From Our Berlin Correspondent.
Page 16
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I note that the rich borough of Charlottenburg, on the western flank of Berlin, is giving a trial to an electric street-washing machine similar to the type adopted by the Berlin Corporation.
Venice is to have, not a line of motor gondolas, but a line of motorbuses, worked by the Corporation bebetween the Piazza San Ferdinando and Posilippo as a connecting link with the tramways at the latter terminus.
Military Lorries for the East ,Provinces.
With the object of having in the Eastern Provinces of Prussia (Posen, East and West Prussia) as large a number as possible of motor lorries suitable for military transport work, the Prussian War Office has notified factories interested that, in the event of their succeeding in establishing a working company in any one of the Provinces, 10 more lorries in addition to those already subsidised will receive the subvention plaque.
Poor Bus Results in Vienna.
Vienna makes little headway in the matter of public-service automobiles. The granite roads proved too much for the motorbus lines, two in number, and the eight vehicles used in working them were eventually taken off (never having given satisfactory financial results). The elegant " Fiaker," or two-horse cab, predominates, the drivers of which, uncontrolled by mechanical cheeks, take more or less fancy fares. Vienna drivers profess to have a" 'faze," or legal fare, but it is of a very mysterious and elastic character, and is varied according to the " squeezability " of the passenger.
Italy's Foreign Motor Trade.
In the last three years, Italy's exports in the industrial category have
declined in weight but increased in value, the official valuations for 1906, 1907 and 1908 being returned as £7,200, £9,320 and £17.125 respectively. During 1908, she exported three vehicles weighing over 3 tons, as in 1907: but the exported tonnage of automobiles below that weight dropped from 20.3 to 18.3 tons. Her exports of wagons up to 1 ton did not reach 36cwt. in 1908.
As to imports, they rose both in weight and value in relation to 1906. and fell in these respects compared with 1907. Business in the lightest class ceased altogether in 1908, after having touched only 30 and 18rwt. in the two preceding twelvemonths. The tonnage of the 1-3-ton class, which stood at 26ewt. in 1906, and 34 tons in 1907, was 10.2 tons in 1908. She imported 20 vehicles over 3 tons last year, as against 30 in 1907 and six in 1906. The collective values for the three years, beginning with 1906, are £3,280, £19,812 and £11,870.
The Results of the German Industrial Trials.
Messrs. Sourer and Co. have just
cause to look back upon the German Industrial Trials with a feeling of keen satisfaction. To enter six vehicles of various types for a 14-stage test over some 1,500 miles of roads presenting a manifold variety of surface and gradient, and to win gold medals with five of them, was, indeed, a performance to be proud of, especially when, as on this occasion, the economic workings of the engines were decided, not on the fuel consumption over a comparatively short stretch, but on the consumption throughout the entire run. It is not pleasant for the home industry to reflect that a rising Swiss firm should have taken 50 per cent. of all the gold medals awarded, and that this firm should he Messrs. Surer, whose vehicles. even without the help of these additional laurels, were growing in favour amongst German automobile users. This should help the English makersJ. and E. Hall, Ltd.
The Dahnler-Marienfelde Co. was
unfortunate in winning nothing at all, although five of the make took part in the trials. Messrs. Buessing's solitary entry, a " train," won a gold medal, a similar award falling to the South German firm of Gaggenau, which also ieceived three silver medals. 'With a gold medal, in addition to a diploma for general efficiency granted by the Imperial Post Office, the Adler Co. justified its entrance into the ranks of " industrial " makes. The postoffice diploma was also granted to the Bneesing and the Gaggenau firms. Mesisrs. Stoewer Bros. had to be content with a bronze medal, and -the Brennaber Co. with a silver one, whilst the Hansa Co., a newcomer,
managed to secure a gold medal, as did Eisenach Co. with its " train."
The German lay Press abstains from comment on the Swiss victory. The a wards were as follow :—
Class I (single-deck omnibuses for S-11 persons, driver exclusive).—Adolf Sourer (Arbon), gold medal ; South German Automobile works (Gaggenen), silver medal.
Class II (single-deek omnibuses for more than 14 persons, driver excluFive).—Adolf Sourer (Arbon), gold i',edal South German Automobile Works (Gaggenati), silver medal; Stoewer Bros. (Stettin), bronze medal.
Class III (delivery vans for 5001.200 kilos. useful load).—Hansa Automobile Co. (Varel), gold medal ; Brennabor works (Brandenburg), silver medal.
Class IV (lorries for 1,201-2,000 kilos. useful load).—Adler works (Frankfort-on-the-Main), gold medal; South German Automobile Works (Gaggenau), silver medal. Class V (lorries for 2,001-3,500 kilos. useful load).—Adolf Sourer (Arbon), gold medal; South German Automobile Works (Gaggenau), silver medal.
Class VI (lorries for more than 3,500 kilos. useful load).—Adolf Sourer (Arbon), gold medal. Class VII (" trains " with one trailer or more).--Adolf Saurer (Arbon) gold medal; Eisenach Co. (Eisenach), gold medal; H. Buessing (Braunschweig), gold medal.
Germany's Foreign Trade in Commercial Vehicles during the First Quarter.
Imeosas:—Compared with the first quarter of 1908, Germany's imports show an increase of 16,100 kilos., or 37,900 kilos. against 21,800 kilos., i.e., 18 vehicles in lieu of eight. Over 50 per cent. of the weight was admitted duty-free as " returns." Switzerland pushed her sales from 6,100 to 10,700 kilos., and AustroHungary's rose from nil to 6,700 kilos. Execorrrs: — Germany's exports underwent little change, the same basis of comparison holding good. In 1908, she exported 113,400 kilos., and this year 108,400 kilos., or 35 vehicles to 34. Belgium and Italy more than doubled their sales to Germany.
International Industrial Trials in Austria.
The Austrian Motor Club (Vienna) will organise an international contest for industrial vehicles next October, over the Vienna-Pilsen-ReichenbergPrague-Vienna circuit, with a maximum distance of 2,000 kilometres, to be negotiated in 10 to 12 days. The classes are as follow :-1, doctors' cars and motoreabs; 2, single-deck omnibuses for 8-14 persons, exclusive of the driver ; 3, single-deck omnibuses for more than 14 persons, exclusive of driver ; 4, delivery vans for 500-1,000 kilos. useful load ; 5, light lorries for 1,500-2,000 kilos. useful load ; 6, lorries for greater loads up to 4,000 kilos. ; 7, lorries for useful load over 4,000 kilos.; and 8, hauling tractors with one trailer or more.
Awards will be based on: (a), working regularity ; (li), observance of the prescribed average speed; (c), safety of working; (d), ratio between automobile's own weight and load carried; (e), and economic aspect of working (fuel competition). The fuel consump tion is to be under the control of a committee consisting of members of the organising club on the one side end of representatives of the compet ing firms on the oth?.r. The War Office, Board of Trade. Ministry for Public Works, the Medical Automobile Club and the Austrian Motor Club are offering prizes. September 1st is the latest date for entering.