90,000 copies of No. 1 were printed, and these proved to be insufficient to meet all demands.

Anonymit y Barred.

" Constant Reader" (Leeds) will please communicate his address as a guarantee of bona-fides. We otherwise cannot answer his inquiry re three-ton petrol vehicles.

.Prevention. Sir Boverton Redwood, Bart., the Rt. Hon. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, and Major A. McN. CooperKey have been elected members of the council of the British Fire Prevention Committee.

Scottish Show.

A oorrespondent desires to know whether the rule of excluding commercial vehicles from the Scottish Show of January next will be rigorously enforced. We are able to say that it will be enforced absolutely.

Doncaster's Latest Purchase.

Doncaster Town Council will pay the Albion Motor Car Go., Ltd., of Glasgow, 2559 iTs, for a 32 h.p. Albion chassis, and Rawlinson's Motors, Ltd., 296 for the tower wagon and necessary equipment to be placed upon it.

Liverpool Again.

"The Liverpool journal of Commerce," for the 21st inst., reports at length an address to the Liverpool Incorporated Chamber of Commerce by Mr. Danson Cunningham, a prominent member of the Liverpool Cotton Exchange. Mr. Cunningham wants to see tractors employed to haul loads between Liverpool docks and warehouses : the plan of working to be adopted is that one tractor and four trucks are treated as a unit. Only one truck is to be hauled at a time. unless the Liverpool authorities give an exemption to permit the haulage of two at a time in certain cases, and while the tractor is travelling with a load behind it the other trucks will be in course of loading or unloading at the termini. The scheme is one to reduce congestion at the docks, and it is believed that the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board will appoint a committee to consider the feasibility of early action. Mr. Cunningham hopes to make a beginning on one particular quay, and to avoid mixing horse and motor units. There are indications that Liverpool master-carters will be hotly opposed to the innovation. Mr. N. Weatherston, for many years manager of the local Humber depot at Southampton, has taken up the management of the Parsons Motor Co., Ltd., in that town. Extensive hiring, car-packing and repairing branches are included.

Ivel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., of Biggleswade, reports that considerable use is being made of its scheme for the acquirement of agrimotors on the extended-payment system. Only three per cent, per annum is charged for facilities of this nature.

A Recent Registration.

Radcliffe Motor Transit Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of £75o0 and with its office at Dale Street. Radcliffe, Lanes.

Ignition in the North.

Mr. J. H. Runbaken has opened a depot at 7, Peter Street, Manchester. This gentleman is a specialist in motor ignition, and holds the sole northern agency for the Eisemann magnetos, of which he carries complete stocks. He is prepared to advise any parties who have trouble with the ignition of their petrol motors.

Where St. Helen Presides.

While a representative of THE Com.rannciAr, MOTOR was recently at Warrington, in connection with the interesting run on one of GreenallWhitley's Sentinel wagons, he took the opportunity to call on Mr. J. H. C. 'Brooking, the general manager of the St. Helen's Cable and Rubber Co. Ltd. Mr. Bond, the energetic sales manager, was good enough to show him round the works, where a great many varieties of rubber manufacture were in process. The works contains a large amount of expensive special machinery ; it is probable that the company handles more special contracts for rubber productions than any other similar concern in this country. A great speciality at the present time is what is known as cab-tire sheathed electric cable ; the metallic conductors are ern

bedded in a special covering of solid rubber of the same quality as that used for cab tires. 'We were interested to inspect the designs of a new form of removable solid tire fixing. We shall have more to say about this in an early issue, when the first batch of these wh6els is completed.

Indian Trade.

It is a matter of common knowledge that the motorvan is making headway in India and the East, in spite of cheap transport peculiar to the, various countries in which motoring is being developed. One of the latest sales, to Murray and Co., Ltd., wine merchants, of Lucknow, Cawnpore and Karachi, is a de Dion van which was sold through Samuel Fitze and Co., Ltd., of 91-93, Bishopsgate, E.C.

Wiltshire Developments.

The Chippenham Chamber of Commerce has been busy discussing how it can extend a helping hand to a scheme for the establishment of a motor service between Malmesbury and Chippenham. The local train service is regarded as being wholly inadequate, especially since the further curtailment which followed the railway strike of last year. The mayor of Malmesbury is one of the prime-movers in the proposals.

In Favour of Speedometers.

A correspondent writes ...There seems no longer any excuse for not using a speedometer. The parrotcry about unreliability is baseless now, if, indeed, it ever had any justification. The Conseil Municipale of Paris has taken steps to diminish street dangers, and amongst the regulations is one insisting on a speedometer on every type of vehicle.

'Why has there been so much hesitation and prejudice about speedometers on commercial motors in this country? I can hardly think that drivers have objected merely because the thing is such a telltale. On time other hand, owners by the expense of a very few pounds would have convincing evidence

from the recorder. The Paris decision is more than interesting. it means that speedometers must' be reliable.

"To what extent are they trustworthy. Few men in England have had such an acquaintance with speedometers for commercial vehicles as Mr. Leo H. Swain, of Manchester. jie tells me that Leyland Motors, Ltd., has been so pleased with the A.T. that it has placed another contract for 100; that Cornmer Cars to the number of 250 have been equipped during the last 18 months ; that Karrier vehicles are being fitted with them ; and, last but not least important, the A.T. is applicable equally to Foden steam wagons as to rubber-tired vehicles. In fact, the Sandbach company has given an order for more, after a six months trial. Obviously, what is so reliable on steamers, steel-shod, can be trusted on rubber-tired vehicles. Q.E.D."

With a Marshall Steam Tractor.

We published, four weeks ago, a photograph of a Marshall steam tractor engaged in timber haulage. After that work was over, the owners of the machine lent this tractor to a firm of contractors who were engaged on a large reservoirconstruction job. The opportunity was then taken to ascertain the heaviest load that the engine would haul.

The Marshall tractor, which complies in every way with the Motor Car Acts, was on the first trial put to haul two ordinary traction-engine trucks, from a railway station to a depot : one of the wagons had a load of cast-iron pipes, totalling 3 tons 18 cwt., whilst the wagon itself weighed 3 tons 18 cwt. 3 qr. ; the second wagon, which itself weighed 2 tons 4 cwt., had 30 cwt. ofcoal upon it, totalling 3 tons 14 cwt. The gross load hauled was thus 11 tons 10 cwt., whilst the weight of the tractor in working order was 5 tons 15 cwt. The foregoing load was hauled, with the tractor working in the second speed of 21 m.p.h., over a three-mile run, largely uphill and up one gradient of 1 in l4, without difficulty.

From that depot to a second depot three miles away, the load consisted of one wagon (weight 3 tons I cwt. 1 qr.) which had been filled with exactly 6 tons of sand, or a gross load behind the drawbar of 9 tons 1 cwt. 1 qr. Here, again, the second speed of 21 m.p.h. was used, over ground that was newly-made throughout, and up inclines occasionally as steep as 1 in 12.

Our informant, tells us that the ground on the first trims was newlymade for considerable lengths, bef that the Marshall tractor pulled throughout in excellent fashion, with the exceptional weight of two heavy and laden trucks behind it.


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