THE COMMERCIAL MO} IEEDS OF THE EMPIRE.
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ISTORY shows that the falls of empires have
• been mainly attributable to lack of transport facilities. Rome fell, not because of its in814-' cient military strength, but because. it .could not get its cohorts to assailed points quickly enough. • Changes of dynasty, too, and historical crises have resulted from defective transport. William would never have conquered England if Harold_ had, been. able to muster his forces quickly enough at Senlae. The United States would have been British to-day if steamships had been available to carry our regiments across the Atlantic. Khartoum would never have been the scene of Gordon's death if this city had been• in direct rail communication with Cairo.
The Great War provides numerous instances where insufficient transport resulted in defeat, whilst, conversely, the great victory of the Marne was won because Gallieni was able to move a French corps 60 miles in a night by the aid of taxicabs. In transport lies the secret of empire; and upon the motor vehicle as much as any form of freight or passenger conveyance rests the future of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
• It must here be said that the British lorry manufacturer has not received the support from the Government to Which he is entitled. The tariff wall . erected against the imported motorcar for touring purposes had never been set up against the comthercull vehicle of foreign manufacture. It may be true that this lack of protection for British makers has resulted in owners obtaining fleets of vehicles for a lower initial capital expenditure, but in the long run this reacts ,against mechanical transport generally, in so far as home manufacturers, through restricted sales, have not been able to bring down prices to a strictly competitive basis.
Much good would have been done, too, if the Government had induced its Consular services throughout the world to report regularly on the mechanical road transport ..needs in the various spheres of activity abroad. This line of action has proved to be of inestimable benefit to United States manufacturers.
It should be the duty of manufacturers in this country to co-operate se far as passible in supplying
the transport needs of the various countries comprising the British Empire. It is only natural that young , countries like Canada, Australia South Africa, as well as India, should desire to male themselves practically independent of imported manufactured' articles, and it is a mistaken policy to endeavour to combat such aspirations. The secret of-development ' flies in the establishing of branch factories in the more important key points of the -Empire.
If the erection of a branch factory is not practicable for financial or other reasons, the establishment of an assembling -plant might be considered as an alternative course, but in nearly every case manufacturers should be satisfied with the export of bare chassis, and leave bodywork construction to local concerns.
The mechaniCal road transport needs of the British Empire call for wide scientific study to appreciate their value. It is necessary to know, not only the extent of the population in various districts, but also its per capita earning capacity. It is also of importance to know to what. extent agricultural, mineral, and industrial products are developed in each
country, and a potent factor to consider is the prox. imity of factories to the sources of raw. materials. Even the, social, of a community must, be studied..
There is little question that, coupled with a certain degree of technical knowledge, economic geography plays an important part when considering the -relative merits of motor vehicles so far as their Operation is concerned. Factory. representatives 'stationed at various strategical points within the Empire should be well versed in knowledge of this 'description, for only by such intelligent representation, can prospective buyers often be prevailed upon to close a deal. • The intense methods of propaganda resorted to by American manufacturers must be properly combated. It is useless to expect that countries forming links in the 'chain of the Empire will continue to grant preference to British manufacturers unless strenuous attempts are made to meet this preferential treatment with due partiality. Theright tYpes of Motor vehicle Must be produced to satisfy the demands of the various units of the 'Empire, and adequate supplies of spare parts must be readily available, So that a vehicle is never out of commission for very long.
Registration figures indicating the number of motor vehicles in use throughout the world show that there was an increase of 27 per cent. during 1.923, as compared with the statistics dealing with advances made in the previous year Countries comprising the British Empire made, if -anything, a more striking advance than the rest of the world in the extended use of motors during the past year with the possible exception of the United States. It has been stated in an authoritative quarter that for every 60 immigrants entering a British dominion or colony, a sales opportunity for another motor vehicle is created, so, possibly, this rapid growth need not be considered very surprising.
Moreover, a committee has been appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to consider what measures should be taken to encourage private enterprise in developing existing and projected transport schemes throughout British dependencies. The publication of this report should result in a further fillip being given to the use and development of motor 'vehicles in all parts of the Empire.
A recent computation quotes the British Empire's share of the oil production of the world at a puny per cent. The mineral oil resources of the world, however, have very grave limitations. Many parts of the British Empire are making endeavours to become self-supporting in the matter of fuel supply by encouraging the local production of petrol substitutes. British West Africa, South Africa, India, and Australia can be quoted as cases in point.
Foreign Makers with an Eye on the Irish Free State.
