News and Comment.
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C.M.U.A, Lectures.
Mr. H. Lyon Thomson, a ViceChairman of the C.M. C.A., presided at the second lecture to petrol-vehicle drivers, on Wednesday of last week. Mr. Watson's next lecture, to steam-vehicle drivers, will be on Wednesday, the 26th inst.
Topical Subjects.
Our leading articles this week deal with the following topical subjects : (1) " Land Cultivation ; " (2) " Wheel and Tire Standardization; " (3) " Trespassers' on Trailer Drawbars " (4) "Refuges or Trainrails ? " (5) " Canals as Motor Roads ; " and (6) " Deliberate Overloading."
The 1914 "Royal."
The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England has decided not to hold any agriculturalmotor trials in connection with the Shrewsbury Show of next year. The question will be reconsidered when the subject of trials of implements for the year 1915 (Nottingham) conies up for discussion in due course.
Northumberland and Motors.
The Roads and Bridges Committee of the Northumberland County Council recently recommended the purchase of five motor wagons, at a cost or L575 each, for the haulage of stone. The Chairman of the Committee, at the last meeting of the County Council, explained that it was hoped to reduce the cost from is. per ton-mile to about 6d. per ton-mile. The report, after humorous observations by other oouncillors, was adopted.
REMINDERS.
Current. Pleasure Car Show at Olympia. 24th to 29th Cycle and Motorcycle Show at Nov. Olympia.
8th to 12th Dec. Smithfield Cattle Show.*
9th to 17th 1 Commercial Motor Show, at Jan., 1914. I Manchester.
23rd to Slat t Scottish Motor Show. ,Tan., 1914.
West Riding CM U.A.
Messrs. Vintner and Myrtle, of 63-66, King's Arcade, Market Street, Bradford, have taken up the secretaryship of the West Riding C.M. U. A. Active organization will now proceed.
Comirnercar Sales.
We had intended, in the course of our recent azticle on Commercar production progress, to have recorded the fact that the decision to move the company's sales department from London to the factory has already been found to have teen .Rf great benefit to its general business. Entertainment by Mr. Samuel Samuel, M.P.
A. pioneer, in conjunction with his brother, Sir Marcus Samuel, Bart., in the development of the Eastern and other sources of supply of motor spirit for the markets of the world, and first of all for the United Kingdom, Mr. Samuel Samuel, M.P., has established a happy custom of entertaining the leaders of motoring and aviation, at the Savoy Hotel, not less frequently than biennially. The night before the opening of the Olympia Show saw Mr. Samuel as host to some 130 guests, in the Winter Gardens of the Savoy Hotel, London. We are not concerned, in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, to write at any length about the function, but only to record it.
It is of interest to our readers to know that Mr. Samuel gave very strongly-worded assurances to his hearers, to the effect that he and his colleagues were extremely hopeful of their ability to keep up good supplies of spirit in the future, and particularly of `` Crown " spirit, which is so widely used in motorbuses, motorcabs and motorvans. He thought there would be no lack for many years to come. The interests of the producing and distributing companies were not immical to the interests of consumers and public ; there was no monopoly in the oil industry.
Mr. Samuel, whose photograph (by permission of Messrs. Sarony of New Bond Street) we reproduce herewith, was immediately supported at his table by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, Lord Herbert Scott., and the Hon. Arthur Stanley, M.P. In the Straits Settlements.
The 1914 estimates of the Straits Settlements include provision for the purchase of a motor lorry and four tip wagons at a cost of $40,000, and a two steam rollers at a total cost, of $12,000, The dollar is 2s. 4d.
Anonymity Barred.
Will correspondents who address inquiries to us please not fail to give their names and addresses as a guarantee of bona fides. We cannot reply to inquiries which are not complete in this respect. A particular inquiry under notice concerns " the longest distance known for a set of solid tires to have run, and who were the makers ? "
Warland Dual Rims.
One of the finest examples of high-class advertisement propaganda which it has been our fortune to inspect reaches us from the Warland Dual Rim Co., Ltd., of Alma Street., Aston, Birmingham. This consists of a remarkably wellproduced album containing photographs of all types of ears fitted with this speciality A Scout for Cromer.
We are pleased to be able to illustrate a recent delivery of a 20cwt. Scout motorvan to Rustus Ltd., of Cromer. This machine is to the usual standard Scout design with Chain drive and solid tires on all wheels, including twins on the rear ones. Mr. A. T. Burden, a director of Scout Motors, Ltd., advises us that this order was l'ecured in the face of keen cornpetitton, and the purchaser informs him that the company will favourably consider the Scout vehicle when buying again.
Scout motors are now being produced with worm-drive rear axles for their 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80-cwt. chassis. The following testimonials with regard to Rusts' machine is of interest. They write : " With reference to the van, we have had no trouble whatever with it so far. It is running perfectly and is giving us every satisfaction."
Standard Wheel Diameters for Solid Tires.
The Tire Section of the S.M.M.T.
has been moving for some considerable time in the, matter of tire and wheel standards ; the work of tabulating the replies received from manufacturers of commercialvehicle chassis has been completed. in the tabulation, a separate sheet has been given to each different section of tire, e.g., 65 mm., 75 mm., 88 mm., 90 min, etc. Two items are given in each case, viz., nominal size, and the felloe diameter. In one ease at least, a certain section is used by the maker only. On the other hand, the 100 mm. size, for example, is used by a considerable number of chassis makers. In this section, one nominal-size tire, viz., 820 min. by 100 mm., is used on felloes the diameters of which are variously described as 660 mm., 660.4 rum., 669.4 mm., and 670 ram. To give another example, one maker uses a. 900 mm. by 1.00 nun. tire on a 731 mm. felloe, and another a 910 mm. by 100 ram. tire on a 748 mm. felloe. One firm uses a 900 mm. by 100 mm. tire on a 734 ram. felIoe, and another a 920 mm. by 100 mm. tire on a 741 ram. felloe.
The question now is, how many of the nominal sizes shown really require to be listed, and what felloe diameters should be specified for same respectively. The figures to be found in various lists in this connection are simply bewildering.