OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
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The Puzzle of Petrol Prices.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,7061 Sir,—Where I am puzzled about the everlasting upward tendency of petrol prices is the contemplation of the fact that the oil companies were glad, when I first began to take an interest in motor matters during the last few years of the old century, to sell petrol at 10d. a gallon and paraffin at 44 to 6d. At that time much of the light volatile spirits was left in the paraffin, which got into disrepute because it flashed at such low temperatures. The companies were Making good profits then, and up to the outbreak of war the costs of producing•and distributing those two grades of fuel could only have, risen to a small degree—due, of course, to file Improved plant and processes of transport and distribution. The improvements did not entirely make for economy—I recognize that—they made for efficiency and availability of fuel wherever it might be wanted. Let us concede them 60 per cent. for those advantages, whilst we must add 6d. a gallon duty (taking spirit at full duty price). This brings the apparent price at which petrol could be delivered to us at is. 10d per gallon, which, after taking our half duty rebate, would be a reasonable figure. I was told by an authority on oil that petrol coming out of the still costs the producers id. per gallon. At one time freight across the Atlantic used -to be I8s. per ton—when the oil companies had got their own tankers it had gone up to Ms. per ton, and it is now 220s. per ton. The .price which the Shell Co. say they pay for spirit put f.o.b. at a U.S. port is is. Sid., which, allowing that aid. is represented by the fall in the purchasing power of the sovereign, can be put at Is. 4d. There is a lot of money lost between the still and the ship, or, rather, there are some tremendous intermediate profits for some one, truly ! And these profits and the freight rates are all reflected in the high market value of the shares of the oil companies and oil transport eoncerns.
'We have assisted the oil producers by accepting the heavier grades of spirit—some so heavy that you cannot use them to clean a grease mark off your suit of clothes!
Of course, there is only one explanation of it all. We are being well exploited. We must suffer because we have helped to build up those monopolies, being attracted by the better service, the quicker and readier .supnlies, the cheaper price, even the better spirit. There is no difference between petrol and magnetos in fact. We have overcome the magneto monopoly: Cannot we ensure co-operative action among users to secure the fostering of competition in the matter of fuels? Let us.haVe our benzoic, alcohol, shale oil, lignite oil—let us encourage home production. There at least we are on surer ground, because the cost of transport and delivery to a potential foreign consumer gives the user in the country of production a big advantage. And, after allowing the Americans the advantage all these years, it is time
we created one for ourselves! OLD TIMER.
[1,707] Sir,--Are the members of the Commercial Motor Users Association through their National Council acting in co-operation_to secure some alleviation in thepetrol situation for owners of single vehicles or small fleets? Large consumers have contracts which in many cases have some months to run, but we small owners Can very quickly be wiped out of the field unless we cans see some improvement looming in the future. We xr,ust encourage competition in motor fuels—that I am convinced is the only
C46 thing that will have lasting beneficial results. I recall the fact that when the brass bedstead makers had screwed the prices up to such a pitch (this was before the war) that there was nothing in the business for the .retailers, the latter got together and struck a brain wave ! They decided to .revive the wooden bedstead, and they have succeeded to the ad
vantage of everybody. SMALL HAULIER.
The Problems of Commercial Vehicle Tyres.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL Moron.
[1,708] Sir,—The average cost per mile of a 2-ton commercial vehicle may be taken at Is. 4d., of which the proportion spent on tyres will be 3d. It is evident, therefore, that when such a vehicle is running from 10,000-15,000 miles in the year any saving on tyres is a consideration of the first importance to the owner. The more so, because there is no chance whatever of a reduction in the costs of driver's wages, repairs, depreciation, garage fees, insurance, or, in all probability, petrol. Now that the price of tyres is going up, there would Seem to be little prospect for economy in the direction indicated. The suggestion that we should adopt in this country the enormous pneumatic tyres now used on many American commercial vehicles is not likely to meet with much favour. The initial cost will be prohibitive to the great bulk of users, at any rate of the smaller, and especially the converted type ; nor can it be overlooked that these big straight-sided tyros are still vulnerable and subject to punctures. And punctures, in spite of all the quick-change devices, are still a source of delay and expense.
Solids, again, cannot and never will absorb the shocks of the road, for rubber is rather less compressible than water, which is saying a good deal. Further, conversion to solids means rebuilding tile wheels, and though 'solids may last • it is doubtful (even when you have gat them fitted) if the cost for a year is less than with pneumatics. There is more to pay for depreciation and interest on capital laid out, and less mileage is cove-red. If this last point is doubted, nothing is easier than to examine compara-tive Mileage records. Solids, besides, are too heavy for many vehicles. The solution, then, is a compromise between the pneumatic and the solid: in a word, the tyre-filler. Now, tyre-fillers have got a :very bad ,name in America, not Without reason. The system, so far as we know it, is to send the tyre-filler in chunks to the unfortunate user, who inserts it aocording to directions. The result is, of course, that, like a reach-medown, it fits where it touches, and thereafter the purchaser uses no Other tyre-filler. In this country, however, we have. a genuine tyre-filler in. Rubberine, which is being adapted more widely than ever for commercial vehicles.
Rubberine, es unique and scientifically-prepared, rubber substitute, is pumped into covers . without inner tubes. The pressure is, of course, -gauged exactly, -so that it does not fit where it touches only, and in a short time it sets into a solid resilient substance. The resilience is important, because not only are puncture's eliminated, but none of the disadvantages due to excessive vibration followS;.rior, again, is the rebuilding of wheels necessary its, with a conversion to solids.
Pneumatics filled with Rubberine last at least 50 per cent longer than when filled with ait,' and this fact, combined with the advantages indicated, clearly establish the claim of the manufacturers to a real
F.G.T. economy.