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By "The Extractor."
The Coming of the Motorbus.
A sure method of coming into the limelight is to' write an interesting article for the columns of this journal. Mr. Percy Fr os tSmith, of Tilling. Stevens, Ltd., has covered himself with renoun by giving us recently some early bus history con_ cerning which no i one s more qualified to write than himself. In response to my request for his portrait, he explains that he would -have replied before but thathe is just out of bed with the "flu," and gladly sends his photo., characteristically add ing "for your criminals gallery."He is an inspiriting companion be it for a. day's motoring, golfing or shoot ing, and there are much evidence and results to show that he comes under that category in which a man is designated on being a " glutton for work."
Mr. Percy Frost-Smith.
Set a High Standard. "Every lorry and wagon advertised is our own property." That would be found inscribed on the banner upheld by Mr. Knox-Gilchrist of the British Commercial Lorry Co., Ltd., if we carried banners in these days. They work up to a high standard—of that I have satisfied myself, and one of their tenets of faith is that they will not sell vehicles on commission. They are prepared to purchase all the time, but what they buy must be -British chassis, thus endeavouring to live up to their self-imposed title. I said " endeavouring because they make an exception, for good reasons of their own, of the Swiss Berna, a vehicle which has made for itself a firstclass name in this country. Now having said so much, I must leave it to other second-hand vehicle merchants to proclaim their various principles in their own way. So much has reached my ear about the odd business methods of some of the second-hand dealers that I have come to the conclusion that those people have found it to, be futile and have faded away. One thing is certain, dealers in used vehicles are bound to increase rapidly from now on—there is money to be mad.3 and reputations to be gained. They will be gained only by in finite finite toil, infinite patience. and a straightforward ness that is "understanded by the people."
The Best of all Holidays.
There is not, I suppose, a finer hotel in this Country, not even in London, than the Midland Adelphi, Liverpool, but it is coldly magnificent, and, moreover, is a little out of my beat. It was a great pleasure, therefore, to run across Mr. j. G. Reece and his wife there accidentally. He is the proprietor of that wonderful business J. Blake and Co. of Liver pool and Manchester, and is to be reckoned with in the sale of commercial vehicles and in various acces series, including headlamps. We did not, however, discuss business matters. Reece is one of the keenest of business men, and, like most North-countrymen, he has a great sporting side. It is years since I met him in Liverpool, and then we went straight off to a boxing show at the local Stadium. I forget whether it was he or I who was half-a-crown to the good after our varied speculations. I being without local knowledge was allowed to select my " fancy " as they stepped into the ring. This time the talk went in the direction of golf and billiards, he is good at both, then somehow it turned round to Switzerland and the winter sports. Then we found we had each spent a Christmas there separated only by a few mountain peaks, and this was where his good wife intervened and took an enthusiastic share in the talk. What a dreary journey, all agreed, through the night, no sleeping 'ear available and what misgivings as to this new form of holiday, but Great Heavens! what a metamorphosis when once we began to take the mountain railway and the sleighs to reach our destinations. How eagerly we have compared notes as to the skating, the " ski-ing„ lugeing, and, best of all, we agreed, the bob-sleighmg, in which both Reece and I were, we found, each placed at the wheel because we were used to driving cars. Verdict—The best of all holidays. War to be concluded forthwith so that we can get out there again.
Looking Forward.
Whenever I meet my old friend, Harry Parsons, of Southampton, the problems of the motor trade come into review. I have always found that if a thing has to be done, you must get a busy man to do it, and that is perhaps why Parsons seems to be elected or co-opted on to every motor cominittee. He is on the Road Transport Board, too, and finds that some odd things come up for decision. Thq, Portsmouth Town Council bought a petrol refuse cart for which the Board were obliged to decline to grant a petrol licence, such is the shortage. They were not satisfied that the Council had exhausted the possibilities of utilizing electricity or steam. Parsons has to deal with petrol on other boards, too. He urges, rightly enough, the claims of home-produced fuel. We must not be dependent on overseas supplies, he personally being a great, believer in a mixture of benzole and alcohol, I reminded him of that shale spirit produced here by the German chemist, Hey!, since the war. There is an unlimited supply of raw material, I believe, between London and Cornwall, and the result obtained by Held was thoroughly satisfactory, for we of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR tested it ourselves. . Then we discussed the dumping question, a remedy for which, he maintains, will probably be found1 as it has in other countries, in a duty and the doubling of it in case of dumping. Mr. Parana has a most successful. garage business in Southampton, in addition to his great marine works, and he is the inventor and principal proprietor of the famous Parsons non-skid chains.
Auto-Mixte.
In the production called " Shanghai " at Drury , Lane Theatre, Alfred Lester plays the part of a Cock'key Chinaman. He explains in his usual doleful manner that he was born in Poplar' his father being a Chink and his mother a London laundress, "so that," he goes on to say, "I have a Chinese body and an English chassis."