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News and Comment.

6th November 1913
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Page 8, 6th November 1913 — 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 hou-ses.

Better Signposts.

The Automobile Association and Motor Union has initiated a National Signpost Fund with .E5000. It is intended ultimately to raise a total of 250,000 and to expend the money upon improving the direction and signposts on the trunk roads of the country.

"Continental" Extensions.

The directors of the Continental Rubber and Gutta Percha Co., of Hanover, intend to increase -Um capital. of that company from 12,0001000 marks to 15,000,000 marks. An extraordinary-general meeting of shareholders has been convened for the 13th inst., to sanction the above proposals, which include the offer of the new shares at a premium of 200 per cent.

London's Western Highway.

The Middlesex County Council has now approved the general scheme of the new western approach road, to lie between a point in the Chiswick High Road near Gunnersbury Lane and a pond on the Bath Road about 700 yds. west of Hounslow Barracks Station. The Road Board will pay 75 per cent, of the net cost, which is estimated to be E561,698 for a road ZOO ft. wide, or £50±2,809 for a road 80 ft. wide. .

This scheme has been consistently supported by the Roads Improvement Association, which body also met a representative deputation of the Middlesex County Council, in conference, on the subject, at a time when_ it looked as though the whole project was in jeopardy. Manchester Town Council has confirmed the by-law under which it requires horse-drawn vehicles to he fitted with red lights visible from behind. We have from time to time, advocated this.

The Show Question.

Nearly five years ago, in the course of a leading article entitled " The Show Question : a Free Choice or an Absolute Veto," we advocated the course which was soon afterwards offieially adopted by the S.M.M.T. Further reference to this subject will be found on the second page of the present issue.

Strikes and Motors.

Dublin has not been slow to follow the example of other strike centres in respect of the wider employment of commercial motor vehicles. Just as the heavy motor lorry broke the London dock strike, so does it appear likely that the disastrous cessation of industrial operations in Dublin will be brought to an end largely through the relief that is being afforded by motor transport on an extended scale. The Leyland and StrakerSquire companies have benefited amongst others. The World's Press.

W. Dawson and Sons, Ltd., the "Empire " newsagents and distributors, of Bream's Buildings, E.C., has issued its new subscription price list of the principal British and foreign journals. This little book may be of considerable value to many of our readers, and some of them may care to write direct to the Dawson Co. for a copy.

Friction-driven Vans.

We are gratified to hear of considerable developments and extensions of business in re the Forest friction-driven van. This machine was originally tested and described by us some years ago (issue of the 21st May,. 1908), and arrangements for its manufacture and sale have recently been put on a basis in keeping with the merits of the system which it so well typifies.

Petrol Prices.

Cuxcent " wholesale " prices of petrol, which also apply to those owners of commercial motors who purchase their spirit, direct from the big distributing companies, are as follow, per gallon : Pratt's or Shell II, Is. 5d. in cans, is. 4d, in steel barrels, and is. 3.A. delivered in bulk by road tank-wagon of from 400-800 gallons capacity. The heavier " Crown " or " Taxibus " spirits are id. per gallon cheaper.

Notax Carburetters.

We were able, last week, to present to our readers a useful illustration and text about the new Notax carburetter, and we then intimated that the Daimler Co. had been carrying out exhaustive tests with this and other carburetters.

It was fitted to a standard 30 h.p. engine, no alteration was made to the compression, and the fuel was paraffin. The best result obtained on the. road was a ton-mileage of per gallon. On the b-ouch the engine gave 21.2 la.h.p. at 1000 r. p in. At 500 r.p.m. it gave 17.12 b.h.p., and at 400 r.p.m., 13.4 b.h.p.. The Notax Carburetter Co. asks us to state that, in respect of the road test, their mechanic, not knowing the road, did not adjust the variable needle as he might have done. In respect of the tests on the bench, the mechanic was not allowed to make use of the variable jet for test purposes. The company claims that if they had been allowed to do so, the results would have shown an improvement, on those yielded.

