News and Comment.
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This journal is known to possess the influence, the staff, the standing and the Leading circulation. It is exclusively read by the heads of many wealthy cuinmercial houses throughout the World.
Germany's latest design of subsidized wagon and trailer is illustrated, together with some notes from our Berlin correspondent, on page 308.
Topical Subjects.
Our leading articles this week deal with the following topical subjects: (1) "Motor traffic more manageable, yet the L.0.0. wants 10-mile limits ; " (2) " Drive near left kerb ; " (3) "The scope for motor mails ; ' (4) " Night storage accommodation during longdistance journeys ; " and (b) " Damage to roads by horses."
C.M.U.A. Membership.
It is interesting to note that for the past two months owners have enrolled themselves as members of the Commercial Motor Users Association at a rate well in excess of one per working day. The annual subscription is one guinea, and the entrance fee at present is only one guinea. Thus, for a cash-down payment of two guineas any owner can obtain all the advantages of membership, which include associateship of the Royal Automobile Club, free legal defence on two occasions in any year (with extensions to any number at low rates), free legal advice and information, special terms for expert opinion or engineering inspection' and a copy of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. post free weekly. A subscription paid before the end of the old year secures membership to the end of 1912, so that nothing will be lost by immediate application, and a form that may be used will be found elsewhere in this issue. South African Mails.
The proposal to handle mail services in South Africa, which was brought over to this country in the first instance several years ago, has turned up again. The scheme is one upon which one might spill a lot of ink in making estimates, and yet be pretty wide of the mark at the finish. We think it quite likely that some big scheme of the kind will come to a head in the next year or two. It will probably be unwise to start upon the project with a capital below £100,000.
Night Storage.
We wish to make a second note about the fourth leading article in this issue, because heavy vehicles cannot with impunity be left on the highway for many hours together. Systematized accommodation for storage is becoming a positive necessity, and there may be many who will read these lines and decide to turn sonic land or buildings to account in the manner suggested. Imagine the consternation in an ordinary garage, were a steam wagon and trailer to turn up and require space overnight.
National Automobile Council.
The National Automobile Council has now been inaugurated, and its constitution provides for the representation of all motoring in terests. Motorcyclists, manufacturers of motorcars, motorcab pro prietors, motorbus owners, makers of car and van bodies, commercial motor users, and private motorists, are all represented. At the moment., the Automobile Association has not joined,. but the car and cycle interests with which it is identified are well represented on the Council, through the Royal Automobile Club and the Auto-Cycle Union, so it cannot be held that this one abstention matters so seriously as it otherwise might.
To the resolution under which the Council was formally constituted, the following rider was added : " That it is earnestly hoped that the Automobile Association and Motor Union as the only body not now represented in the National Automobile Council will see its way to accept the present constitution and add its influence to the deliberations of the Council."
The objects of the Council are embodied in the following :—(a) That the Council should consider matters of legislation and taxation. (b) That the findings of the Council be submitted to the constituent bodies for their consideration and in all cases where unanimity is reached the decisions of the Council shall be put forward in the manner provided in clause (e). (c) That each of the constituent bodies, as the meetings of the Council may be irregular in date and may be called to meet an emergency, should nominate a panel of at least 12 delegates, and from among those best qualified, having regard to the subject to be discussed, each body could select three delegates for any narticular meeting of the Council. Each delegate should represent one body only at any one meeting of the Council. (d) That the Council shall choose at its first meeting in each year its own Chairman for the year, who may be chosen from outside any of the panels. (e) That the Royal Automobile Club should place its Committee Room at the disposal of the Council, convene all meetings when required by any one of the constituent bodies, provided that the Chairman of the Council is of opinion that the subject proposed for discussion comes within the terms of reference, and give effect in the name of the Council to the decisions of the Council by placing its organization at the disposal of the Council for all purposes of executive action.
The R.A.S.E. Show, at Doncaster, in July next, will be open each day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
lvel Agricultural Motors.
The address of the head office of lvel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., on and after Saturday next, the 16th inst., will be Biggleswade, Beds, S. P. Edge, Ltd.
The trading of S. F. Edge, Ltd., for the financial year ended the 30th September last, has shown gratifying progress, and this company's large participation in orders for taxicabs and light-van chassis ha, undoubtedly contributed to the
improvement, which promises to be maintained. The balance of profit and loss account reached .237,025. Another £10,000 has been added to reserve. Mr. Edge, in his speech at the recent general meeting, commented upon the enormous extension of the company's Colonial and foreign business, and the motion to declare a final dividend at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum was unanimously adopted by the shareholders.
