Proceedings at the Road Traffic Conference.
Page 9
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DURING the course of last, week, in connection with the Show at Olympia, a traffic conference was organized by a joint committee formed by the C.M.U.A., the S.M.M. and T. and the London and Provincial Omnibus Owners' Association. The conference proved to be very–successful, a number of interesting papers being given on Tuesday, November 27th, and Wednesday, November 28th. The chairman of the conference was E. S. ShrapnellSmith, Esq., C.B.E., M.Inst.T., the well-known president of the C.M.U.A. The papers are of such great interest to those concerned with motor vehicles that justice could not be done to them in a summary, and we strongly advise our readers to obtain copies of the papers themselves from the hon. secretary of the conference, Mr. F. G. Bristow, F.C.I.S., 50, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1.
At the luncheon on the first day of the conference 'Mr. Frank Churchill, the chairman of the Exhibition Committee, presided, and proposed the first toast of "The Commercial Motor Users Association and the London and Provincial Omnibus Owners' Association." He referred to matters which had been the subject for discussion between the users' associations on the one side and the trade society on the other—for instance, the question of support of commercial motor parades, and said that the two sides were coming together more and more, and that these matters were becoming less a cause of dispute. He invited users' associations to get together data and to lay down a formula which should be -useful in showing when a vehicle is no longer profitable to run.,
Mr. Shrapnell-Smith replied and explained that the London and Provincial Omnibus Owners' Association comprised the largest concerns in London and 90 Per ceut, of the provineial owners running omnibuses to a timetable. He referred to the fact that the Commercial Motors Users Association had been able to come to an agreement with the society on the matter of parades, and indicated that there WU every promise of closer
and more harmonious working between the group of bodies comprised within the four walls of the Standing Joint Committee' of Motor Road -Transport Associations and of the eight or nine bodies that were working in conjunction with_ the Royal Automobile Club.
Mr. R, J. Howley proposed the only other toast, "The &sciety of Motor Manufacturers and Traders," to which Mr. Hobson suitably replied. The firstepaper'dealt with "Fuel Resources and Supplies for Road Transport," the author being Admiral Sir Edmond J. W. Slade, K.C.I.E., K.C.V.O., vice-chairman of the AngloPersian Oil Co. Commencing by giving some interesting figures concerning the consumption of fuel of all kinds in Great Britain, the author next dealt with the main petroleum-producing centres in the world. Amongst other points of interest, he mentioned that oil prospects are particularly good in Persia, which; in the near future, will probably be able to produce all the petroleum required by the United Kingdom. He then dealt with the various substitutes for petroleum _products, such as benzole and alcohol.
The second paper read at the conference was concerned with roadside revictualling, the author being Major E. G. Beaumont, 0.B.E., .A..M.Inst.C.E. M.I.A.E., M,Inst.T., who commenced by giving some interesting figures with regard to the roads ancttraffic of various countries. Various ' bulk-storage filling stations were then described' in detail. In an appendix Mr. F. G. Bristow dealt with a subject which is of great importance to steam-wagon users, viz., the 'supply of water.
The third paper was'•entitIed"Some Advantages and Limitations of the Transport of Goads by Mechanical Road Transport," the author being Mr. Cl. Le M. Gosselin, ,
the well-known managing director of H. Viney and Co., Ltd., Preston. The advantages were first dealt with, points such as directness, mobility, cheapness,. and advertising being enaphsized.. The
limitations, such as obsolete laws, bad roads, traffic 'control, etc.,were then described in an interesting manner..
The last paper of the series was on the subject of multi-axle vehicles, with special reference to six-wheelers, by George W. Watson, 141,I.Mech.E., M.I.A.E.' and commenced with an interesting historic survey. American developments were next touched upon, followed by some interesting figures and a summary of the legal restrictions. Six. wheeler design, includitig.brakes, steering the rearmost wheels and stability was, described in an informative way. The question of multi-axle drive and some interesting figures for running costs concluded the paper.
Colonel Donoghue, late Chief Inspector of Mechanical Transport, when called upon by the chairman after Mr. Gosselin had read his paper, said that he had not seen the paper before coming to the meeting, and must, therefore, limit his remarks to that, of thanking and congratulating the author for his excellent con tribution.
He was of opinion that the series of ' papers which were being readduring the conference should be sent to Colonial and foreign authorities—for example, Palestine, Egypt, British East Africa and Persia, as he was sure that such information would greatly facilitate the introduction of self-propelled transport vehicles to those countries.
The Colonial and Foreign Offices periodically called for returns and information on the matter of mechanical transport, but, in the opinion of the speaker; these Eastern countries should do something towards bearing the cost of trials in order to induce and encourage manufacturers to direct their attention to the design of vehicles to suit the conditions of -those countries. The area of countries which were without, adequate means of transport was very large. Manufacturers had already done a lot ' towards supplying suitable vehicles, but the countries should do something. now to supplement financially those efforts.