I Foreign competitors have not beee slow to take advantage Of the fact that the Irish Free State has now become an inclepeedent unit of the British Empire, and French and American manufacturers, in particular, are doing their utmost to cultivate trade. There is considerable scope for the introduction of all types of lorry for agricultural work, and the attention now 'being ,given by the Government to the improvement of roads will expedite development in this direction. As tariffs are based on those prevailing in the United Kingdom before the Act of Separation came into force, lorries are admitted into the country free.
The only other Empire units comprised in the Continent of &trope are Gibraltar and Malta. Gibraltar itself is too small to benefit greatly by the use of commercial motor vehicles, but The Rock can be made to serve an important strategic purpose as an advance base for the distribution of vehicles end spare parts, especially as no tariff duties are levied.
On the other hand, lorries entering Matte must pay a tax of 15 per cent, ad valorem. The size of the islands-4.e., Malta, Gozo and Comino suggests that the motor lorry provides the most efficient means of dealing with local traffic. This colony cannot he considered as over-stocked with about 120 vehicles to 225,000 people, or one vehicle per square mile.
Cyprus, best served from Egypt, has fairly good roads, and should eventually find that the commercial motor vehicle is best suited to solve its internal traffic problems. • Many bus services already exist, and several of them are subsidized by the Government. British vehicles imported into Cyprus only pay a duty of 10 per cent., the general tariff being 30 per cent, ad valorem.
Where the Road Motor Beats the Railway ., Palestine and Iraq.
In the truest sense of the word, Palestine and Iraq are not units of the British Empire, but, in so far as they are controlled by British officials, these countries should be included in the present review. In Iraq the low, swampy nature of the country suggests only limited possibilities for the use and development of motor vehicles, but in Palestine railways cannot compete with lorry and bus services. Small-capacity motor coaches provide the best means of conveyance for visiting the holy pieces of Palestine. Road transport progress is somewhat retarded by a heavy tax on petrol, but the proceeds of this levy are devoted to highway improvements. There is no preferential tariff for' vehicles of British menufacture, the general duty being 12 per cent. ad valorem. Palestine, it should be mentioned, imported 18 lorries and 46 tractors from the U.S.A. last year.
Iraq has many holy places, and thousands of pilgrims visit the shrines annually. The kcal railways issue a descriptive
booklet of pilgrim routes, and sncla a course might well be adopted by boa companies, not only in Iraq, but in other parts of the world where religious pilgrlinage figures largely in the national life. This .eurner.of the world has recently been much before the public eye in a road transport sense in view of the fact that the Nairn Transport Co. have inaugurated a service across the Syrian Desert, linking up Damascus and Baghdad twice weekly. Petrol is taxed 2 mimes per gallon in bulk, 4 annas per gallon is. case. The Customs duty on lorries and parts entering Iraq is 20 per cent, ad valorem.
Aden is important as being the distributing centre for most of the countries bordering .the Red Sea mad the western portion of the Arabian Gulf. Because of the absence of railways, lorries are found to be very useful in developing local trade. Canada exported 32 lorries to Aden last year.
The Road Transport Potentialities of India.
The more the question of mechanical road transport in India is studied, the more will its potentialities be realized. Last year 895 commercial vehicles were imported into the country, more than half of this total arriving from Canadian ports, whilst 189 vehicles were shipped from the United States and 181 from Great Britain. Motor mail, passenger and goods services run 200 miles northwards from Ruwal Pindi to Srinagar, and throughout the country generally similar services have been instituted. Hydro-electric installations are contemplated on a large scale, and, with the high price of fuel, it is possible that electric vehicles will at no far distant date become popular. The railways of India are quite inadequate to meet the trensport needs of the country, and lorry services are badly needed to take the place of branchline services, projected some time ago but not yet estab lished, in many parts of the peninsula: It was recently reported that the Roadrail systetn had been adopted in Gwalior and that a. considerable mileage of track had been laid down.
Although bus companies in India cannot hope to obtain the tax remissions which are granted to tramway concerns in the large cities, the scope for the development of passenger road services is vast. The same must be said with regard to lorries for use in connection with agricultural, industrial and mining activities. The import day on petrol has just been reduced from 8 annas 6 pies to 4 annas 6 pies per gallon. Lorries entering the country must pay -a tax of 1$ per cent. ad valorem, whilst, in addition, most of the states and niunicipalities levy taxes on such vehicles. . India, produces nearly 300,000,000 centals of wheat annually, and huge areas are devoted to the raising of sugar, indigo, rice, jute, and other products. Tractors will eventually find one of the best markets of the world in India, but the huge size of the country, its infinite variety of climate and soil, together with the ignorance of the bulk of the farming class and their suspicion of mechanical appliances, make the successful introduction of new machines a very difficult problera.