Big Steam-wagon Order.
Another large order for Garrett steam wagons has to be recorded, and this old-established maker believes that it is the record single order to be placed by a bona-fide disinterested purchaser. It is from E. W. Rudd, Ltd., motor transport contractors. of Poplar. E., and is for 11 five-tonners and six rubbertired three-tormers, all of Garrett make. The extensive plant and facilities for production at the Garrett works, which are at Leiston, in Suffolk, will permit the delivery of the whole fleet early next month. The purchasing company has ordered these machines after considerable and competitive trial in service over a long term. All the vehicles will be fitted with Garrett special features, including superheater, The suggestion, often heard in interested quarters, that
the steam-wagon trade is dead, has thus received yet one more rude shock, and in London, too.
Camberwell's Van.
Camberw ell Borough Council has decided to purchase a motorvan for the use of its disinfecting department, from the Alldays and Onions Pneumatic Engineering Co., Ltd., at £381 15s. id., inclusive of interchangeable van bodies.
Staff Addition.
There is a vacancy for an additional junior on the editorial staff of this journal, and the Editor invites applications, which will be treated in confidence, from any candidate for the position who has
had the necessary experience on the practical side of commercial motoring. Some proof of capacity to undertake journalistic work must be communicated in the first instance, and experience may be either as a practical user, or on the drawing-office and constructional side, or both. Letters, with a summary of qualifications, should be addressed to " The Manager," Tim COMMERCIAL MOTOR, 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, RC., and the envelopes should be endorsed
Junior." Endorsement of Licences.
The undue hardship caused by many endorsements on drivers' licences is sometimes a source of trouble both to the men themselves and their employers, as the men are frequently prejudiced in any subsequent prosecutions which may arise. The Commercial Motor Users Association is supporting the Royal Automobile Club in steps which are being taken to bung about suitable legislation to provide for the expunging under certain conditions of such endorsements, and the Legal Committee of the Club, upon which the C.M.U.A. has direct representai ion, is about to formulate a report as to the best way of accomplishing this desirable end.
Fodens for Millers.
One of the industries upon which Fodens, Ltd., of Sandbach, has made a remarkable impression, if one may judge by the orders proceeding from that trade, is the milling industry. The latest example of a repeat order concerns Joseph Rank, Ltd., which company has ordered two more Foden fivetonners, which brings the fleet of Fodens of that size up to a total of 14. The orders from Joseph Rank, Ltd., for the Sandbach works, have averaged two per annum for a period of seven years. We believe that there are over 100 firms of millers in the United Kingdom who use Foden wagons, and we also know that much of this success on the part of the Foden Co. is directly traceable to the effect of the information published in our special "Millers' Issue," dated the 8th June, 1903. That issue contained a majority of reports from owners of Foden vehicles, and we had ample evidence, during the next few years, that Foden's business representatives carried about with them a reprint of the whole of that section, and quoted from it in almost every instance, with' the results seen.
New Registration.
Pryor-Young Wheel Syndicate, Ltd., with an authorized cauital of £3,000 in £23 shares (60 "A " and 60 "B "), by W. B. Styer, 11-12, Fenchurch Street, E.C., to acquire patents relating to wheels and signal lamps for motor vehicles, etc.
Sheffield's Purchases.
Sheffield City Council has accepted the tender of Hallev's Industrial Iklotors, Ltd., at £730, for one four-cylinder, 40 h.!). motor tower wagon complete for the Tramways Department, and the tender of J. and E. Hall, Ltd., at £703 15s., for an additional motor wagon, similar to the one at present in use, for the Highways and Sewerage De uartment.
Smart Napiers.
The " W.G." Cab Co. is maintaining and running a fleet of vans, which it has built to the order of the " Pall Mall Gazette." One of these is illustrated herewith. The General Motor Cab Co., another of the big London motorcab concerns, is already running several chassis cars for the " Evening Standard." It is interesting to note that some of the cab companies realize that there is a considerable demand for smartand reliable delivery vans.
A Word to Millers.
