News and Comment.
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This journal is admitted to possess the influence, the men, the standing and the leading circulation. It is exclusively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses throughout the Empire.
Our Calcutta correspondent (pages 481 and 482) reports anent pending developments in Afghanistan.
The first-published report upon the Winnipeg trials of agricultural motors, together with official results, will be found on pages 488 to 490 of this issue.
We urge owners not to hire their vehicles to the War Office, or to Army contractors, at the ridiculously-low daily rates which other owners are alleged to have accepted, and we have more to say upon this matter on page 477.
Rotherham's Hills.
Horses cannot tackle the gradients of Rotherham with satisfactory loads. This deficiency tells its tale in the cost of street-watering, and the Town Council, on the recommendation of the Borough Engineer, is going to spend £600 on a steam vehicle.
Royal Lancs. Show.
We reproduce, on page 486, some interesting views of important exhibits at the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society's Show, which was brought to a satisfactory conclusion, so far as attendances go at any rate, on Monday evening last. Advices from some of the exhibitors rather indicate that business was not necessarily on the bright side.
Roads Improvement Association.
A Lancashire and Cheshire section of the Roads Improvement Association has been formed, following a meeting at the Midland Hotel, Manchester. Mr. W. E. Roweliffe' of 37, Cross Street, Manchester, has consented to act as hon. secretary, and he is supported upon his committee by, amongst others, the following gentlemen : Messrs. F. G. Hindle, J. B. Thistlethwaite, H. Lyle Rathbone, H. R. Kay, R. Wiseman, E. Sandbach, C. E. Stracey, John Faulkner, A. H. Jackson, William Jackson, and Oscar E. Taylor.
Napier Motorvans.
After trying various makes of motorvans in the early days of commercial motoring, Derry and Toms, Ltd., of High Street, Kensington, did nothing for some three years in the matter of self-propelled delivery units until a few months ago. The company's latest move is illustrated herewith, in the form of two of the newest 15 h.p. fast four-cylinder Napier vans. These vehicles are finished in French grey, and they cover about 75 miles a day. Mr. Charles B. Toms, who is widely recognized as a good judge and lover of horses, is to be complimented on his decision not to keep out the utility motor any longer.
Not From Frost.
Mr. James Frost, of lo, Langdale Road, Victoria Park, Manchester, who is now identified with Dennis interests, and who was for many years responsible for the traffic department of the Barnsley Co-operative Society, Ltd., appears to have been credited with the authorship of the paragraph entitled "How to move the dilatory co-operative societies," on pages 467 and 468 of our last issue. We hasten to state that Mr. Frost did not write this paragraph, which came to us from an independent correspondent who has no connection whatsoever with the motor industry, but who is in close touch with many co-operative societies in the north.
New Registration.
Motor Carrying, Ltd., with an authorized capital of £5,000 in £1 shares, and with its registered office at Scottish Providence Buildings, 7, Donegal Square West, Belfast, to carry on the business of proprietors of motorvans, motorcabs, motorcars, etc. Private company.
From the C.P.R.
The chief of the Land Department of the Canadian Pacific Rly. Co., writing to us from Winnipeg on the 18th ult., states inter alio: " I have had pleasure in looking through your issue of the 29th June, and in forwarding copies to our land agents in the west who are in touch with farmers likely to be interested.
. The writer of the article on agricultural motors evidently appreciates the fact that there is a demand for farm motors here, and that it would pay any manufacturer to look into it."
Fire-Brigade Matters.
The Knaresborough R.D.C. has been giving further consideration to the question of joint action with the Knaresborough U.D.C. Subject to its being possible to arrange reasonable terms, an agreement will be signed.
A Dairnler-engined vehicle, with Hatfield pump and Renold silenttype chain drive from engine to pump, instead of the usual gearing, was recently tested, at Southendon-Sea, on the submission of Merryweather and Sons, Ltd.
By a printer's error, in our paragraph of two weeks ago, anent the London County Council, a " 2 " was substithted for a "5" ; the reduction in the amount of the " Cedes " contract, due to the non-requirement of certain spare battery sets, etc., was only from £5,471 18s. 7d. to £5,291 18s. 7d. We greatly regret the slip.
At the last meeting of Ealing Town Council, the Fire-Brigade Committee recommended that a motor combination machine (escape, turbine pump and all necessary appliances) be purchased at a cost of £1,000. Mr. Taylor, in moving the adoption of the report, pointed out that motor fire-appliances were coming into use all over the country; they had been found to answer their purpose admirably. The consideration of the matter was adjourned, it being the desire of some of the councillors to have further information. The Nautilus Works, Yeovil, -where the excellent Petter oil engines are manufactured, will reopen on Monday next, following the annual works holiday.
Some of the vehicles employed upon motor transport between London and Kent arc fitted with nookHercules tires, and we learn that the same make of tire is fitted to the Berna lorry, which belongs to the Bloomfield Bakery, Belfast.
The makers of the Purrey-Exshaw steam lorries, whose London address is 81, Shaftesbury Avenue, W., send a statement of their case against the treatment of steam in this year's trials by the French War Office, and we shall have pleasure in (leafing with it next week They protest against the inaccuracy of the reported causes of withdrawals.
Hanford Lorries for Brewers.
A striking example of the success of the Hall ford lorry in the brewery business is illustrated by the group of three new lorries of the four-ton pattern supplied by J. and E. Hall, Ltd., of Dartford, to Watney, Combe, Reid and Co., Ltd., of the Stag Brewery, Pimlico, S. W., through the London Motor Garage Co., Ltd., of Wardour Street, W. Watney-Combe's first four-ton Hallford was supplied in 1908, and its good performance has been endorsed by the purchase of the lorries here illustrated, they having been ordered in April and June last respectively. These Hallfords are all shod with Shrewsbury-Challiner tires.
Dennis Turnover.
The turnover of Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, will certainly be a record one for the present financial year, which we understand ends at the 30th prox. This company is one of several which has taken all business like steps to increase output. and it is now engaged upon the erection of a magnificent new factory. As an example of its activity, we may mention that during the last veek in July the sales included : a further couple of chassis to the Great Western Railway Co., making 10 in all ; two 18 h.p. 25-30 cwt. chassis to the Bristol Tramways Co., making four in all ; a 29 h.p. two-ton box van to Lever Bros., Ltd., being this well-known buyer's eighth repeat order ; and three 18 h.p. 10 cwt. van chassis to McNamara and Co., Ltd., bringing that company's total of Dennis vehicles to well over 50. The Den nis order books at the moment, as for many years past, include numbers of instructions for the Colonies and abroad. Taking three Australian cities, we find no fewer than 18 vehicles, ranging in load capacity from 15 cwt. to four tons, to be on order, whilst Canada the East, and even the Continent Of Europe, contribute their equally important quota.
Leyland Sales.
Leyland Motors, Ltd., in spite of the rapid extension of its factory, is one of this country's leading houses whose directors find it almost impossible to keep output level with the ever-growing demands upon them. For example, last week, the company booked a total of 17 orders, of which the gratifying proportion of 82 per cent, was for old customers. The Bombay Municipality has given a repeat order for five more steam wagons with tipping bodies, bringing its total fleet of Leyland vehicles up to 10, whilst Jewsbury and Brown, Ltd., of Manelinstnr, has ordered two more fiveton Leyland petrol vehicles.