There is little opportunity for moter vehicles of less than 30-cwt. capacity in Ceylon, the demand generally being for heavy types fitted with solid tyres. Lorries ere required to carry out many transport tasks, for the island's products are most varied. Motor services are becoming iiicreasinely popular, and tractor cultivation is receiving inereaseng attention. Ceylon imported 193 lorries and buses from Canada last yeaf, the United States and Great Britain sending 63 and 17 vehicles respectively. The import duty on lorries is 7i per cent, ad valorem and 30 cents per gallon on petrol.
Where Electries May be Wanted.
La.st year 158 commercial vehicles were imported into Malaysia from Canada, whilst 11. were sent front Great Britain -and 5 from the U.S.A. The roads in this area are among the beet in Asia. Moreover, they are the. subject of continuous improvement. The recent opening of the Johore Causeway, between Singapore and the mainland, should give a great impetus to the demand for lorries in the southern part of the Peninsula. Hydro-electric developments on a large scale are 'pending, and this suggests e future market for electric vehicles, whilst tractors are being increasingly used, especially for breaking soil on the rubber plantations. No duty is levied on 'lorries and buses imported into Malaysia.
British North Borneo is being steadily covered with good roads. It is of a. size that will eventually make it an important country for exploitation by road motors, especially as fuel is obtainable on the spot.. No vehicles exceeding 4 tons in weight are allowed on the roads, and, where solid tyres are used, a prohibitive tax is levied. In Brunei and Sarawak, too, road construction is considered of importance, the Governments receiving valuable help from local traders. • Hong Kong is more important as a market for motor vehicles than itg location may. suggest. It can be made the jumping-off point for the South China market, and, being Much frequented by visitors from the mainland, its wellorganized transport services provide the best publicity for the efficiency of road motors. There are no tramways on the island, and buses have a free field of use. On the Kowloon Peninsula, however, tramways do exist, but certain difficulties have been associated with their operation. The total weight of a vehicle intended for service in Hong Kong must not exceed 5 tons. No tariff is levied on lorries entering the enIrmy, and, as a consequence, the United States exported 63 commercial vehicles to this market in 1923.
A British Market Exploited by American Makers.
No section of the British Empire offers greater possibilities for commercial motor vehicles than Africa. Yet, although the jlnited States sent many hundreds of lorries and buses to British Africa. 'last year, supplemented by 619 from Canada, Great Britain's share was Only 63. The building of motor roads is revolutionizing transport in the Dark Continent, journeys that formerly took weeks, and even months, to complete now being possible of accomplishment in a few days.
There are about 608 lorries in use in Egypt. This figure is a long way from the saturation point, but. post-war sales
have so far been small, owing to the fact that large numbers of the lorries utilized by General Allenby in his military operations have been sold locally. Bus services are being instituted in many of the towns. Light vehicles must be used in the country districts owing to the poorness of the
roads. The tariff on imported vehicles is -8 per cent. ad valorem.
British Sudan is at the present time little more than an undeveloped tract of country. It is one of those countries -where roads are not essential to development, for, during the dry season, light lorries can be used to tras almost anywhere. However, until more of the white races settle in the country little progress is likely to be made. Lorries are admitted free,
British West Africa, comprising the colonies of Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast, Nigeria and the British Mandates of Togoland and the Cameroons, imported 359 _lorries. of American manufacture last year. The bulk of these vehicles went to _the Gold Coast, and the majority of the remainder are being used Climatic conditions in the'e colonies are almost identical, and their ,products also are very similar. • •
The Gold Coast is, perhaps, the outstanding example among the tropical dependencies of the Empire showing the great advantages resulting from the wide use of motor vehicles. Not only has the Government devoted much time and money to, road construction' but it has received valuable help from local chieftains and trading companies. • What has been found practicable in the Gold Coast will ulti. mately be realized in Nigeria, and very ptsebahly. as nevelop.ments proceed apace during the next decade the 300 lorries now in operation will be increased to 3.000. Nigeria has a population of 25,000,000 people, and if only the native can be brought to back up the Government in the manner his brother
on the Gold Coast has done, surprising developments may be expected within the next few years.
Although Gambia and Sierra Leone have been levying a duty on lorries, it is believed the whole of the British Colonies on the West Coast will adopt the import regulations now existent on the Gold Coast. Here vehicles are admitted free, but capacities are limited to 30 cwt., and pneumatic tyres must be fitted, whilst dual wheels are prohibited.
East African Colonies which Offer Many Chances.