Road Congress Summary. Anybody who is desirous to have a concise yet full summary of the principal topics that were dis

cussed at the last International Road Congress, which took place in London in June of this year, should send a postal order for to the HOD. General Secretary, Mr. W. Re-es Jeffreys, Queen Anne's Chambers, Westminster, S. W.

New Registrations.

Commercial Carrier Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of 22000 in 21 shares, by Jordan and Sons, Ltd., 117, Chancery Lane, W.C. First directors: Arthur Lowell, William Hurst, Harry Watson, and David John Jones.

The Gloucester Light Car Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of 28000 in 21 shares, and with its office at 2, Barton Street, Gloucester, to carry on the business of manufacturers and repairers of and dealers in motor-omnibuses and other public motor conveyances of every description.

Engines, Ltd., with an authorized capital of 210000 in 21 shares, and with its office at 99, Highlever Road, North Kensington, W., to carry (211 the business of manufacturers of and dealers in motor vehicles, etc., and to enter into an agreement with Bernard Albert Kupferberg. First directors: B. A. Kupferberg, S. E. Barron, A. H. Pickett, C. H. H. CulWord, T. W. Tamplin, and 0. W. J. Watson.

John Knape and Son, Ltd., with an authorized capital of £5000 in ,C1 shares, and with its office at Bank Top Motor and Carriage Works, Railway Street., Burnley,

Lancaster, to carry, on the business

of proprietors of motorcabs, omnibuses, vans and other public con veyances ; and carriers of passengers and goods. First directors : John Knape, John Knape, Junr., J. Thomaa Bibby, James Bibby and A. William Roberts.

Morgan's Agency, Ltd., with an authorized capital of 120,000 in 2.1 shares, and with its office at 45, Dover Street, Piccadilly, W., to acquire the business now carried on at Kuala. Lumpur, Kiang and elsewhere in the Federated 'Malay States under the style of " Morgan's-Agency " ; and to carry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in Motor omnibuses and other kinds of motor vehicles ; also to • enter into an agreement with Oliver L. Lampson and John Godfrey Y. D. Morgan, who are two of the first directors.

The North Warwickshire Motor Omnibus and Traction Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of Elwo moo 7); per cent. cumulative preference shares of 21 each, and 36,000 ordinary shares of 5s. each), and with its office at The Garage, Two Gates, near Tamworth, to acquire the motor omnibus service, now run by John Thornburn at Tamworth and other parts of the country ; and tocarry on the business of motor omnibus proprietors and carriers of passengers and goods, etc. ; also to enter into an agreement with John Thornburn. First directors: John Thornburn, Tames Wheway, Frederick George Allton, C. Thornburn and Robert Thornburn.

Hired Lorries with the Royal Flying Corps.

We have been asked by several correspondents to publish a list of the hired lorries which were employed during the recent manceuvres by the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps. It will be recalled that, in the course of our articles concerning the military operations in question, we included the lists of the various hiredtransport columns that were employed with the infantry and cavalry. We now have pleasure, therefore, in adding the names of the owners of, and types of, machines which were used by the aeronautic branch of His Majesty's Forces on that occasion.

Lorries supplied by Thomas Tilling, Ltd. : —Copplestone, Tinsworth and Co., Liverpool (one Lacoste and one Daimler) ; Yorkshire Motor -Car Co., Ltd., Townhead Street, Sheffield (one Armstrong.-Whitworth and one Daimler); C. Rickards, Ltd., Spring Street, Paddington (one Commercar and one Grantham); Cannon and Gaze, Ltd., Erith (Hallford); Sidney Ward, Warwick Street, Pimlico (M.O.C.) ; J. Easthaan and Son, Franklin Street, Bury (1913 Leyland) ; Grosville Motor Co., Crane Wharf, Chester (1913 Daimler); Aveling and Co., Birming:ham. (Thornveroft) ; Norris and Co., Pier hoad, Littlehampton '(Commercar). Lorries supplied by -Mess's. Wort and Way, Salisbury :—Albion Motor Car Co., Upper Rathbone Place, W. (one 1911 and two 1913 Albions); Abbott and Son, Royston (La,cre); J. E. Wright, Ltd., Brewery Road, King's Cross (Buessing) ; Picture Theatres, Ltd., High Street, Peckham (Commercar); F. Mitchell, Nottingham (Commerear) ; Willway and Sons,

