News and Comment.
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This journal is extensively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses.
Interesting details of the new Milnes-Daimler standard one-tonnor will be found on pages 312-313.
The trolleybus proposition is rather severely handled in a report which we publish on page 311.
The first petrol mine loco. to go into service underground in England is described on pp. 310-311.
The name of Schweppe is of worldwide renown, and this famous mineral-water maker remains true to the cause of commercial motoring. See pages 320 and 321.
The first of the 1912 factory extensions to come into full productive activity is that of Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, and we have pleasure in publishing the first illustrated particulars. See pages 307 to 310.
All the employees of Argylls Ltd. are, for the first time, to combine in a one-day trip. This will be held on Saturday, the 15th June. The destination will be Dunoon, which will be reached by two steamers chartered for the occasion. Special trains will take the Argyll people to places of interest.
Topical Subjects.
Our leading articles this week deal with the following topical subjects : (1) " Years and years of insincere attack upon the C.M.U.A. produce no result ; " (2) " An International show in London next. November ; "(3) " The first Royal Show Number : its exceptional influence in the north-east ; " (4) " A check to the trolleybus ; " and (5) " Excessive speed in char-a-banes service."
Hannington's, Ltd., removal contractors. 10, North Street, Brighton, wish it to be made clear that the Hallford shown on page
278 of last issue belongs to them, and not to Messrs. Harringtons, also of Brighton.
Marshall, Sons and Co., Ltd., Gainsborough, exhibited one of its E class oil-tractors at the Suffolk t‘gricult oral Society's Show at Stowmarket last week.
On page 295 of our last issue, the title to the centre illustration should indicate that the Garrett steam wagon was photographed passing over a bridge in Suffolk, which was " built by the same makers."
The R.A.S.E. Show.
Apart from the references on the first page of this issue, we may point out that certain important meetings will take place, in the Showyard at Doncaster, during the first week in July. We shall be interested in the annual general meetings of the Royal Agricultural Society, at 12 noon on the 4th prox., and of the National Traction Engine Owners and Users Association, at 3 p.m. on the same date, and in the meeting of the County Councils Association, at 11 o'clock in the forenoon of the following day.
L.C.C. and Trailer Tramcars.
A Committee of the House of Commons has. been sitting since Monday last, to inquire into the application of the L.C.C. for general powers to haul trailers behind its electric tramcars in London. The matter is one to which we have referred several times.
It was our privilege, on Tuesday morning last, to accompany the Committee during part of the trial run, beginning from Westminster Bridge. This trial, unfortunately, took place during the slack traffic hours, and was certainly not in any sense a conclusive one. Of course, it must be admitted that the points of such trailer couplings and trailer haulage are already well settled by reason of Continental and other practice in the tramcar world. The important point before the Committee is that of the suitability, or otherwise, of trailer tramcars for use in the crowded streets of London, and particularly in reference to the convenience of the public at large. We shall be much surprised if the Committee grants the desired sanction, and the matter is one to which we shall return next week. It is with a deep sense of regret that we record the demise of Mr. George Bird, M.I.Mech.E., the principal of the old-established engineering undertaking which has for so long gone under the name of Jas. Bartle and Co., Notting Hill. Mr. Bird died on Friday last, at an hydro at Buxton. He had been in poor health for some while past. He was a man of many public interests and numberless friends; he was a City liveryman and a member of a number of engineering associations. The interment took place at Reading, on Tuesday last.
Guildford Royal Counties' Show.
A number of exhibits of interest to the readers of this journal are being shown at the Guildford meeting of the Royal Counties' Agricultural Show, which will close to-morrow, the 14th inst. A note should be made of the following stands: Marshall, Sons and Co., Ltd., two-cylinder oil tractor, six-ton trailer wagon ; Chas. .Burrell and Sons, Ltd., standard steam tractor and steam wagon ; Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., three-ton rubber-tired steam wagon, standard steam tractor ; Wallis and Steevens, Ltd., five-ton steam wagon ; W. Tasker and Sons, Ltd., a "Little Giant" tractor, a. standard steam wagon, and a five-ton trailer ; Barford and Perkins, Ltd., standard petroldriven roller ; Dennis Bros., Ltd., 50 h.p. 350-gallon motor fireengine, and a three-ton lorry Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd., five-ton steam wagon and a five-ton steam tipping cart : Studebaker Corporation of England, Ltd., 20 hp. Flanders van ; Thos. Green and Sons, Ltd., motor lawn-mowers ; Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd., motor lawn-mowers. The Fa.stnut, British Petroleum and Willeocks stands are also, as usual, worthy of attention. We shall probably make further brief reference to this Show in our next issue.
Eire-Brigade Matters.
Leicester has decided to spend £3000 on the purchase of three new motor fire-engines.
Some of the councillors at Nottingham appear to think that motor fire-engines might be paid for out of revenue, rather than purchased out of a loan to be repaid over a term of 10 years.
Edinburgh's Needs.
IL may be recalled that the Edinburgh Town Council, at its meeting on the 24th May, 1911, resolved that certain recommendations in regard to the purchase of new motor fire-engines should be delayed. Under date the 24th May last, Firemaster Pordage has presented a further report in favour of the reciprocating type of pump, and condemnatory of the turbine type of pump, and he recommends that three fire pumps and two tenders be now purchased. The Plans and Works Committee, at a meeting held on the 6th inst., decided to recommend that three motor fire-engines fitted with plunger pumps, and two motor tenders, as recommended by the Firemaster, be advertised for.
We certainly are not in agreement with some of the following views of Firemaster Pordage : " Apart from the merits of the efficiency of either pump, the difierences in weight and engine power are very considerable. Taking as a basis a pump capacity of 450 gallons per minute with a nozzle, the turbine pump is from 25 cwt. to 30 cwt. heavier, and requires a minimum of 25 per cent, greater engine power than an engine with the plunger type of pump. The efficiency of the turbine pump depends upon a necessarily high engine speed which averages from 1500 to 2000 r.p.m., whereas the piston pump arrives at a maximum efficiency at 230 revs. The wear and tear on engine and frame would consequently be very considerably greater on the higher-running engine. The extra engine power of the higher-rated engine is absorbed by the road wheels carrying the additional 25 cwt. of the turbine pump."