From Our Berlin Correspondent.
Page 8
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Colonial Uses For the transport of building material required by the contractors of a new railway in German East Africa, selfpropelled vehicles will be used, the Imperial German Government having ordered a number of 5-ton lorries from home firms. Two 4oh.p. Gaggenaus are already on their way to the Protectorate, whilst other vehicles are being built with all haste.
In the Country.
I learn that the Automobilgesellschaft Saarburg-Dagsburg, in Lorraine, is doing very well with the motorbus line connecting these towns, the number of vehicles working it being hardly equal to the run of passengers. One hopes that the manager will not make the mistake often committed by other companies and work the buses too hard ; there appears to be enough traffic to warrant the purchase of additional rolling stock.
A Narrow Escape.
One of the Berliner Oninibusgesellschaft's " trippers" had a narrow squeak from being splintered up on the level crossing between Hundekehle and Beelitzhof on the 31st May. As the bus neared the railway, the barrier was let down : the chauffeur at once shut off gas, and applied the brake, but it was too late—the omnibus burst through the barrier, and stuck fast in the permanent way. A train from Potsdam hove in sight, and a terrible smash seemed unavoidable. Luckily, however, the driver of the Potsdam train, realising the situation by the shouts of the people along the line, reversed in time, so that the collision, in which the train took the bus broadside on, occasioned but slight injuries to persons and damage to material. Twenty-two passengers were on the bus at the moment, several of the ladies swooning away as the train bore down on them. A Lady Teacher.
Frau von Papp, Berlin's first lady motorcab-driver, has opened a school, in Charlottcnburg, for " systematically instructing ladies and gentlemen " in the art of motor driving—this school, by the way, as a little prelude to a trip round the world. It may be recollected that Frau von Papp, despite illustrated Press-paragraphing, failed egregiously in the cab-driver role, withdrawing from the scene of her labours after a very brief spell of success begotten of public curiosity. She was the first and last lady to drive a motorcab in Berlin.
The Spanish Market.
There is a project afoot to establish an automobile line Tor passenger and goods traffic betwen Berja and Adra, as well as to extend the service to Olvera, Cueves, Vera and Huercal. Particulars respecting these enterprises can be obtained from the Almeria Town Council (Aguntamiento de Almeria).
By the way, the Royal Spanish Motor Club has petitioned the Government to tax teams of six draft-mules, on the ground that such antiquated combinationsare mainly responsible for cutting up the so-called roads throughout the country. Also, the Club is endeavouring to drum into the native cranium the idea that the public highways are not the proper gambolling places for geese, fowls, children and what not ; but progress appears to be somewhat slow. Still, until the price of petrol drops, and the Revenue Department deals with automobiles in a liberal spirit, Spain will hardly rank as an attractive market for makers. As prices go, a gallon of petrol fetches 3s. 7d., whilst the taxes —well, they deserve sentences to themselves. For, say, a six-seater of 5oh.p., the owner must pay 972 pesetas to
begin with, or, roughly, with the following little extras : licence, 12s. 6d, ; official registration, 24s. ; stamps, 25s. gd. ; right to fit up a gar
age, L'2. Further, the L-39 being regarded as a State tax, the local authorities have the right to exact a similar amount for rates, and, after State and local authorities have been satisfied, the motorist must reckon with fancy tolls from any parish through which he may happen to be driving Outside Madrid there does not seem to be much business doing : there the Government is working the mail service with eight electric-driven vans of t6h.p., a couple of Benz vehicles with engines developing 3oh.p., and eight small Dion-Boutons. A 24h.p. Aries represents the motor-lorry type.
Italian Trials and Exhibition.
In order to celebrate the opening of a new bridge over the river Po, at Piacenza, the Italian Touring Club and the Italian Automobile Club, have decided to hold an exhibition of commercial motor vehicles from the 9th of August to the t4th of September next. The show will be followed by a competitive test of the vehicles on the road, and, during this period, they will be observed by military officers, who will report to the War Office. Provided that there are not less than five vehicles entered in each class, and that not less than three makers are represented, that body will purchase one of the competing vehicles in each of the classes 2, 3, 4, and 5, at prices which must not exceed L'475, L'595, .4'674, and ,L'713 for the vehicles in these classes respectively. The machines will be judged on the regularity of their running, condition after the trials, ease and radius of steering, accessibility, and protection of the various parts of the chassis from dust and mud. The test will be made over a course which is about 600 kilometres for the complete circuit, and the machines will be required to cover this course three or five times according to the class. Of the five stages into which the circuit is divided, only the second between Bobbio and the Penice Pass, appears to possess any stiff sections; here, many of the gradients are calculated to constitute a sharp test for the mechanical qualities of vehicles. At the terminus of each of the five stages —Piacenza Bobbio, Bobbio Penice Pass, Penice-Varci, Varci-Voghera, and Vog-hera-Piacenza—there will be a control, and the Executive Committee purposes fixing maximum speeds for the several stages.
Any vehicle which runs through the whole trial without changing, or effecting any repairs to, either wheels or tires will be awarded a special prize. Pneumatic tires, or spring wheels are barred. The loads which the vehicles will be required to convey are as follows :—class I, 7;o kilos. ; class 2, 751 to 1,500 kilos. ; class 3, 1,501 to 1,00n kilos. ; class 4, 3,001 to 5"0 kilos.; and class 5, over 5,000 kilos.
It is not absolutely necessary that the vehicles shall be entered for both the exhibition and the trials, and full information, printed in English, may be obtained from Mr. A. G. G-raziani, of 22, Hiner Street, London, E.C.