Bristol (1913 Albion); Barnes Bros., Trowbridge (1913 Alldays and Onions);

J. Gomm, High Wycombe (1913 Dennis); F. Aldridge, High Wycombe (1913 Commercar) ; F. Newton, Ltd., Northampton (one 1913 Lame, one Karrier, and one Napier); Greenwood and Co., Bournebrook (1913 Lucre) ; Wearjugs, Ltd., Old Square Garage, Birmingham (Aster) ; Dudley and Sons, New Ferry, Cheshire (heyland); Great Central Garage, Paddington (Gobron-Brillie); Wolverhampton Services (Daimler).

It will be seen, upon examination of the above lists, that the hired transport columns for the aviation branch of the Army were very little less " mixed" than were theae for the cavalry and infantry. Germany's Subsidized Lorries.

Germany now has 825 subsidized lorries, and no fewer than 340 of -these are used by brewers. Coffee, chocolate and sugar are conveyed by 1'72; brickyards account for 66; millers use 53; and building firms 43. The employment of the balance is divided as follows : agricultural produce, 34; iron goods, 29; quarries and stone merchants, 29; carrying firms, 25 ; coal merchants, 17; printing and publishing houses and paper makers, 17.

Government Contracts.

The following Government contracts have recently been made : by the War Office, for a lorry body, with the Wantage Engineering Co., Ltd., for a road roller, with Wallis and Steevens, Ltd., and for solid-rubber tires, with the Sirdar Rubber Co., Ltd. ; the Crown Agents for the Colonies, for motorcars, with the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd. ; the PostmasterGeneral, for motor-mail services in Manchester with J. Blake and Co., Ltd., of Liverpool, and for motorman services in Portsmouth with the Southsea Carriage Co., Ltd. Wooden Tires.

A set of Knight's patent wood

spring tires has been run a distance of nearly 3S00 miles, and the following disadvantages and advantages of this tire, we are advised. by the inventor, have been noticed. Disadvantages : (1) Owing to the great grip on the road, a softer clutch must be used, or a spring drive, as fitted by some makers ; (2) th.e weight is more than solid-rubber tires, but from experiments it is thought that this can be reduced ; (3) it is slightly more noisy than rubber tires, but infinitely less so than any iron. tire, whilst the wood appears to insulate the sound from the metal of the rim and wheel. Advantages : (1) It is considerably cheaper than rubber, but how long a mileage it will last can only be determined by further experience ; (2) cheapness and facility for repairs and renewals—if a block is broken (in the case of the type with bolted-on blocks) it only takes 10 to 15 minutes work to replace the block, at a cost of 2s. 6d. or Sc. ; (3) the almost entire. absence of sideslip—unsuccessful attempts have been made to make the tires skid ; (4) it will pull through soft wet ground or sand,

where a rubber tire would be useless ; (5) it does not perceptibly slaw the vehicle, compared to rubber ; (6) it does not raise so much dust as solid rubber, as the spaces between the blocks let the air in, and reduce the sucking action on the surface of th.e road ; (7) the mud is not thrown out sideways to the same extent as with rubber tires, thus splashing pedestrians, but the mud goes fore and aft.; (8) it does not. injure the road in any way ; (9) it pulls up the vehicle more, quickly than a rubber tire does, as it gets a better grip on the road. Mr. J. H. Knight's address is Barfield, Farnham, Surrey.


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