News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches ; it has the largest and best circulation throughout the United Kingdom, the Colonies, India, and foreign countries generally. No part of our exclusive and valuable circulation is due to the forcing of sales in useless quarters.
The German War Office has enLered the lists as motor-hiring contractors. (Page 286.) An article from the pen of Nfr. Henry Sturtney, in which he urges the claims of the two-cylinder cab against those of the four-cylinder model, appears on page 279.
The Smithfield Show closes to-morrow (Friday) night. H.R.I1. the Prince of Wales visited the Agricultural Hall, Islington, where it is being
held, on Monday afternoon. (Pages 282 to 284.)
Shows or no Shows? This is not the question in Great Britain, where adherence to a settled policy is assured, but they appear to be less happy about the future in France and Germany. For additional comment see page 269.
IL AC. Discussion.
Mr. IL G. Burford, NI.E.Nfech.F., M.I.A.F.., whose knowledge of the early Liverpool and other public trials enables him to judge in these matters, and whose experience of motorbus and other commercial-motor services is unique, made an interesting contribution to the recent discussion at the Royal Automobile Club. (Pages 270 and 27u.)
More Ambulance Orders.
e report, on page 277, certain proceedings of the Ambulance Committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. The decision, on Saturday last, to purchase eight single-patient ambulances is noteworthy, and we congratulate the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. H. 'I'homson (von, NI.I.E.E., who is a prominent and hard-working member of the Executive Committee of the C.M.U.A., upon the whole-hearted manner in which his views on this subject have been adopted.
The Editor is prepared to advise intending users of vans, lorries or tractors:, and to give information in regard 1.0 costs or any other points.
Mexico is the latest country to supply motor spirit. A cargo arrived in Loudon some weeks ago, but this proved to be rather malodorous —an experience which has befallen other pioneers, be it noted.
C.M.U.A.
Last. fit7r we had gone to
press, we re advised of the postpone
ment of the December meeting of the Executive Committee of the Commercial Motor Users' Association. This will be held on Wednesday next, the 16th instant, at 2.30 p.m., at I, Albemarle Street, NV.
A Thornycroft Revival.
While on a recent visit to Basingstoke, one of our representatives called at: the works of John I. Thornycroft and Company, Limited, and was informed that the business prospects of the company have, during the past six months, improved so greatly than an extension of this factory has been deemed necessary ; in fact, contractors were actually at work on the foundations for a new shop, which is to be 172 feet long and about 72 feet wide. This building will have a span roof, with one wide bay down the centre of the building, and a narrow bay along each side. The narrow bays will be occupied by litters' benches and small machine tools, whilst the heavier machines will be arranged along the sides of the main bay, thus leaving a wide gangway along the whole length of the building for erecting purposes.
Our representative was privileged to see the drawings of a new paraffin-eng,ined tractor, which is being put through the works for the War Office Trials next March, and this machine looks like adding for the company still another to the long list of important awards that have fallen to its lot in open competition. When the time is ripe for publication, we hope to deal fully with the new " heavy weight."
This maker's 30•cwi., 4o-cwt. and 50cwt. models are meeting with a greatly increasing demand, especially amongst Indian and Colonial users. One of the 50-cwt. models, fitted with a composit body, has recently left this country Patagonia, where it is to carry pass‘a • gers and mails between two points 400 miles apart, making six journeys each month. Two auxiliary petrol tanks are fitted, in addition to the 14-gallon tank on the dashboard. It is to replace a tedious service by horses and mules, and its arrival is keenly anticipated.
During the last to days ended the znd instant, orders were booked for : three A-ton lorry chassis for the Eastern Bengal Railway (the seventh order for an Indian Railway); one 2ton box van for Pegler's Stores, Newport (Mon.); one 2-toll lorry for the f.eeds City Brewery, Limited; and one 2-ton lorry for Messrs. George Beaumont and Sons, Huddersneld. The last two of these orders were received ' through Mr. C. Pemberton Wooler, whose London address is 66, Victoria Street, S.W., who represents the company's interests in the North Thornycroft's have sold 15 commercial vehicles to India since the 1st July.
On the 1st January next, Mr. W. H. Buxton, who made a name for himself in the Locomobile days of 1901, and who was subsequently managing director of the Road Carrying Company, Limited, will join the company in the important capacity of general carsales manager, and will control the sales department and showrooms at 2, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, W. Mr. H. F. A. Greenland, of Belle Vue Avenue, Maidstone Road, Rochester, is hiring out a 12h.p. Argyll Iandaulette in the neighbourhood of Rochester and Chatham.
Hull Corporation has decided to license eight motorcabs. Mr. G. Richardson, of Midland Street Livery Stables, was the applicant, and he will use 1211.p. Humber chassis.
Our I ndiart contemporary "Railways " reports ;1 satisfactory trial of a Renard train through the crowded streets of Calcutta. The train is now in service between Calcuita and Titaghar.
The Polack Company's tires appear In have done very well in the recent subvention trials of the German War Office. Nine out of 12 successful .vehides were so fitted, and 46 tires out of 64 were Polacks.
The entrarae fee to the Royal Automobile Club will be put up to 4:12 12$., after the elections on the first Wednesday in January. Nominations prior to the 31st instant will fall under the present entrance of 4:6 6s,
" Adler " cabs have made their ap pearance in Vienna. They are fitted up rather more elegantly than the common run, as the Vienna public pride themselves on their smart-looking Fiaker. It remains to ht. seen Nvhether many licenses will be transferred.
Motorcaba for Brussels.
On Tuesday last, the Brussels Corporation closed tenders for two concessions each for 30 motorcabs, for a period of to years. No application for a concession will be considered which does not tender a minimum cash payment of 21,000 francs, and it has to be remembered that the annual rank-tax per cab varies from „{:So to .4:12o.
