THE WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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"The wheel ol wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
Coal-gas Booming.
In order to meet the heavy demand for coal-gas containers British Rubber Manufactures, Ltd., are turning the whole of' their night shift over to this work. By this arrangement it is 'possible to meet a most critical situation M civilian transport without affecting the national work of the establishment.
Workmen's Compensation (War Addition) Act, 1917.
In view of the increased liability attaching to employers under the Workmen's Compensation (War Addition) Act 1917, and the Short time available to make any alteration in insurances, the underwriters have decided to assume that all Dreadnought policy holders will desire the extra risk covered, and are, therefore, including it without additional premium under all existing policies for commercial vehicle drivers. The renewal premiums will be increased by 10 per cent.
Roadside Supplies. Important Police Action.
• The Commissioner of Police, Scotland Yard; has sent a circular letter to the Metropolitan Councils, inviting an interchange of views between . the local authorities and the police on the subject of the supply to motor vehicles on the road of fuel, meter, power, etc., from mechanical fittings set up in the public highway. The Commissioner emphasizes the opinion that this subject is likely to demand. urgent 'attention after the war, when motor traffic, especially of the heavy variety, will increase in volume. It is pointed out that owners of .stearo wagons have for some time past been agitating for roadside supplies of water, and advertisements are now appearing of installations for the supply of petrol by flexible hose from a.stand-pipe on the footway. The Commissioner points out that as different forms of motors are developed these mechanical con trivanees may be increased, and that attempts will
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doubtless be made to secure permission from local authorities to charge vehicles from contrivances by the roadside. He adds that the multiplication of such contrivanees is likely to lead to oongestion of traffic, and that they are otherwise open td great objection unless the places have been selected after most careful consideration. The Commissioner invites Councils' co-operation in considering the subject in order to co-ordinate local requirements and facilities for the circulation of the ever-increasing volume of through traffic.
U.S. Combine's Profits.
General Motors, the powerful combination of American manufacturers, made a profit of £5,750,000 during the 11 months' trading ending 30th June last. This cornpares with £4,972,939 for 1916 and £2,337,256 in 1915. The gross sales for the 1917 period represented £37,150,000. The sales of ears and commercial vehicles during the 11 months amounted to 169,915 as compared with 121,113 for 1916 and 68,609 for-1915.
Agrirnotor Development.
Five years ago the United States annual output of farm tractors was 1000 machines. Last year it passed the 70,000 mark. •
Tractor Prices Up.
American manufacturers are raising the prices of agricultural tractors to meet the increased costs of labour and materials. •
Manchester Encourages Gas.
The use of gas as a substitute for petrel in motor-driven vehicles is to be developed in Manchester.
Already the experiment has been tried, and has proved so successful that Alderman Kay (chairman of the gas committee) told a press representative last week that it was to be encouraged as far as possible.
Owing to the shortage and the consequent high price of petrol, coal-gas is being used extensively in many towns forrn driving motor vehicles, notably in Blackpool, where chars-a-banes are being propelled by it. They are filled at points round the gasworks, and the cost of installing the necessary pipes is comparatively small.
At present the only filling station is at Whitworth Street West, but the gas committee have decided to supply the gas on other corporation premises, and have also fixed the price at 4d. per 100 cubic ft.
Travellers' Motors.
'ha, restrictions on the use of petrol .er.the Defence of the Realm'Act are densome enough to thousands who striving to keep business going, trout the.burden being aggravated by and even apparently hostile secutions such as -that of Messrs. rgari and Co., Ltd., of Long Acre, don, W.C. be charge against Messrs. Morgan that they, on 25th June, " unlawy caused motor spirit tobe used for aotorcar lot on hire contrary to the lance. of the Realm Regulations." If y had turned to the Order of .10th y, the police would have seen that or spirit was not to be used for any ...orear Jet for hire except where the ing of the car, amongst other excepts, was " authorized by the Board of 'de for any special purpose." And ther they would have found it clearly fed in the " Notice " issued by the ard of Trade of 19th May that the Ang of a motorcar for hire ' was " auaized for the special purposes " of he conveyance of any goods or bur.' in the course of trade or husbandry a motorcar which was constructed or. tpted solely for that use prior to the h of May, 1917." The case came up the South-Western Police Court. Mr. H. Wells. solicitor, of 17, PaternosRow, who was instructed by the milesale Textile Association, stated in once that the car. had been let hire by Messrs. Morgan and Co., 1., to Messrs. Higgins, Eagle and
Ltd., a well-known drapery firm, the use of their travellers, who card samples and frequently goods for ivery to their customers: The car s one of three constructed in 1911
solely for commercial purposes. The magistrate dismissed the case. From interviews with persons connected with . the case our reporter gathered that the mistake the police had made was in assuming that a permit was necessary for cars used for commercial-purposes. They had not mastered the Order 'or the Notice of 19th May, which made it perfectly clear that no permit was necessary so long as the car was built prior to 12th May and was used wholly for commer: cial purposes.