The BritishaEast African Colonies are taking to commercial motor transport. very seriously. The demands of Zanzibar are large considering its small area. Kenya will ultimately become an important market, whilst Uganda will always need lorries to carry produce to railway and river distributing. centres, The ,demands of Targanyika are for the time being limited. Lorries are admitted free into this area, with the exception of Zanzibar, where the duty levied is 10 per cent. ad valorem.
The comparatively narrow configuration of Nyasaland, combined with a waterway and railway running down its entire length from north to south, suggests that motor lorries will figure very largely in the economic development of that country. The great need of this Protectorate is for a greater number of settlers from the white races. The only duty levied on imported vehicles is 1 per oent, on delivery. Lorries are in demand both for agricultural and mineral work in Rhodesia. The settlers thoroughly realize the need for good roads, and a very serious ttempt is being made to improve the present inadequate system. Lorries mannfactared within the Empire are exempted from the customs tariff of 3.per cent, ad valorem. • • . Economic conditions are favourable to the development of the road transport industry in South Africa, but, the political situation might; at, the moment, have a...retarding effect on sales. After the Gold Coast, South Africa provides a shining examritrafthe part played by the commercial motor vehicle in developing a country. Its needs are, at the, moment, extensive, and imports undoubtedly increase a,s the condition of the roads improves. The tariff on vehicles entering the country is the same as that existing in Rhodesia. Of the African Colonies, Mauritius is the largest User of motor vehicles, there being 300 lorries in Service on the island. Imported vehicles have to pay 25 per cent, ad valorem.
South-west Africa, British Somaliland, Socotra, and the Seychelles will benefit eventually by the wider introduction of lorries. Newfoundland's requirements in the matter of industrial, vehicles are at the present small, and will not-increase materially until road construction is more widely undertaken. Developments in this direction have been considerable in the peninsula of Avalon, but the western portion of the island stands greatly in need of bridges.
Canada's Requirements are Varied and
Extensive.. • • Conditions in low-latitude Canada approximate to those in high-latitude United States. Farther north, however, cendis tions generally impose an impracticable barrier to the opera tion of .road motors. Of the approximate registration of 50,000 lorries in the Dominion 26,000 are to be found in highly developed Ontario; 8,000 in Quebec; 6,000 in British Columbia; 2,000 each in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan; 100 in New Brunswick ; 100 in Prince Edward Island, and 25 in the Yukon. There is a big demand for all kinds of commercial vehicles in the more developed parts of the Dominion, whilst the farmers are as, keen on possessing
lorries as their oolleagues south of the 49th parallel.
For building up a demand for British vehicles in Canada, the writer is of the opinion that branch factories established in the Maritime Provinces would be betterplaced than in the interior of the Dominion, whilst, for cUltivating trade in the Antipodes and other Countries of the East, British Columbia ia the lest jumping-off point. This province' also possesses Many of thet raw materials needed in connection with the manufacture of inciter, vehicles. = It. is worthy of note that Canada.importee 1,358 lorries and 6,017 trabtors from the U.S.A. Just, year Because heavy downpours of rain make it difficult to maintain the reads in an efficient. state of repair, there is no great demand for motor lorries in Brit'sh Honduras; and those that do enter the Country are mostly of a light type. British Honduras is one of those countries where it would be wiser to concentrate on the development of transport over open country by the use of tractors of the chain-track type. This is borne oat by the fact that .55 tractors were imported from the United States last year. The gener:al tariff on imported lorries is 20 per cent, ad valorem, whilst that on British vehicles is 10 per cent.
Jamaica's Transport Methods Under Consideration.
The Govermnent of Jamaica has given very serious consideration to the question of transport, and quite recently called in British expert to report upon the transport conditions in the island,. No part of Jamaica is far from the sea, and, because of its mountainous nature, road traffic can Akira to have belly advantages over transport by rail. Terrific downpours of rain are occasionally experienced in the island, however, and this places a heavy strain upon the authorities concerned with road maintenance. For this reason a law has been passed restricting the weight of motor lorries to 2i tons, excepting where special permission is wanted. The manufacturers of the United States sent 219 lorries to the island last year, on each of which a tariff of 20 per eent, ad valorem was paid. British lorries are allowed to enter into the country upon payment of a tax of 15 per cent. On account of their proximity to the United States and also owing to the fact that the islands attract. many visitors from the United States annually, lorries and buses of American manufacture predominate in the Bahamas. There is still considerable room for economic expansion in several islands comprising this group, and they are all of such a size that the motor vehicle is the best medium for transport purposes. This also might be said of St. Kitts, Dominica, St. Lucia; Grenada, and others of the smaller islands of the British West Indies, About 125 lorris and buses are registered in Barbados, and 83 per cent, of these are light vehicles. Tractors give satisfactory service on sugar plantations, and are proving more economical than oxen for ploughing and hauling. The use of motor vehicles is prohibited in Bermuda.