Sunday Cabs at Cambridge.
. An interesting position has arisen at Cambridge, owing to the desire of certain members of the Town Council to see the streets on Sunday wear an appearance different from that on weekdays. The Provincial Motor Cab Company, Limited, maintains that its licenses hold good for seven days a week, and is sending out its cabs, but the dispute does not appear to have arrived at a proper settlement yet.
Interesting de DionBouton Models.
A sectional model will always convey to the mind of the non-technical man a clearer idea of the working of a piece of mechanism than is possible by any other means. Such methods of dernOnstrating the functions of the various parts of engines and gearboxes have been extensively employed by motor manufacturers. The accompanyingillustration shows two very fine models which are now being exhibited at the Paris Salon. They illustrate the working of the single-cylinder 9h.p., de Dion engine, and the same maker's four-cylinder t2-14h.p., model, The cylinders of the former engine are roomm. in diameter, with a pistonstroke of r3ointro, whilst the corresponding dimensions of the latter model are 75mm. by toomm.
Tynemouth's Prison Van.
Messrs. ..lavlor„ Dunford and Company, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, have recently supplied a prison motorvan to the County Borough of Tvnemouth. This motor is also available for fire-brigade purposes. It is fitted with four stretchers, and has a Simms-Welbeck 25h.1). chassis.
Christmas Arrangements.
In view of the pending Christmas holidays, we have arranged that our issue dated the 24th instant will go to press somewhat earlier than usual, in order that it may be put into circulation on the Tuesday before Xmas. Advertisers are particularly requested to note that changes of announcements should reach our Business Department not later than Friday morning of next week, the t8th instant, or earlier if convenient.
Southampton Storage.
The Parsons Motor Company, Limited, of Town Ouav, Southampton, has undertaken the storage and supervision of N1cNamara's Dennis vans for the London-Southampton mail service, so far as the coast end of the trip is concerned. Each van measures 18 feet in length by 12 feet in height, but there is plenty of room at Parsons' commodious premises, where commercialmotor business is being developed very considerably just now.
Halley Vans.
We illustrate, on paw.. 272, two representative Halley machines in service. That bearing the name of the Army and Navy Auxiliary Co-operative Supply, Limited, is a 2oh.p., with a load capaCi IV Of 30CWt. ; that bearing the name of the Army and Navy Co-operative Society, Limited, is a 16h.p. for 25cwt. loads. These vans are two of a large fleet of Halley vehicles which are now used by these societies, and they are exceptionally smart machines, whilst they are geared to climb gradients as steep as 1 in 6 with the loads named above. Shardlow's Crankshafts. Messrs. [harrow and Bithell, of New Street, Birmingham, are agents for Ambrose Shardlow and Company, Limited, of Sheffield, and report a good business in that company's crankshafts, various forgings, axles, gear wheels, sin mpi ng eft.
West Ham Tenders.
The Works Committt-e of 1\-(:,: Hain Town Council received the following quotations for a motor tender for the fire escape -Bayleys, Ltd., .1:1,200; I henry Simonis and Co., _42,820; Shand, Mason and Co., 4;79s; The Belle Isle Co., /748 tos.; J. 1. Thornycroft and Co., '1:725; Dennis Bros., Ltd., /:71o; (:0111mercial Cars, Ltd., ,47706 145.; [Ialley's Industrial Motors, I.td., ,4:695; Merryweather and Sons,
i:654 ss. ; Lloyd and Plaister (accepted),
Another Cab Company.
The de Dion-Bouton Motor Cab Company, Limited, was registered, on the 2nd instant, by Messrs. Kenneth Brown and Company, of 11, Pancras Lane, E.C., with an authorised capital of ij22o,000, divided into 217,000 cumulative preferred participating ordinary shares of each, and bo,000 deferred shares of is. each An agreement is to be adopted, with anotht r company registered as the Parator Syndicate, Limited, and the purchase consideration is 466,423 45, in cash, and /:6,000 in shares,
Pernicious Bonuses.
Our sister journal, " The Motor," interviewed, by request, the Sales Com_ mittee and one of the London directors of the Anglo-American Oil Company. Limited, on Saturday last, with regard to the matter of bonuses for seals on motor-spirit cans. The company claims that its object has been attained —the riveting of the attention of users upon the fact that cans should be sealed when tendered to them by dealers. The company now announces that, having attained this object, the scheme will be withdrawn on the 28th February next, as first announced. Shoolbred's Records.
Messrs. Shoolbred's experience, for the second and third years of service of motorvans, for loads varying between 15cwt. and 25cwt., is that the net cost of rubber tires is 3-5ths of a penny per mile run. Further to the many interesting particulars which we have been able to give, through the courtesy of this firm, in regard to its intentions and experiences, since the first number of " TI1E COMMERCIAL MOTOR " was published, on the 16th March, 1905, we can now state that each motorvan costs Messrs. Shoolbred .4;5o a year less, whilst doing 6o miles a day, as compared with 45 miles a day with a van
worked by four horses (two working and two resting), than did the displaced van and horses. In fact, a motorvan doing So miles a day costs about the same as a horse van (four horses) doing
45 miles a day. During the last three years, Shoolbred's have charged L.5,oix) a year to " stable expenses " for new motorvans, yet the " stable expenses " have only shown an increase of £1,200 a year over the previous normal average for a period of 16 years. For the half-year ended the 31st July last, only four motorvans were charged to " stable expenses," which proved to be the third lowest for any half-year in the last 20 years, notwithstanding the fact that 31 motorvans were then on the road, and that the company was doing an extra 200,000 miles a year of road running. Reckoned at 5d. per mile, this extra mileage means something like £4,000 a year into the firm's coffers.