News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches: our normal weekly circulation exceeds 8,000 copies, exclusive of any extra mailings cf special issues.
R.A.C. Trials.
The staff of this journal was able, on Saturday last, to publish a 48-page, illustrated booklet about the trials and the participating vehicles. (See page 24.) Lectures.
To-day (Thursday), at 5 o'clock, the Editor of " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR" will deliver an address in the Board Room of the Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, at the Guildhall, Small Street, Bristol. The next lecture will be given before the Birming-harn Chamber of Commerce, in the Examination Hall, Queen's College, Paradise Street, on Tuesday next, at 5 o'clock. It will be noted that the dates chosen will enable reports to appear in the local papers on the mornings of the respective exhibitions.
Current Reports.
This issue contains the first published accounts of the preparatory work at Thornycroft's yard, the weighing operations, and other preliminaries, together with a brief account of the inaugural dinner at the Trocadero Restaurant. We make suitable extracts from, and comments upon, the instructions to the road observers, as we feel that the full text is not of sufficient genera' interest for reproduction, but we have made room for quarter-size reproductions of the whole of the eight pages of the observers' log-sheets, in addition to one typical route map, as issued by the Club. The initial stages of the road tests also receive due treatment, but statistical data in regard to
the performances of the different vehicles and tractors are held over until our next iSsue. (See pages xi to 20.) An Addition.
We observe that " Finish and Workmanship " has been added as the seventeenth point for consideration by the judges, according to supplementary regulation No. 23 as printed in the Club's official programme. This was not included when the original documents were issued at the end of April, but we doubt if any competitor will raise an objection. "New Era" Extinguishers.
The big trade in these fire-extinguishers continues, and the Valor Company, Limited, of Rocky Lane, Aston Cross, Birmingham, has now added to its records a large number of orders for motorcabs, and tile official instructions of the R.A.0 to supply one
of its "New Era" appar inis-use on each of the competing vehicles in the trials which are now in progress.
Lights on Horse Vehicles.
We greatly regret to note that the showing of a red light behind is not made compulsory by the Act which was passed on the 28th ultimo, and which will come into force on the 1st January next. Clause i of Section I reads : " . . and, if the lamp or lamps arc so constructed as to permit a light to be seen from the rear, that light shall be red." The " if " is as important as ever, but here it is likely to cause all drivers of motors more trouble than is generally appreciated.
A Regular Worker.
Various motor vehicles were taken to Belfast, on the occasion of the recent great strike, but the Leyland wagon, which we illustrate below, is in constant requisition by the Works Department of the Belfast Corporation, to whom this excellent, municipal wagon belongs. It has two bodies, one for general cartage purposes and one for street-watering services. The water-tank body has the levers so arranged that one man can take sole charge. There is obviously ample power to work the spreaders.
Mr. F. W. Dalton, automobile engineer to the Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd., and designer of Brush commercial vehicles, has left the service of that company.
Cigarette Cases Free.
The Coventry Chain Co. (t9o7), Ltd., of Coventry, is willing to forward a neat cigarette-case, in an alloy of aluminium, to any reader of 'THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR " who sends a written application and quotes this paragraph, A New Registration.
nulberts, Limited, with its office at the Suffield Arms, Long Street, Midleton' lanes., and an authorised capital of ,2,oclo in .4;1 shares, has been registered for the purpose, amongst others, of doing haulage work by steam lorries.
R.ation. Supply by Motor.
The 34 motor lorries, some of which were illustrated in our last issue, continue to meet the requirements of the French War Department, as regards thewhole of the ration supply for the 12th and t7th Army Corps, in a most satisfactory manner.
Albion Orders.
The next page bears an illustration of a t6h.p. chassis fitted with a body for bakers. This particular van is shown as it took part in a co-operative procession in Glasgow, on which occasion it was specially decorated. The panels are of the purchasing company's own design, and the colours present a striking contrast. This vehicle is used for the delivery of loads within a radius of 3o miles of Glasgow, and is doing its work very well indeed. The Society to which it belongs employs about 200 horses, and future developments are expected as the result of this, its first, purchase of a motorvan.
Eaz ly Arrivals.
At Reading, early on Tuesday morning, we noticed the arrival of Mr, L. R. L. Squire at the wheel of his 6oh.p. car, with Mr. Sidney Straker as passenger. They had come down by road from London, in order to see their vehicles start upon the second stage of the Trial's.
Progress.
The Commercial Motor Department has been developing at such a rapid rate with the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., of Glasgow, that the directors are pushing forward with a considerable extension to their works, of which they hope to get full advantage in the early months of next year. The growth of this company has been steady and sure, and, as its directorate contains no ornamental figureheads, but only men who, being keenly alive to the needs of all classes of motor transport, devote their whole time to their duties, there is not much doubt that ere long they will again find their extended factory too small for their requirements. it is with
much interest that we watch the brilliant prospects. of this energetic Glasgow company, each member of whose board and staff is considerably on the sunny side of forty.
Summons Dismissed.
A driver in the employ of Messrs. Bateman and Son, timber merchants, of New Road, Stourbridge, who own " Wellington " tractor, supplied by William Foster and Company, Limited, of Lincoln, was summoned recently at Stourbridge for allowing smoke to escape " in large quantities from the funnel, for a distance of some 250 yards." Evidence having been called on behalf of the makers, to prove that the engine was designed so as not to emit smoke except from a temporary or accidental cause, in accordance with the exempting definition-clause of the Motor Car Acts, the Bench dismissed the case. It is very seldom that a case is proved against a driver of a modern tractor, which machines enioy practical exemption, as they should do. An Appointment.
The British Motobloc Syndicate, Limited, of 12, Regent Street, SW., has appointed Mr. W. Roddam Drinkwater as its sales manager. Mr. Drinkwater, until recently, was engaged in the technical department of the Royal Automobile Club.
An Absorption.
The final passing over of the Secretary and staff of the British Empire Motor Trades Alliance (in liquidation) is now completed, and Mr. J. B. King, together with his assistants, takes up his new appointment at offices which have been specially provided by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, at Hastings House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. These offices are quite close to Maxwell House.
A Well-earned Rest.
His many friends will regret to learn -that Mr. Rees Jeffreys, the restless Secretary of the Motor Union and of the Commercial Motor Users' Association, has been ordered by his doctor to take a month's rest at Harrogate, and to undergo a course of treatment at the well-known spa. It has been clear to a few, for some months past, that Mr. Jeffreys was showing signs of physical exhaustion under the many exacting duties and conflicts into
which, voluntarily or otherwise, he has been led, and it has now clearly become imperative that he should for no longer neglect the precaution of taking re
spite from his labours for at least the short period named. We sincerely hope that he will be back at I, Albemarle Street, W., restored to health and strength, by.the middle of next month.
Motor Dust Carts.
It is reported that a Budapest firm has agreed to place three sell-propelled vehicles at the disposal of the local ccrporation for an entire year and to defray cost of upkeep into the bargain, with the object of inducing that body to acquire the make for municipal purposes in the city.