The once-flourishing cocoa industry of Trinidad has fallen on evil times, and the product of the Gold Coast threatens to oust it from the world's markets. There is no reason why ti4is industry should not rehabilitate itself if the question of transport receives the attention it has enjoyed in the African Colony. Trinidad has an advantage inasmuch as motor fuel is produced locally. This island occupies a most important position as the point of economic attack by British manufacturers who are assisting -to develop the markets of South America. Heavy licence fees are placer:le on motorvans and trailers, whilst, in the case of vehicles fitted with solid tyres, these fees are doubled.
Preferential Tariffs for British Vehicles.
the British West, Indies can best be summarized as follow :— The customs duties prevailing in the principal islands ,)•f
British Guiana, because of its heavy rainfall, mountainous interioe and 'dense vegetation, seems likely to be one of those eountries destined to develop in the future without roads being specially construoted. T-he hinterland of British Guiana is of great potential wealth, and the time cannot be far distant !when trains of track-laying tractors and trailers will be running regularly from Georgetown and New Amsterdam. The general tariff on imported vehicles is 331 per tent, ad valorem; the British preferential tax being 163 per cent.
Australia the World's Most Important Market for Lorries.
Australia is at the present time the most. important lorrj market in the world. Its railway mileage is insufficient, Tail-way transport is complicated by the use of lines of various gauge, and, in consequence,' although the roads generally leave much to be desired, Australians are turning more than B36 ever to the use of the road-transport vehicle in every field of activity, whether it be agricultural, industrial or mineral. The per capita of wealth of Australians compares very favourably with that of the populations of other countries of the world, and, as the lorry needs of the country are most varied, development for the time being, at any rate, is very rapid. Only about 12 per cent, of the motor vehicles in use in Australia are of British manufacture. This ratio will increase if the 42 British makers who intend to exhibit at the British Motor Show at Melbourne in July can convince the typical Australian that their products are better value for money than the average vehicle produced in North America. Last year Australia imported 7,213 lorries from Canada and 2,046 from the U.S.A., Great Britain's share of the market being only 83. The tariff duties existing in Australia on imported vehicles are as follow :—
British vehicles and parts: Bodies, £65, or 40 per cent. ad valorem, whichever is the higher ; chassis, 71 per cent.; and tyres, 25 per cent. Intermediate. Bodies, £70, or 50 per cent. ad valorem ; 'chassis, 10 per cent., with a minimum charge; and tyres 35 per cent.
Other vehicles and parts: Bodies, £75, or 55 per cent, ad valorem; chassis, 121 per cent., with a minimum charge; and tyres, 40 per cent. •
New Zealand Authorities Favour Road Vehicles.
New Zealand's lorry requirements are very considerable. Because of its comparatively narrow limits and the mountainMIS nature of the country it will ultimately become one of the leading countries of the world so far as mechanical road transport is concerned. The .3,000 lorries at present in usa in New Zealand operate over roads of unequal .quality, and Pinch remains to be done before commercial motor vehicles will give the most efficient and economical result's. . It is worthy of note that both the Government andmunicipal bodies regard it as being more important that roads should be constructed than branch raijways, and as mileages increase and new sections of the Dominion are openedup, lorry demands will, _naturally enough, be accelerated. The Dominion is, if possible, the most imperialistic unit of the British Commonwealth. Yet only 15 per cent. of the motor Vehicles in use in the country are of British origin. Last year Canada and the United States sent 1,189 and 446 commercial 'vehicles respectively to New Zealand, as compared .-with the British total of 41. Preference countries pay a duty of 10 per cent, ad valorem; intermediate, 20 per cent.
ad valorem; general, 25 per cent, ad valorem. .
Papua is an undeveloped country, and as only a few miles of motor roads are in being, the country's requirements in the matter af lorries are strictly limited. The same must ha said also concerning the many islands in Oceania forming small but valuable units of the Empire. Two dependencies worthy of special mention are the Fiji Islands and Samoa, but their indifferent roads will have to be considerahly improved before imports of lorries on a relatively large scale are made. Lorries enter Papua free. In Fiji a general rate of 28i per cent, ad valorem is imposed, British products enjoying a preference of 16e per cent. British vehicles imported into Samoa pay a tax of 15 per cent. ad valorem, whilst those produced in other countries are subject to a levy of 221 per cent. ad valorem.