Opinions from Others.
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on
one side of the paper only and type-written by preference. The right of ahbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility
for the views expressed is accepted. ln the case of eaPeriences, names of towns or loca.'ities may be withheld.
About Agricultural Motors.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
'1,215] Sir,—We notice, in your issue of the 22nd September, your reply to query 1,685, in which, we think, you do not speak very favourably of our small air-cooled motors. We are prepared to show to anyone by appointment our machine working under continuous load in a completely-satisfactory manner. Further, there are farmers in this vicinity who work our air-cooled engines within their barns, under continuous load, and who will testify to their good working. We are prepared to show this model hauling two tons or ploughing one furrow for 10 to 12 hours continuous working (usual oiling and refilling of fuel, etc., excepted). A client in Canada informs us he does 50 miles a day over the prairie, with his " Little Universal," hauling its load of stores, etc., and doing, in addition, all the odd jobs about the farm. Our present air-cooled engine will hold up to hard work, and we invite yoet or any friend to see it doing so. We agree, however, if land is hilly and the soil heavy, our model F. 14-16 leh.p. is small enough.—Yours faithfully,
SAUNDERSON AND GIFKINS. HI. P. Sannderson.
Elslow Works, Bedford.
Registered Owners and Mechanical Transport for Army Purposes.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
1,216] Sir,--We beg to enclose herewith a copy of a letter -tve have this week written to the War Office upon the subject matter thereof, and hope you will give publicity to the facts related therein. Our men were very exhausted through long spells without food, there being no rations served out to them, and they, in their position. were themselves unable to procure any.
[Cory.] " The Secretary, War Office, London, S.W. " Sir,—We beg to inform you that our men reported on returning from the manceuvres with our tractor, that they have experienced an awful time, being days together without rations which you arranged to supply. They arrived home on Sunday, and both men were unfit fur work yesterday, and very little better this morning. We assume that you will not charge us under these conditions for rations, and further trust that better provisions may be made for the men in future."
There are other objections to hiring tractors to the War Office, one of which is the short time they keep them. The consequent loss through disturbance of one's work is uot warranted by the short time the engine is used by the War Office. We consider the annual premium for subsidy should be not less than £10, and the minimum time for hiring should be 14 days. An illustration of the loss experienced is that in our own case we could not book a single removal job this quarter-time, owing to the fact that the War Office wanted the engine on the 18th ult., and we did not know how long they would keep it. They sent it home last Sunday, with eight days work to its credit, in a state such that it would not get into after weeks of our own ordinary work. Our men could not conic to work on Monday, and since have been doing a little stationary work in the yard, in order to effect the necessary repairs. wash out, etc., before proceeding with other wort: we left to go on for the War Office.
Taking all this into consideration, the War Office orders do not pay, seeing that it has taken 12 days to earn eight days' pay, besides suffering from the grossly indiscreet usage at the hands of those responsible. Another thing is the quality of the coal that was served out this year. We ourselves always burn the beet Welsh, in order to save choking the tubes with soot, etc., and from a standpoint of economy. The War Office served out coal with which it was impossible to maintain working pressure, besides clogging up the tubes and filling the smoke-box. The trouble resultant upon these circumstances is only known to those whose banking account has to provide funds to renovate damage.
We will now conclude our lengthy letter by saying that we have decided not to enrol again under the existing conditions, and we shall be pleased to see others make a similar stand as a protest against such treatment at the hands of the War Office.
We shall hope for your assistance in trying to better these conditions.—Yours faithfully,
" OWNER No. 1."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
—71 217] Sir,—We think the period of hiring for marnettvres is to shert, and if the period is to he so short the registering fee ought to be much higher. We think ourselves the hiring time should be a minimum of a fortnight. Our men have. just returned, and they complain bitterly in regard to the rations, which broke down entirely, and they had to provide themselves; also, the sleeping accommodation was practically ml. and they slept under their wagons. This, for civilians, is not all that it should be, and it makes a great difficulty with contractors to get their men to go on these manoeuvres with their engines.—Yours faithfully,
" OWNER No. 2."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
L.1.218] Sir,—The War Office should state how long they require the engine, when giving notice that same is required. In my case, I lost two or three hire jobs through not knowing when it would be back, as I quite expected they would want it for 10 or 14 days_ The subsidy certainly ought to be at least £5 per annum, and we ought to have a badge issued so that same could be put on our smokebox or chimney showing who is patriotic enough to place their motors at the Government's disposal. It would give us a better appearance, and it would be an inducement. for others to register their motors. I may say I sent is design to the War Office of a badge, and they replied thanking me and said it would receive their attention. LA subvention placque is now in hand.—En.]
My men complained very much of their rations, and had to purchase elsewhere when they could.—Yours faithfully, " ()went No. 3."
Vie Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,219] Sir,—My employer has told me to write to you about the way we were made to drive our engines while on the army manceuvres. I think the way we were treated this year was very disgraceful. For one thing, we were supposed to have tents to sleep in and our food. Many a day we have had to go away without anything unless we bought it ourselves, which most of us did nearly all the time we were there. I would have sooner have stopped at home, for I was out of pocket over it, and a married man cannot afford to lose a lot. Well, Sir, I have been on the manoeuvres for this past four years. and I cannot remember anything to touch this year. I have ale" been a driver in the No. — Company, R.E., so you may guess that the manceuvres do not come strange to me in the least.
When we left Aldershot for Stoney Castle, I timed the speed in places as eight miles an hour over very rough roads, and again we were made to travel from Basingstelre to Overton, a distance of nine miles, and this was covered at the rate of 10 miles an hour. Again, we were kept behind for two hours with a big fire in the firebox • doing damage this way, and sometimes stood down hill. In one case, just before we got into Basingstoke, we were kept waiting while an engine with only the one tank was filled with water. They had to take water three times to sour once. This, I think, was a great mistake on the part of the officer in command. Other engines, with large water tanks, should have been on in front. They would not let us get in front. I can say myself it was bad management from start to finish. I have had to overhaul my engine thoroughly, and. for such a short space of time it has done more damage than the work was worth. Another week, and I should have wanted my machine brought home on a truck. I have never, while in the Serviee or since I have been out, seen anything like these last manceuvres. —Yours faithfully,
" DRIVER TO OWNER O. 4."