The Wheels of Industry.
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" 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.
The "Tanks."
The Ministry of Munitions announces that credit will be given where credit is due." A prominent member of the CaLU.A. will then come into his own share of it.
Proceedings of Local Authorities.
The Mansfield Town Council has sanctioned the purchase of a, battery-equipped vehicle, from the General Vehicle Co., Ltd., at 21070. The Grangemouth Town Council has called upon the Falkirk and `District Tramway Company, Ltd., to arrange supervision of crowds waiting for the motorbuses on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Linlithgow District Committee of the Linlithgow County Council has refused permission to the Edinburgh and DistrictaMotor Company to run char-a-bancs traffic over the Kirkliston and Queensferry Road, which proposed route is a new one.
The Steyning West Rural District Council, at its meeting at Shoreham on the 19th inst., approved the view el its surveyor, r. F. Slaughter, that the proposed charge of the West Sussex County Council, of 3d. per motorbus-mile in respect of new motorbus routes, is excessive.
The Penmaenmawr U.D.C. has accorded the sole right to mil motorbuses in the Pernnaemnawr area, for another two years, to Silver Motors, Ltd., of Llandudno, the consideration apparently being that the service shall be well maintained during the winter months. The decision gave rise to a protest, and to certain suggestions about favouritism.
An important meeting of representatives of rural, borough and urban councils, in the county of Derby, took place at Matlock Bath on the 20th inst. • It was unanimously resolved that the local authorities should reserve their rights to select new motorbus routes, and the all-embracing proposals of the Derbyshire County Council were accordingly not accepted.
The Brighton Town Council has been informed by the Local Government Board, that it is the intention of that department not to approve local-authority proposals to proceed by way of Provisional Order to secure authority for running motorbuses. The L.G.B. has advised the Brighton Town Council ahat it will be prepared to approve proposals by that council to lease the right of user of any motorbuses which it may acquire, or tracklesS trolley buses. This eommunication is a highly suggestive one.
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The Team Labour Department of the Bradford Town Council has decided to purchase a two-ton petrol vehicle, with tipping-body.
The Caniborne has been notified by the Grenville United Mines, that it is unable to obtain delivery of email steam tractors, and that heavier traction-engines have in consequence to be used for haulage to and from the mines.
The Lambeth Borough Coun'cil has decided to order a third motorsweeper ; it has been found that the use of horse-brooms is much more expensive, this alternative having been in part adopted, owing to the shortage of petrol, with hired horses. The Southampton Town Council, through its Wharf Sub-committee, is making inquiries concerning motor-sweepers.
Chislehurst U.D.C. has sought to alter the route which is being followed by the L.G.O.C. service from. Penge to Woolwich. The L.G.O.C. has replied that a diversion cannot be adopted, as the present route is followed to comply with the requirements of the Ministry of Munitions.
Mr. T. Booth, Clerk, Council Offices, Wallington, Surrey, wishes to receive tenders, on behalf of the Beddington and Wallington U.D.C., on or before Monday next, the 2nel October, for the supply of two 3-ton steam wagons, one for general haelage, and one for the collection of house refuse, both vehicles to be fitted with solidrubber tires.
The Home Secretary has issued a circular letter, drawing the attention of certain 106,1 authorities to the need for the police to exercise discretion in enforcing the law relating to the emission of black smoke from locomotives on highways, when such locomotives are being used in the national interests, and at a time when the owners have difficulty in obtaining satisfactory coal.
A three-ton, battery-equipped tipping-wagon, belonging to the Ipswich Town Council, and supplied by the General Vehicle Co., Ltd., ran 6154 miles during the year ended the 31st March last, and dealt with some 9000 tons of load. The inclusive cost of working, with provision for maintenance and depreciation, was 2396 16s. 7d., or approximately 15.5d. per mile. The electric energy was represented by 7961 units charged at id. per unit, the average consumption being, therefore, approximately 1.3 unit per mile.
Damage to W.D. Material.
At the West London Police Court on Saturday last, Arthur Bailey, 18, a, turner, residing at Lancaster Bond, Notting Hill, was sentenced to 21 days imprisonment for wilfully damaging machined wets for War Office wagons, to the extent of 14 15s., the property of Messrs. James Bartle and Oo., of Western Ironworks, Notting Hill. He stated that he wanted hie disdharge and, as he could not obtain it by ordinary means, committed the damage with a view to receiving it.
Mr. Garrett, the magistrate, described his conduct as outrageous. The damage was to a number of shackle-pins for War-Office wagons. All communications concerning Sankey steel wheels and other products of Joseph Sankey and Sons, Ltd., are now to be addressed to Hadley Castle Works, Wellington, Shropshire.
A Recent Registration.
Ormandy and Scot ,t Ltd. (24000), with its registered office at Carlisle Street, Barrow-in-Furness, to take over a local garage business, and to deal as hirers, repairers, storers, and makers of and dealers in all types of motor vehicles, etc.
Taximeter Patents Mr. A. Baxter has been granted the right to use ten patents concerning taximeters, in repect of which he made an application to the Controller of Patents on the 20th inst. Patents had been originally granted to a German subject, a Mr. Bruhn. The desired permission was granted
Steam-wagon Sales.
