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THE NEAR EAST AS A FIELD FOR MOTORS
Page 120
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The Call for Further Pioneer Effort, for Active Propaganda and for Unified Action in Many Quarters.
ALTHOUGH mechanical transport is making slow but sure progress in undeveloped countries, the sales of Manufacturing firms are much below what they should' be. There are many thousands of square miles in the Near East alone requiring transport when there is not the slightest prospect of good roads being constructed for many years to come, but with the advent of the six-wheeler the absence of good roads is not now the only insuperable barrier. Much valuable information on the subject of transport has recently been supplied by the Hon. W. G. A, Ormsby-Gore, M.P., UnderSecretary of State for the Colonies, as the result of a visit to our African colonies. Much of the advice and information given by him will apply to most undeveloped countries.
It is interesting to watch the efforts made by those entirely unconnected with commercial interests, and from pure sporting instinct to penetrate into the trackless desert by means of the ordinary private type of vehicle.
A more elaborate and well-arranged journey was that of the Court-Treat Expedition from Cape to Cairo. As one of the hundred or more spectators present at the arrival of the expedition at Alexandria I was much impressed with the incident; just four men and one woman to have come through those vast regions on two ordinary motorcar chassis with roughly improvised bodies which provided only the minimum of protection The story of the expedition is too well known to require anything but passing reference as an incident in development of mechanical land transport. At Alexandria, where I have for a few years been located, we have a desert touring club, and it is quite a regular thing for parties to go off into the desert for a week or ten days at a time, using their ordinary pleasure cars. If this can be done with ordinary cars, there is no limit to possibilities with the six-wheeled vehicle, both for passenger and goods services. Before commercial business on' a large scale can be arranged reliable data must be obtained as to working costs of the undertaking. The successful working of the Nairn TransPort Co., from Beyrout to Baghdad c38
• via Damascus, is an example of what can be done. It is not generally known what a large amount of work having the same object in view was done by an earlier company of _pioneers. Those interested will find fun particulars of this company's operations in Vie COmmercial Motor for January 9th, 1023. In the opinion of the author the route across the Syrian desert will eventually become a general high road.
The success of the Citrok. motercarg fitted with the Kegresse form of half track, in accomplishing a return journey between Touggourt and Timbuctoo early in 1923, directed a lot of attention to the possibilities of mechanical transport in undeveloped countries. The technical difficulties having been overcome by the manufacturers iii producing a vehicle which does not require a specially good road, it is a matter for consideration how a start can be made to get vehicles of the pattern into work. The difficulty in getting a start is that of raising the necessary capital—someone has got to take a risk. Although a suitable type of of vehicle has been produced it must be recognized that no authentic records are available as to working and maintenance costs. The cost of carrying passengers and goods by motor vehicle must compare favourably with the cost of existing methods for the system to stand any chance of success.
It is considered that the absence of working and maintenance costs will hold up development of mechanical transport in undeveloped countries until such time as the required information is forthcoming. The Government of the wintry can help to a considerable extent by relaxing customs charges for a period of, say, five years; shipping companies can give low freight charges and manufacturers can take a share in supporting repair and spare-parts depots.
In conclusion it is recommended that in order to improve the demand for, and the trade in, British vehicles suitable for cross-country work, there should be complete co-operation between the Government, the commercial and financial organizations of the countries concerned and of the British manufacturers, either direct or by representation through their associations
Cad sooieties. W. E. DONOHT.7E (COLONEL).