Correspondence.
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R.A.C. Trials: Comments on the Entries.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—As competitors in classes C and D in the R.A.C. Trials, we beg to draw your attention to the following error made by your contributor, Mr. Henry Sturmey, in his comments on the entries (on page 643, in your issue of 5th September).
In discussing class D, in which he compares the price of our vehicle there entered, which is the lowest price in the class, against the highest, the " Darracq-Serpollet " at -C885, Mr. Sturrney says :—" The 'Halley' vehicle, however, has a 2-cylinder engine, as against 4 cylinders used in all the others, and it also has single instead of twin tires." We beg to say, however, that not only have we twin tires fitted to this vehicle, but the largest twin tires we can procure, viz., 5 inches each. As such a statement is apt to prejudice the buyer against our vehicle, making him think that the low first cost is only arrived at through fitting inadequate tires, etc., we shall be glad if you can see your way to insert this letter, as, in comparison with most of the other vehicles in its class, our 2-ton van is much the heavier type.—We are, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
HALLEY'S INDUSTRIAL MOTORS, LTD. H. SPENCER, Office Manager.
Yoker, Glasgow, 9th September, 1907.
[The original error, upon which Mr. Eituriney based his comments, is corrected by the paragraph on page 635 of the same issue, We give, however, publicity to this letter, in justice to Holley's Industrial Motors, Limited,—ED.1 The Royal Automobile Club and the Trials.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—It has come to the knowledge of the Executive Committee for the Commercial Vehicle Trials that it is the intention of some firms, which have not entered for these Trials, to follow the Trials with commercial vehicles, by which irregular means they would seek to gain publicity and advertisement without having submitted their vehicles to official observation and report. The Executive Committee (representing the Royal Automobile Club, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and the Commercial Motor Users' Association) has therefore unanimously decided, in fairness to the competitors, to recommend to the Committee of the Club that, should non-competing commercial vehicles follow the Trials in this way, the crrn or firms owning the aforesaid vehicles shall be dealt with under the terms of the following competition rule, which was added to the competition rules by the Committee of the Club on Wednesday, 7th November, 1906 :— • " Any owner, manufacturer, dealer, agent or driver taking part in or directly connected with any trial or competition, otherwise than under regulations made by the Club, and obtaining extensive advertisement therefrom, shall be deemed to be guilty of a breach of these rules."
[trust you will be able to give publicity to the above in your columns..—Yours faithfully,
J. W. ORDE, Secretary.
Royal Automobile Club,
119, Piccadilly, London, W.
9th September, 1907.
Roads Near Harrogate.
The Editor, " THE COMMERUAL MOTOR."
Sir :—With regard to the paragraph in " TtlF. COMMERCIAL MOTOR," in the issue of 5th September, on page 631, will you allow me to say that possibly your correspondent had been misinformed when he understood that "the service of Clarkson motorbuses in Harrogate and district, etc., had given rise to a controversy in regard to the width of roads." Our cars, up to the present, have not run anywhere in the neighbourhood of Brimham Rocks, or the Pateley Bridge district.
. It may interest some of your readers to know that one .of the :ten Clarkson. buses. here has just completed a total
of 61,354 miles. Altogether, the ten Clarksons under my supervision have completed a total of 425,000 miles up to last Saturday night, and they are all running regularly. and have gained great praise for their reliability and regularity, in Harrogate.
The advent of the water-tube boiler should, and I believe will, place this steam vehicle in the front rank for reliability, regularity, and long life.—Yours faithfully, E. W. FULLER, A.M.I.M.E., Eng. Manager. The Garage, Myrtle Road, Harrogate, 5th September, 1907.
[We note that our correspondent's report had reference to some other public servicc vehicles, and not those of Mr. Fuller's company.—En.]
Single-cylinder Engines Wanted for India.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR,"
Sir :—Some time ago you kindly inserted a notice asking makers of small air-cooled engines to send me quotations. This got me just what I wanted, and I am much obliged to you.
1 now require small, single-cylinder, water-cooled engines, from 1 to 3b.h.p. They must have extended shaft on contact side for starting handle, and should preferably be fitted with magneto ignition. Also similar 'single-cylinder engines of from 6 to tob.h.p. I am handling a number of engines of from 3 to 5b.h.p., but do not seem to be able to find anything below 3b.h.p. nor above 5h.p., except the latter at relatively prohibitive prices.
I shall be exceedingly obliged if you will put me in communication with any makers who can supply. Thanking you in anticipation.—I am, yours truly, H. L. ROCHAT.
Churchgate Street, Bombay, 2211d August, 1907.
The Hastings Motorbuses.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—Having noticed a letter and photograph in last week's issue of " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR," relating to the Hastings motorbuses, I should be pleased if you would insert the following. I notice that Mr. A. W. T. Chilver says that six of the buses were hung up just rutside Hat,tings, and I beg to say that there are five of them lying idle on a farm at the Harrow, about 3 or 4 miles from Has:in: s. I do not think I have the pleasure of knowing Mr. Chilver, although I may have met him at the Hastings garage, but it might be of interest to him to know which cars are lying here. They are : L.C.34t6 and L.C.3417, both Ducommuns (fitted with engines); D.Y.I is, Durkopp (with no engine); D.Y.71 24h.p. Daimler (no engine); D.Y.33, t6h.p. Daimler (with engine).
I have made several trips out to the Harrow and have seen the owner of the farm, who is much puzzled to know what the company is doing and how he is to get rid of the
buses. I should like to know if Mr. Chilver could tell me if these cars were sold to the London Standard Motor Omnibus Company, and if it is likely to remove them.
I enclose a photograph of the Hastings fleet of motorbuses, which I took outside the depot, and I may mention that I think there is good scope for motorbuses here, and I hope yet to see motorbuses back again in Hastings.—Yours
faithfully, A. W. PEARCE. 106, Ashburnham Road, Clive Vale, Hastings, 9th September, 1907.
Indian Motor Routes.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—We beg to thank you for your letter of the 3oth ultitno, contents of which we duly note. We are obliged for your action in referring our enquiry to the companies you name, and we are now in communication with these friends.
With reference to the copy of fetter which you enclosed regarding a motor service between Dehra and Mussoorie, we have already been carefully into this question, but fear that the prospects of commercial success are somewhat remote, the conditions being still more exceptional in the way of roads and gradients than in the case of the Gauhati
Shillong roads. Moreover, the population is almost entirely a hot-weather one, i.e., during six months of the year only. We are obliged, however, by your courtesy in drawing our attention to the subject.—Yours faithfully, THE RUSSA ENGINEERING WORMS, LTD. KILBURN AND Co., Managing Agents. 4, Fairlie Place, Calcutta,
21St August, 1907.
Liverpool Motor Show, 1908.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—When the members of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders signed the bond conditional on their showing at Olympia, it was understood that the Society would promote a show in each of three centres, large enough to represent properly the trade in that particular district. I understand that up to the present they have made no arrangements or are they in a position to hold a show in this district, and it is obvious that the agents will be left out in the cold if they do not at once take some steps for their Own protection.
The feeling amongst the trade is (at any rate this year) to patronise the exhibitions heretofore held, and I shall be glad of a note from any agents saying that, if the Society of Motor Manufacturers will give their patronage to the Liverpool Show, they will be willing to exhibit as in previous years.—Yours faithfully.
THOMAS PRICE.
77, Lord Street, Liverpool, 7th September, 1907.