Messrs. F. W. Berkeley and Co., of 39, Victoria Street, London' S.W., inform us that they find no slackness of inquiries for steam_ haulage plant. They have recently sold a five-ton Foden wagon to Mr. H. Kneller of Woolston, Southampton, and a five-ton Burrell tractor to C. arid G. Yeoman, Ltd., of Wincheap Street, Canterbury.
Communication Cords.
The National Traction Engine Owners and Users Association, of 28, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., has been in communication with the Local Government Board, following the conviction of one of its members who had not provided a communication cord upon a traction-engine and three wagons. The Association pointed out that, having regard to the concession to traction-engine users under the Local Government (Emergency Provisions) Act, to which concession we referred in our issue of last week (page 70 ante), it was useless to insist upon the necessity for a communication cord, in face of the fact that there is now no man available, or required, to work it.
' Thanks to the energetic representations of this keen Association, the Local Government Board has now notified all authorities who are entitled to grant liceaces to locomotive owners, that the by-law in respect of communication cords should be regarded . as inapplicable to cases where not more than three wagons are drawn by a locomotive. Where more than three wagons are drawn, the necessary provision of a third man will allow his services to be available.
Users of steam wagons and tractors are again reminded by us, that the by-law in respect of communication cords does not apply to any
heavy motorcar. It applies only to locomotives which are heavier than heavy motorcars. No road vehicle which comes within the scope of the Motor Car Acts and the Heavy Motor Car Order is affected by the -communication-cord regulation.
Treasury-note Cases.
Dennis Bros. (1913), Ltd., has issued, from its fire-engine department, to officials of various fire brigades in different parts of the country, a number of Treasury-note cases. This handy gift is embellished on its outside covers by coloured illustrations of front and back views of a standard Dennis fire-engine with a turbine pump.
Anonymous Communication Concerning War Bonuses.
We acknowledge receipt of an anonymous communication to the effect that a certain company in the motor industry has allowed its staff a five-per-cent. war bonus "to meet the increased cost of living since the beginning of hostilities." If the sender will disclose his identity, we shall be prepared to consider dealing further with the communication, which was submitted for use as a "One hears" paragraph.
Michelin Maps.
Motorists who are—or who are not—acquainted with the Michelin Guide of the British Isles will be interested to know that the maps of the British Isles issued from the same source are now available for all districts.
A particular feature is that these maps are designed to work with the Guide if desired ; roads are numbered to tally with corresponding numbers in the Guide. They are made so that they can be opened out at any particular section for examination, and will fold so as to stay in position without difficulty.
Further particulars are obtainable from the Michelin Tyre Co., Ltd., of 81, Fulham Road, Chelsea.
Stability of Vulcanized Rubber.
One of the papers which was recently read before the Society of Chemical Industry came 'from the pen of Mr. Henry P. Stevens, Ph.D., F.I.C. ; it is entitled "The stability of vulcanized rubber and the optimum cure ; the function of lit-barge in the vulcanization of rubber' the influence of the resinous constituents." The paper is interesting, from the standpoint of the chemist, or of the rubber expert. We recall that we had pleasure,. some eight years ago, in publishing a series of articles on plantation rubber, which articles were specially written for us by the same author, in conjunction with his partner, Mr. Clayton Beadle ; but the present paper appears to us to be of a character which is only of peculiar and special interest to the rubber industry. United Chassis.
Our recollection of the United chassis, which we inspected and de, scribed in December last, is that it was sturdily constructed, on sensible lines, and assembled of highgrade American units. We particularly remarked upon the strength of the frame and the substantial nature of steering and brake gear.
This chassis is now being handled by the United Motor Truck Co.'s own agent, Mr. Charles P. Elliott, Who should be addressed care of The American Express Co., Haymarket, London. He has a number of chassis in stock for immediate delivery at prices' we understand, with which it will be difficult to compete.
Motorbus v. Tramcar.
' Mr. I. McElroy, General Manager of the Manchester Corporation Tramways, in a paper before the recent annual conference of the Municipal Tramways Association, expressed the view that it may in some instances be found advantageous to run both motorbuses and tramcars along the same routes. Concerning peak loads, and the relative capacity of the two types of vehicles to deal with the crush-hours traffic of any city in the mornings and evenings, Mr. McElroy expressed the view that motorbuses are unable to look after such loads, and that motorbus proprietors leave such peaks to other transit facilities.
We would remind Mr. McElroy that, at the time of the outbreak of war in August, 1914, motorbus proprietors in London were gradually approaching the point at which they would have had avail
_ able the staff and plant to deal adequately with the peak-load problem. It is an erroneous course, in our opinion„ and one which will before long be demonstrated to be incorrect as an argurnent against the motorbus, to seek to maintain the no-peak hypothesis ; we know it to be dear to the minds of tramway men. A small unit is useless for peak-load purposes on any railbound system, but not so in the case of a free-running system, such as motorbus conveyance. Capital and labour considerations, as well as running organization, can be adjusted to deal with the peak-load factor, in the case of any wellorganized motorbus service, and can be so adjusted on a profitable basis. The future will show this to be the ease, although we must admit that, so far, it has not been effected in practice in a big city. It is much cheaper to buy additional motorbuses, for any town or city that is starting a passengertransit service de novo, than to lay down street railways, with all their grave inconveniences to the general user of the highway. The peakload factor can be overcome ; more tramrails and more tramcars do not furnish the best way.