" Home" from the U.S.A.
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Important Arrangements between American and British Interests.
Interview with Mr. Julian A. Haiti:3rd -By the Editor.
The Canard R.M.S. " Lusitania, " has made another fine passage from New York. Amongst the saloon passengers who left this magnificent vessel, at Fishguarci, on Monday afternoon last, was Mr. Julian A. Halforda man who needs no introduction to readers of TUE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. Below or above the nom de plume of " Homoc," his facile pen has been the second agent in the preparation of valuable contributions for this journal, which alone recorded his departure to the U.S.A. in March last. Now, after a period—some 17 weeks, to be precise—of enforced silence as to exact happenings, we are at liberty to give a few particulars of new contracts and relations which cannot fail to be of far-reaching effect.
British Experience Welcomed.
Raiford has been to see our cousins across the Atlantic, and he has " made good" with them. He is " home" in the Old Country for five weeks, in company with one of his associates from the other side of the herring pond. It was my pleasure to meet Mr. William A. "led, of Kingston, N.Y., an engineer whose eapabilitie i more than one branch of civil and mechanical enginee.Ing are known to the sound men with whom he works, and whose present motor interests in the manufacturing field are quickly to become a kicking-off nucleus for developments which promise to set a hot pace to everybody who seeks pre-eminence in heavy-traffic progress. I hope to have the pleasure, before long, to meet sonic of the other associates in this deal. Halford was radiant—about the ship, with the trip, and in regard to Americans of both sexes. He has made numerous friends: several of them were with him. I got him to myself, not without difficulty, during the early part of the run up to London, and, unrelenting, plied him with questions. Neither hole nor weak spot in his armour was to be found. His admiration for Americans is unbounded, his confidence in their commercial integrity and comprehensive methods inflexible. They want him out there, with his splendid knowledge of the truck business, and they mean to keep him. Receptive to a degree, yet discriminating withal, what he was able to show and to tell them, with a fine " Commer-Car " chassis to point the moral and adorn by its performances the ante-demonstration assurances, proves to me that British experience does not go for nought in the land where money circulates, roads are appearing. and trade is booming.
A Satisfactory Deal.
"I have made a deal which is mutually satisfactory, and you know me well enough to be jolly well sure there's going to be no turning back," were the words of his first chest-offtake. "The works are at Kingston, the first capital of New York State, which town is 110 miles by road from the new capital—New York City. We reckon to use that road; in fact, to keep it warm with the machines that we sell to the big department stores, the express companies, and other buyers who are waiting for us. Out will go hundreds of old-time trucks, some too light and some too heavy, the moment we say we can book, and that's not far ahead. First come, first served; an old saw, I know, but no time is wasted by my lot. They've secured an Al model, and it's already won more than opinions. Sales are by scores, while England thinks in units, and that's the secret of success. There's no beating about the bush, or waiting for horses and carts to wear out, which is so great a drawback over here. My proposition—the prompt offering of the latest thing in autotrucks, neatly designed, well made, and suited to demand —has caught on, and it will soon catch the huge trade that wants doing so badly that I am tempted to be impatient. Yet I must spend a few weeks saying good-bye, settling affairs in London, and taking my departure, the missis,' the children, my ?arcs et penates, and the whole of my interests to the hemisphere in which things really move along."
England Benefits.
nodded assent, and hinted that a few words about terms might be forthcoming. " Well, it is not a secret. You may say," rapped out the man behind the monocle, "that New Yorkers of recognized acumen think it good enough to pay cash on the high side—the very-high side—of $100,000 (the aggregate sums are very considerably more than this) for initial and pro,spective values ' from Luton, that is for drawings, patterns, jigs, templates, certain personal services, advices of new constructional developments and by way of royalty. There will be no selling into the United Kingdom, and we may be large purchasers ourselves, to supplement our own U.S.A. production, as we mean to make just one type, which will be the chassis to carry loads of 3-4 tons. Polack tires are to be fitted in every case."
American Roads.
"The roads, you ask. They are not so bad as is commonly supposed. March, after the winter snows, is probably the worst time of the year, but neither labour nor money is spared to get them right quickly. State roads are being extended at an amazing rate, between all large towns, and each year will open up fresh directions of use for commercial motors. A 10-inch clearance is wanted, and brake rods, steering connections, etc., should all be above axle-level. Gradients are easy. Already. a 20-mile radius is not unknown for motor deliveries from town centres, and plenty of goods and parcels are road borne about such centres after rail conveyance in bulk for the long haul."
The Future.
" Competition is of no account: the Seiden patents are. We are upholders of the patents, and no maker can move in the U.S.A. without them. Nearly all the trucks I saw would make you smile, though I must admit that a few are workmanlike. My post will naturally be a good one, and my attention will be immediately given, on my return, to the interests of the purchasers of the valuable considerations which I have placed. I am satisfied that American conditions allow one to make more progress in a year than can be made in England in five. Everybody spends money, and the distribution of purchasing power, which is a measure of the call for the distribution of commodities, has just staggered Inc. It is colossal. We reckon to sell 1,000 three-ton trucks a year as a beginning, and to keep the odd sizes going from England. The tariff will not interfere."
A Short Five Hours.
"Dinner is served," was the attendant's utterance. As I walked along the corridor, Raiford, rapidly turning over a bundle of telegrams of congratulation, extracted two from humorists whose identity he seeks. One read " Will you accept freedom of Mayor ;" the other" Will a knighthood suit you, Asquith." I reflected, as I read, at the table, the contents of the serious messages, that Halford could well afford to be amused. Shortly, it was 12.10 a.m. on Tuesday, and we were at Paddington. He to begin a round of visits with Mr. Wood, I to express my train-scribbled, compositor-discomposing composition' on its way to these pages via the linotype operators.