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Commandeered Files, Factory Pressure. The G.C. Purchase.
By"The Extractor."
It is perfectly startliug to us the way things are being " cannuan(leered " these war times, and the word has not even found its way in our dictionary yet. In other European countries they have export• once of it at one time or anothen-, bot in Britain it is a new sensation.
A Sheffield steel manufacturer w as telling me he had, in common v.ith others, received a communique Item a Government department asking for, if not demanding, preeise details of his stock of steel, in addition to manufactured articles and their location. This concern discovered that it possessed 40,000 d)zens of files.
Oil firms are, of course, dei-e.ended upon ; Mr. A. E. Newton, or Vacuum oil, had a Visitor from ete W.O. politely asking for information as to their stocks of autobile oil in different parts of the vetintry.
Newton was soon able to reel off the required information, adding, however, that he feared they would tot be able to give delivery very 40E1,214 because of their existing enntraets, etc., etc. "Never you nand about that ; tell us where it : we will get it," was the respori;e.
IL is not quite clear yet to some to.:hers of commercial vehicles and t lie allied trades that this war is ring to prove a tremendous blessing to them. "It's an ill wind," etc., was never better exemplified.
The various strikes showed the hi iii y and value of motor transpert ; the war is going to emphasize it a thousandfold. Already goods
be despatched by railway ; beitances are coming before our notice every day. Smith Parfrey's told no a few days ago that they ;win three loads of odd consignments to three different railways, each load being returned to them. Motor transport will have to be the general solution for a long while to come; the War Office is en"!nandeering users' vehicles. especially where there are fleet( ; these will require immediately yeplacing. Whole factories are being taken over--the Leyland works to wit—and T hear also the Daimler. The customers of these factories will need supplies in substitution, :io the whole industry will be kept intensely alive.
it was a wise move on the part cf the makers of Macintosh solid tires to appoint, as sole selling gents to all British corporations.
• 7t-54srs. Gillespie and Beates, of l' This will doubtless settle down in view of the public announcements of the chief companies that no advance has been made. I notice that the G.C. vaporizer, about which one heard much some while ago, has been purchased " lock, stock and barrel " by that enterprising concern John Haddon and Co., of Salisbury Square, Fleet Street, E.C. They tell us they have aheenly disposed of the Americitn rights for £20,000. Iladdon's are chief proprietors of Vislok, a wonderful lock-nut device, and are mitch interested in Dorman englues. They have further a new method of lighting in progress, tG wit by petrol gas, which should be especially suitable for commercia,l vehicles and quickly popular. Backsheesh is very necessary in war times, but it must go in the right quarter. Untold gold was offered to the R.A.C. representative at Boulogne if be could contrive to get Mr. W. E. Middleton's Unio ear on board to carne back to England, but without avail, Mr. Middleton and party only left these shores on the Saturday before war was declared, optimistically entering upon a Continental tour. They went from Boulogne up to Ostend, but speedily retraced their steps and decided to strike for home. A brain wave occurred to Mr. Middleton'a son: it pound went to the man at the crane, and half that amount to his assistant, and the Unic was hauled Fi board.