News and Comment.
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The Society of Motor Omnibus Engineers grows apace.
Interesting particuiars of this important organisation are given on page 493 of this issue.
Manufacturers of motor omnibuses or parts may become Associates of the Society, subject to admission by the council, by contributing L3 3s. per annum to its funds. They will then be idmitted to certain meetings and discussions during the sessions.
The council, of which Mr. F. C. A. Coventry (Great Western Railway) is chairman, and Mr. R. Bell (London
Motor Omnibus Company) is vicechairman, has appointed "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR "as the Official Organ of the Society.
The various papers and discussions which have been arranged for the coaling winter session will unquestionably be of the greatest conceivable service to manufacturers and users alike.
The Madrid Municipal Council is about to consider the adoption of motor watering vans.
The Brentford fruit and vegetable market is to be considerably extended, at an estimated outlay of £50,000, and Mr. Leopold de Rothschild will lay a memorial stone on the 1 8th inst. The existing market was opened by the then Lord Mayor of London in 1894, whilst the intended extensions will cover over twelve acres.
Messrs. Legge and Prior, of Alexandria, Egypt, are promoting an all-British exhibition of manufactures, to be held both in that city and Cairo between December and February next. The London agent for the exhibiticra is Mr. D. S. Murray, ix and 12, Foster Lane, Cheapside, E.C., from whom all information may be obtained.
In commenting on the fact that the Light Van Trials which the Automobile Club had announced to take place between September ifith and October 25th have been abandoned, "The Standard" expresses the view that the motor manufacturers of this country, in holding aloof as they have done, are playing into the hands of their foreign adversaries.
The Car and General Insurance Corporation, Ltd., has opened a new department for the insurance of live stock (horses and cattle, etc.), and plate glass, as from the first of this month. The department will be under the management of Mr. G. W. Hinde, the late assistant-secretary of the National Live Stock Insurance Corporation. Further letters from members of the motor industry have been addressed' to us in reference to the abandoned A.C. Van Trials.
It is evident that a golden opportunity presents itself for the A.C.G.B.I. to retrieve its tarnished escutcheon. A joint committee of users, manufac.. turas, and the Club, should be formed immediately.
The proved capacity of Mr. Basil H. Joy, the late technical secretary, was given no scope during the last few months of his engagement at the Club. He was calmly relegated to a position of undeserved inferiority and enforced idleness when his previous experience in trials organisation was most essentially needed.
The circumstances which resulted in the abandonment of the light delivery van trials by the Automobile Club have indicated even a worse state of affairs at rig Piccadilly than was thought to exist. The Brighton and Blackpool events were deplorable instances of bad organisation, and we look back over the past six months without being able to call to mind a single essay on the part of the Club which has been attended with the wonted success of three or four years ago. Who is responsible? The time has come for plain speaking, and we foresee that the organisation and conduct of trials and competitions will be taken out of the hands of the present secretary, who, to our mind, is either too busy, or is otherwise unequal to the important tasks which present themselves for his attention.
We contend that with a greater display of energy the Club, instead of abandoning the van trials, could have doubled the entries and scored a great success_ A strong man is badly wanted to guide the Club's destinies, and unless one is speedily at work, such organisation as remains will go to pieces too. If there is any more drifting, the Club will find itself on the rocks or, at least, ignored by the trade and a majority of automobilists. Jr is being asked whether the much-vaunted reform has occurred, and people are seeking a common explanation for the various faux as of 19o5.
Our correspondenf e pages show the urgent necessity for the action of the Society of Motor Omnibus Engineers in relation to the right of appeal where a local authority refuses to issue hackney carriage licenses. The joint committee of the Automobile Club and the Motor Union has taken up this matter, with a view to submitting evidence in support of a change to the Royal .Commission on the Motor Car Acts. The North-Eastern Railway Co. has already been accorded the right of appeal to the Board of Trade, as may be seen by perusal of section 54,subsect ion (e) of its 19o5 Bill. We published all the important clauses in our issue of August 17th, page 439 ante, when they were furnished to us by Sir George Gi6b, the general manager of the N.-E. Railway. This precedent for a right of appeal has an importantbearing on to-day's position.
