From Our Berlin Correspondent.
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The " Bulletin Commercial (Bel gium) states that, in Tebing-Tinggi (east coast of Sumatra.), a Dutch company called the " Industrieele Meatschappii Tebing-Tinggi " purposes connecting up Tebing-Ting,gi with Sianiar and the Asahan district by means of automobiles. It is' proposed to carry passengers and also regularly to transport. ice and meat to the planters in this part of Sumatra.
Height of Explosive Petrol Vapours in Garages.
The latest. report of the Berlin Fire Brigade contains a brief account of some experiments made with a view of determining the safety-height of petrol vapours in garages. They were carried out by the Royal Material Testing Office, in a garage belonging to the Allgemeine Berliner OmnibusGtesellsehaft, at the instance of this Gesellschaft or, rather, at the instance of the company's chief engineer. Von Eicken, who wished to dispel a nnt-nneommon idea respecting the diffusiveness of petrol vapour. The garage in question has a poor area of SO square metres, and is 6 metres high. After it had been rendered as airtight as possible, 60 litres of socelled heavy petrol (s. g. 0.750) were poured out uniformly over the floor. The thermometer registered 20 degrees Centigrade (08 degrees on -the Fahrenheit scale). After the lapse of half an hour the petrol bad vaporized ; samples of the air in the garage were taken at heights of 0.5, 2. 3.5, and 5 metres respectively (1 ft. in., 6 ft. 7 in., 11 IL 6 in., and 16 ft. 5 in.). None of the samples was fired by the explosion-pipette. The qualitative analysis of the mixture (air and petrol vapour) taken at 0.5 metre above the flooring showed that itcontained a volume-percentage of 0.9 petrol vapour. Now, according to Biinte (" Journal fiir Gasbeleuehtung," 1901, No. 45), the minimum volume-percentage of petrol vapour necessary for explosion is 2.5, and the maximum 4.8; hence, all the samples contained each far less than the required minimum of petrol vapour for the purpose of explosion, on Biinte's showing alone. The pipette, too, had proved their non-explosiveness. On the ground of these experiments, the police granted the Gesellschaft permission to use a type of patent safety-plug contact, the invention of Von Eicken, for the portable electric lamps in the garages, provided they were not brought lower than 1.5 metres from the floor—a tolerably safe margin.
This plug differs from plug-contaete: of the ordinary type ; the space where -Hie contact. takes place is doubly shut off from the outer air. T h e Government efficiency Leets with this type of contact took place at GrossLichterfelde, where one was placed in a ease filled with an explosive mixture of air and petrol; it was then switched on and off by mechanical means, as many as 5,000 times. Naturally, the object of these numerous connections was to determine its efficiency even in the event of metallic wear and tear. No explosion occurred, and the German authorities have therefore passed the invention for use in garages, but with the proviso, as already stated, that it shall be placed at least 1.5 metres (about 5 ft.) above the ground.
The Solidarity of Public Traffic.
On a rJeent visit to the central offices of the Allgemeine Berliner Omnibus-Gesellschaft, T learnt from Oheringenieur von Eicken that the officials of the company have been for some time past in close touch with the engineers and traffic managers of the London omnibus companies for the purpose of exchanging experiences in motorbus traffic. Berlin is thus
getting the benefit of London's experiences, and vice versa, although, in view of the comparatively enormous development of the motorbus traffic on your side, Berlin has far more to gain than London from this exchange of experiences. But wherever the advantage may lie, this reciprocity must be heartily welcomed in the interest of general road traffic, tending, as it does, to technical improvement on the one hand and to a reduction of working expenses on the other—two aims which a public company is bound to keep steadily in sight. In the course of conversation, Von Eicken stated that he had been making experiments with a new gas for the safety-storage of petrol. It was considerably cheaper than CO,. In the matter of petrol storage, the Berlin police are far stricter than their London colleagues. Motorbuses Wanted for Service in Constantinople.
Agreeably with an Austrian public contractorgan, ten motorbuses (five double-deckers and as many singledeckers) are wanted by the Compagnie generale d'omnibus et d'autobus in Constantinople, Galata, rue Mertebany, Huriettehan.
A German Lock-out.
Should the Hamburg dock-yard strike not speedily terminate, the German Metal Industriels' Association will lock out 60 per cent. of their workmen from 8th October. Naturally, the object of the masters is to dam the flow of the strike-fund which has enabled the Hamburg workmen to hold out for so long. The llaimler-141arienfelde Gescllschaft's workmen have already been served with a notice re
specting suspension of work from the date mentioned. But some firms in the metal branch are electing to pay the conventional penalty rather than close down.
Bavarian Motorpost Lines.
Unfar curable weather not withstanding, the Bavarian nmtorpost lines' receipts from the beginning of the year to the end of August have almost doubled in comparison with results for the corresponding period of 1909, leaching .C41,312. In August alone 239,192 passengers were carried, the fares amounting to J.:13,314.
German War Office and Automobile Transport.
From the " Korrespondenz " the following extract in reference to the forthcoming army estimates in the German Imperial Budget :—" Likewise urgent is the development of the technical troops, which, together with the train battalions, each to be strengthened by an automobile-company, will be subordinated to the general inspection Of the transport troops. Henceforth, there shall take place in these companies the training of the military motorists, of which the mobile army, thanks to proposed substitution of mechanical traction for animal haulage, will have a very strong need." Verb. sap.
Pushing the McCermick Harvesting Machine in Germany.
The McCormick Co. is making an energetic attempt to sell its agricultural tractor in Germany by giving practical demonstrations in various parts of the mitntry, the most-recent trial having taken place on a farm near Magdeburg in the presence of a large number of agricultural experts. The machine used was a special 20 h.p. motor, and also a five-share plough
of American make. 1.• understand that several farmers have acquired tractors. It is unnecessary for me to dwell upon the machine, as the CommsectaL Almon dealt with it on the occasion of the Winnipeg trials. Germans are quite ready to purchase a really-serviceable make of tractor.
Transport ing 25 Tons.
The Gaggenau Co. have created a special type of motor lorry for trans-. porting a collective weight of twentytons., eight tons being carried on the tractor and the rest hauled behind the drawbar ; and it is at present at work on the Italian-Anstrian frontier, in the Tyrolese Alps, bringing up materials for mighty fortification works which the Austrian War Office are constructing. The material consists of barrels of cement, armour plating, etc. To facilitate loading and unloading, the motor wagon is fitted with a crane, driven by the engine, which can also be connected up with a cable-and-drum attachment for hauling the trailer over stiff gradients. In the latter case, the trolley acts, of course, as a stationary engine.