OUT AND HOME.
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By "The Extractor."
Romance of G.W.W.
It is rightly said that the progress of Gaston, Williams and Wigniore, Ltd., reads more like a romance. We cannot grasp American growths and developments very quickly here, their territory and requirements are so vast, but we can understand the advancement of their London branch, which has grown from a staff of six members at the installation in December, 1914, to a total of 199 persons. According to the G.W.W. bulletin, their own business houses have been established, amongst other places, in Paris, Petrograd, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Shanghai and Tokio. The chief interest of our readers centres in the London office, and its director, Mr. Frank J. Row.an, who in a remarkably short while has acclimatized himself in our country and earned much personal popularity. G.W.W handle many et the famous Ameri can trucks, including the three P's, Peerless Packard and. Pier c eArrow. They also run t h e Beide n, Reo, Vim and others, so that they offer a great range, and they are stern believers in t h e, appointment of" local agents.
In the G.W.W. Bulletin, interesting phot ographs are given of their works at Han well, Middlesex, and of their Kingsway premises. The latter has eince been commandeered for aircraft work, and good premises have been secured in the home of motordom, Great Portland Street. Mr. Rowan contributes an informative article to the Bulletin "about the rules and regulations made necessary by the exigencies of war." Mr. F. J. Rowan.
"Open Sesame."
A practical engineer, who is a successful salesman (a good combination i when found), is open to an engagement as outside representative to a steam wagon firm, where scope will be given for energy. I shall be glad to forward, to the proper quarter, any letters from manufacturers interested. Address "Practical" to the office of this journal.
More Light.
In a talk with Mr. L. H. Fox, of Acetylene Equipment, Ltd., I learned that one of their difficulties during war-time has been to procure acetone, and that they have broken up quantities of dissolved acetylene cylinders with that object. Now that carbide is released, they are in a good position to supply and refill D.A. cylinders,
Have You a Carburetter?
A concern I know well are looking for a good carburetter to make and sell. They have -a fine organization, well equipped for manufacturing ; they are
nee prepared, however, to undertake the selling only, ii needs lae. I shall be glad to forward any communica tions if addressed " Carburetter," care of this office.
Are New Models Ready ?
A note of alarm was struck by a British lorry manufacturer in conversation with me this week. His point is that British lorry makers have no post-war models ready, or approaching completion, that the Americans have had every opportunity to prepare up to a year ago, and that our makers will feel the draught. Be feels that they' will control the transport, and will dump lorries down right away. I think these fears are exaggerated. There is as great a shortage of the best American lorries (and they are the only ones that count) as of British. It certainly,. behoves the home makers to get on with their new
models: Meanwhile, there are still large munbers being sent daily to France, and this despatch is likely to continue.
Walked Out.
One of the largest tyre manufacturers, who has been like other makers engaged almost exclusively on war work, have found a new difficulty, which, however, was only to be expected. Their voluntary workers walked out in a body when the Armistice was signed, so that their production is materially affected. The labour difficulty is getting more acute. Even labourers in the rubber trade are demanding and getting 25 a week.How are the n-ianufacturers to compete with American tyres? is pertinently asked.
Cleared Up.
The fortnightly appearances of. "The Moving Spirit" in . these pages have given rise to much :peculation. His mission has been questioned. Why, • even another advertiser has been moved to give a portion of his space to suggest that a prize be offered for a correct guess as. to the commodity MephistoAchilles, as he calls him, is selling. One breathes with relief now to find that, after all, he has some distinctly earthly habits. Mephisto about to tackle a pot of foaming beer strikes a human note, even though beer
is only a shadow of what it was. It looks as if are getting down to a solution of these mysterious phenomena, when he poses in front of a Karrier lorry. For my part I shall sleep o' nights now I begin to see through Harris and Hasell's plot.
Work for B.R.T.M.A.
• How essential it is that the rubber tyre trade should be well represented in Parliament, to look after questions like the one raised in aprevious paragraph. The time is short, in view of the approaching Election, but I suggest that this would he good work for the British Rubber Tyre Manufacturers Association; amongst its other useful functions, It may be that Sir Arthur Du Cros is already looking after rubber interests.
011a Podrida.
Mr. C. A. Searle, of the Daimler Co., is evidently a staff officer. I caught a glimpse of him at Coventry station recently, looking very bronzed and with the right -military bearing. The new Apollo works in 'Moseley Street, Birmingham, are approaching completion. i The Wolseley Co. s said to he relinquishing tbs.
manufacture of commercial vehicles. The Lodge works at Rugby have been devoted; almost exclusively to. making aircraft plugs, so that they have plenty to do now, changing (wen Now that the veil is lifted, the Coventry Chain Co. will doubtless give publicity to the fact that only their chains were used in connection with Tanks.