The adjoining illustration of the latest Parisian watering and sweeping motor van is of a machine invented by M. F. G. Muller de Cardevan, and constructed by MM. A. Tourand et Cie, of Suresnes. A water jet is allowed to drip each side of the roller brush, which effectively prevents any nuisance from flying dust. The motor is a two-cylinder Vantour of 12h.p., and three forward gear ratios are provided. These give speeds of about 5, 7i, and Is miles an hour. The water tank has a capacity of 450 gallons, and the total weight of the loaded vehicle is just under four tons. It is expected that this vehicle will shortly arrive in England.
The Lacre Motor Car Company, Limited, of Poland Street, W., has secured an order for one of its 1611.p. delivery vans from Thomas Wallis and Company, Limited, of Holborn, after a severe trial of its capacities.
Aveling and Porter, Limited, the famous traction engine and road roller builders, of Rochester, is finding a large demand for its compound tractors constructed under the 1896 and 1903 Motor Car Acts.
The wide use which is being made of Royal Sirdar buffer tyres may be gathered from the fact that they have been fitted to the motor ambulance which His Majesty the King has presented to the Osborne House Hospital.
The Compag-nie Italo-Romana is in course of formation at Bucharest, with a capital of ;3ors,000, for the exploitation of petroleum deposits, this being one of many fresh developments which are calculated to prevent any famine in the fuel for internal combustion engines.
An interesting view was expressed in evidence before the Departinental Committee on the fruit industry. One witness was of opinion that railway companies should give low rates when there was a glut of fruit, just as they institute low passenger fares in connection with excursion traffic.
The Society of Mo:or Manufacturers and Traders has
contributed the sum of from its funds towards the expenses of the Joint Committee of the Automobile Club and the Motor Union, for the purpose of preparing and presenting evidence before the Royal Commission on the Motor Car Acts. The .proprietors of "The Motor" have contributed the sum of 25 guineas to further the same object.
Two electromobile fire brigade vehicles have been in use at Hanover for over three years. The cost for repairs to motors, gears, tyres, and carriage work has been E,46 in all, whilst the provision of lubricants and the charging of accumulators, during the same period has reached only '157. The successful machines, which have effected a saving of nearly So per cent, compared with horse costs, were supplied by Messrs. Busch, of Bautzen.
Our contemporary "The Field" has a most instructive article dealing with the maintenance of roads in its issue of the and instant. The writer remarks that motorcars do not deserve to be blamed for the bad state of our highways, which were originally neglected owing to the development of steam upon the railroad. It is pointed out that a too liberal use of the water cart is frequently an active cause of road deterioration, and that the careless use of iron scrapers too often opens up and loosens the whole surface of a macadam road. The article proceeds to the fact that the new traffic which has sprung up only within the last few years cannot look for a change to be brought about in road conditions until after a reasonable lapse of years, because progression in so. huge an undertaking as roadmaking and repair must necessarily be slow on account of its great cost. Our contemporary evidently is of opinion that, were the roads not dependent upon the rates of the district, highways of equal construction and continued excellence would be more readily obtained. The Calcutta postal authorities have sanctioned the use of a mozorcar for the experimental conveyance of mails between that city and the Entally post office, but the intervening distance is only about a couple of miles. It is expected that extensions will be sanctioned at an early date.
Mr. Cecil W. Paget, the works manager of the Midland Railway Company at Derby, has been appointed assistant to the locomotive superintendent, Mr. R. M. Deeley, and his new duties will begin on November ist. Mr. Paget has always taken an active interest in the Midland Railway Company's road motors.
Users of heavy motor wagons will be well advised to adopt a sympathetic attitude towards all owners of other forms of mechanical road transport plant. There is much of common interest between all classes of owners, from the man with a
"Tne Commercial Motor" is single pleasure car to the contractor with a dozen traction engines. There are, of course, many striking points of difference betw e e n the various types of road motors employed, but we think it would be highly inexpedient for motor van a n d wagon users unnecessarily to seek to discriminate against, say, those who employ traction engines. There is, unquestionably, some temptation put in the way of the motor wagon owner to blame the heavy traction engine for road damage where such an accusation cannot be justly maintained. Every case of alleged damage to roads must be dealt with on its merits, having regard to the whole of the traffic upon it, before responsibility can be fixed, and no general proposition can be accepted as conclusive which seeks to lay the whole blame upon the traction engine and to exempt the motor lorry. THE MOTOR VAN. . & WAGON USERS' ASSOCIATION, . . 16, Down Street, W.
The Organisation tor all Users and Persons interested in Commercial Motors of every type.
Annual Subscription One Guinea.
Pull particulars may be obtained on application to the Secretary,
W. PEES JEFFREYS.
officially recognised by