Ford Tractor Busy.
Advantage is being taken .of the 8000acre experimental farm surrounding the now tractor factory of-Henry Ford and Son at Dearborn, Mich., to put the much-discussed tractor through its paces. A battery of machines has been engaged in harvesting, haymaking, ploughing and Cultivating. The' tractor has been put to four-horse duty hauling a-four-swath reaper and binder, and the vehicle is claimed to have stood fully up to its work and to have fulfilled all expectations.
. The extensions and additions to the factory to ensure big output are also being rushed to completion, but the actual constructional. programme is not yet decided, from the simple fact that the searching tests upon the adjacent ex. perimental farm ma. suggest certain modifications in details. But the fundamental characteristics are settled—the engine is an enlarged edition of the familiar T-model, with larger bore and stroke, which will be approximately 4-5 ins. ; Holley paraffin carburetter with air washer ; three-speed 'sliding selective type gear, and final drive through overhead worm enclosed in a three-piece unit.
Laundry Ambulances.
. The -National Federation of Laundry Associations has decided. to make a -presentation of motor ambulances to the Red Cross Society on behalf of the laundry industry, and to this end a general collection is being made in the laundries throughout tl-oi country. Mr. 3. J. Stark, general secretary of the National Federation and of the London Launderers' Association, announces that the sum collected up to date is close upon £E00, and it is hoped to make the total up to the equivalent of three ambulances. The movement has the hearty sympathy of many leading members of the London and provincial sections of the trade, and promises have been made of substantial contributions when the fund reaches £1000. The general idea of the collection is that the staffs employed in laundries shall contribute
small sums and that the firms shall add a similar amount to the totals. The Federation offices are at • Bank Chambers, 329, High Holborn, London.
Germany's War Lorries.
According to a German technical journal, the German military authorities possessed at the outbreak of war 29.087 motorcars of 8-10 h.p., 22,501 of 2040 h.p., 2104 above 40 h.p., as well as 24,112 motor lorries of 16-40 h.p., and 11,614 lorries of more than 40 h.p.. total. ling about 90,000 motor vehicles. The number of motorcycles was 20,335.
Rubberine, Ltd., has declared an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, less income tax, payable on 1st October, 191.7.
Motor Lorry Fanning.
The illustration on page 31 shows a four-ton Palladiuni machine utilized for general farm work 'by 'Mr. G. Smiths Pheasey Farm, Great Barr, Birmingham. The owner, m a recent, letter to the makers expressing satisfaction of the working of the machine, writes as
follows . .
" We run straight on to the fields with the loads in the same way as We used to do with farm wagons. We do three trips a day into Birmingham, taking in potatoes and bringing back manure. That is equal to the work of three threehorse teams (nine horses and three men), and that means a saving of about .10 cwt: of hard corn per weak, which at the present crisis is no doubt a great savingto the country."
Petrol Up Another 10d.
On Ialloaday last., the wholesale prices of petrol were increased by 8ad. per gallon, which probably means Bld. per gallon to the retail purchaser. The old and new wholea-ale prices are shown in the following table:—
Prise per gallon. Up to From
2nd Sept. ara Sept.
No. 2 War Spirit ... 2s: 9d. 3s, 51d. No. 3 War Spirit ... 2s. 8d. 3s. 40.
These prices apply to England and Wales. In Ireland and Scotland the prices are ld, per gallon more. The retailer's profit is agreed a 15 per cent:, so that the retail price of No. 2 War spirit will be from 3s. lid. to 4s. per The increase in the price, we are officially informed, ,has been broughtabout by the enhanced cost of ocean transportation consequent.upon the great increase in the rates charged under the Government War 'Risk Insurance. The 'aroma= which, we are tol,d, was 4,per cent. has' soddenly been xaised to 18 per ,cent. for no .stated reason.
Coat-gas Risks.
With the development of the ute of a fuel, the attributes of i,Vhich differ from those of the one to whicharnotor users have become accustomed, there naturally arises the question of risk, The question, too, has beet before the accident and fire committees of the, tariff insara-nee uompanies, who have derided to ask to increase or rates for motor veldelea using Coal-gas, as compared a wrth hose
using petrol. . This decision is of theutmost importance, as it goes to show that whilst the type of gat-holder at present available is open to improvement, its use is iegarded as involving no greater risk than is incurred by the use of the ordinary filled petrol tank.
Lorry Orders for American War Services. .
• The effect on the American motor industry of, that country's entry into the war has been, as was the case with us, a considerable falling off in the orders for touring cars, but this has been, to some extent, counterbalanced by the orders of the U.S. Government for 3500 trucks for the use of the new Army, for which contract tenderswere reaeived from no
fewer than 87 firms. So far as thesa trucks are concerned, ,.it may be noted that, as was the case here, the Govern-. anent in America ,is taking the regular models of the firms supplying them, in order that-there may beanothing to prevent rapid delivery, but it is announced, Heat further orders will have to conform to a carefully atandardized Army model.
Electric Chauffeuses.
In the 'United States, as here, the for young men to " make the world E for democracy is impelling the wor to step forward to Carry on. The laTerminal, in New York Harbour, car a. pay-roll of 25,000 to 30,000 persons, per cent, of the men of whom have b declared fit for military service. undertaking includes among -its trs pant:on facilities a fleet of 54) fiveelectric lorries which are utilized goods delivery within the city linn This-fleet has been taken over. by wor drivers after having received a ape coarse of instructionaand the experim has proved a complete success.
Nothing New!
In certain quarters it has been e gested that the gas•charging proh might be solved by means of trail Our artist caricatures this suggestion another page, while a correspond Writes:— "With reference to the scheme gel ally considered, I believe in about 18'i large gas container used to be hat about the streets of Paris, arid custom containers were connected up until ei libriem was establishedI furt believe that the enterprise was stop by the authorities because on one. or awn the connection broke, the issue became ignited in SOITIO way, and flame went through a row of houses." It would be interesting to know the flame penetrated through a row houses: -Vrife certainly share the Am can's opinion that it was " sonic flame
Tractor Attachment Test.
A further teat of the capabilities of Staude Mak-a-Tractor when coupled an ordinary Ford car was recently I in the West of England_ Mr. W. MI ford, who is the agent for this Ameri attachment in Devon and Cornwall, responsible .for the inaugiiration of trial. It was carried out on the hilly h owned by Mr. J. Turpin, at•Chitaleb Farm, Brixton. The machine, wh hauled a Hornby binder, has been 4 tivating at much as from 12 to 15 at of land per day. On one occasion a fi acres in extent, on a stiff gratlif was cultivated in four hours. The se taak would hava required four hori Throughout the whole trial the simplic
of operation was most marked. •
Recent Registrations.
,penal Motor industries (1917), Ltd-,
capital of .£4000 in £1 shares, to ianufacturers of and dealers in motor des and accessories' etc. The regisI °thee is at 11, Denmark Street, .ing Cross Road, W.G.
atbrid,ge Wagon C-o, Ltd., regis1 in Edinburgh, with a capital of
10 in shares, to carry on the busiof builders and repairers of motor cies, etc.
Nosaley Aeroplanes, Ltd. (£100), to v on business of manufacture's of .dealers in engines, motorcars and )onents, aeroplanes, etc. The subobt s. are : Sir Kenneth Crossley, Mehberley. Hall, Cheshire, and
M. Letts, St. Katherin Lbw
,
isso. British Export and Import icy, Ltd. (10,000b with its regisI offices at 4, St. Nicholas Buildings, castle-on-Tyne, to carry on business ngineers and manufacturers of agriiral implements., motor vehicles, etc. )binhood Motor Gasholders, Ltd., re:red in Nottingham, with a capital
1000 in shares, to be manufac. :s of and dealers in gasholders fOr the ly of coal-gas to motor vehicles.
Liquidations, Etc.
te Torquay and District Motor Cab Ltd., is being wound up voluntarily. Springs, Ltd. Mr. P. L. Ellis, bury House, E.G., liquidator. Se Turner Petrol Cars, Ltd. Mr. es Burns Dumbell, The Lowlands, onhall, Staffordshire, liquidator. 'editors of the Car Owners' Supply • ciation, Ltd., are required to send zirticrtlars' of their .claims on or co 24th September, to the liquidator, Alan R. Berkeley, 35., Lincoln's Inn is, W.C. The creditors of the Chester and North Wales Motor and Garage Co., Ltd., in voluntary li:qnidation, are required to send particular* of their claims on or before 29th September to Mi. E, N. Humphreys, Old Bank Chambers, East. gate, Chester.
Notice is given by the Registrar of Joint Stock Committees that the undermentioned companieS will, unless cause is shown to the contrary, be struck off the register, and the companies will bq dissolved.:—The Indestructible Tyre Co., Ltd. ; Stirling Moors, Ltd. ; Piccadilly Motor and Aeroplane Co., Ltd. ; and King's Motor Patents, Ltd. Rawtenstall T.C. has' purchased a motor lorry for the use of the fire brigade.
Tifitifigtone (Vcw.kJ:,) IJ 1) C. have under
consideration: the purchase of a steam lorry.
Bolton Corporation hasappointed a committee with full authority to adopt coal-gas for its motor vehicles.
• Salford T.C. has accepted the tender. of Edisons Accumulators, Ltd.. for a two-ton clectr:c I.vagon, with atitnmatio electric tipping body, at £1123.