The C.M.U.A. is now directing the attention of millers to the names of representative members of the milling industry who are already upon the roll of membership of the Association. Supporters of this journal who have friends in the milling industry will render welcome assistance if they will draw the attention to this. Membership of the Commercial Motor Users Association is now in excess of 520, and is steadily growing. As will be recalled, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR is posted, to order, each week, so as to arrive by the first postal delivery on Thursday morning, to members of the Association, and this is but one of the advantages which can be secured in virtue of membership.
Liverpool's Second Bite.
Mr. J. Graham Reece, of Messrs. J. Blake and Co., of Liverpool, who certainly deserves to reap the reward of his energy in backing the case for the commercial motor in Liverpool, has been giving some information to The Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury" about his views upon Liverpool's slowness in going in for modern vehicles. Mr. Reece does not appear to have made mention of the fact that part of the hesitancy is undoubtedly due to the fact that Liverpool took up commercial motors, and worked them on a considerable scale, in the early and pioneer days, when the vehicles were much too light for their intended work; or at least for the work that was imposed upon them, and in a sense " fell to pieces " under the conditions of exacting service and overloading, etc., in a relatively-short time. Were the same project to be taken up to-day, after an interval of ten years, during which so much progress has been made, both mastercarters and railway companies would be figuratively " run off their legs " in very many directions, by present-day models. We hope that Mr. Graham Reece may be amongst those who will turn time scale in favour of commercial motors at the Mersey port. Liverpool, which did so much to encourage commercial motor traffic, is much behind Manchester in this branch of motoring.
1912 Parade, Nearly 200 entries have been received for the 1912 Parade, which will take place on Whit-Monday next, under the control of the Commercial Motor Users Association. Amongst the fleets of vehicles entered, we observe the following well-known names of owners: Allen and Hanburys. Ltd. ; Carter, Paterson and Co.. Ltd. ; the Eastern Motor Wagon Co., Ltd. ; the Gas Light and Coke Co. ; General Post Office ; Milnes-Daimler (Hiring • Department),Ltd. ; Mark Mayhew, Ltd. ; McNamara, and Co., Ltd. ; the Sun Flour Mills, Ltd. ; Thomas Tilling,Ltd. ; the Westminster City Council ; and Waring and Gillow. Ltd. Contributions to the general and Special funds have already begun, and this year, in all cases where contributions to the special fund are limited for award to drivers of vehicles owned by the contributors or to drivers who are using tires or other commodities made or sup plied by the contributors, the Parade Committee will require a donation of an equal sum to be given to the general fund, in order to cover the additional expense of administration and organization. Anybody who considers the matter will see that this request is wholly reasonable.
1913 Road Congress.
The Royal Automobile Club will contribute /500 towards the fund of the International Road Congress which is to take place in London in 1913, and at which the repreentatives of some 30 countries will attend. The Committee of the Club has also informed Sir George S. Gibb, the Chairman of the Road Board, who is Chairman of the Congress Executive Committee. that it will be pleased to make all the foreign delegates honorary members of the Club during the congress. This International congress promises to be of far-reaching and beneficial effect to motor transport liroughout the United Kingdom, for its proceedings will strengthen the hands of the Road Board, and be of incalculable advantage to all owners. Public opinion will be advanced, and the Government will be led to realize the necessity to spend plenty of money on the .roads in order to keep pace with other nations. Thus, if only by slow degrees, do we approach the realization of the quid pro quo for the petrol tax.
Milk Conveyance in London by Steam Wagon.
Yorke, Stoneham and Jones, Ltd., includes amongst its many contract jobs the collection at Paddington of milk from the Chippenham Dairy depot of the Wiltshire Farmers, Ltd., as we have observed on several occasions when arriving at or leaving the G.W.R.
terminus. We are glad to know that the dairy in question, of which Mr. J. S. Corbett is the chairman. has done splendidly during the past season. It now deals with 50,000 gallons of milk per day, and it ran to as high a total as 70,009 gallons per day in the summer. There is the proper plant for the conversion
into cheese of large quantities of milk, when there is a big supply in the summer months and the price is low. Local farmers have benefited enormously by the arrangements to deal with large quantities. and the fact that motor vehicles are employed for conveyance in London is but one example of the excellent management of the undertaking. An Aveling and Porter vrthicle does the work, and sometimes two are wanted.
It is interesting to learn that the operation of this association has brought about better terms front the wholesalers, and that the farmers have benefited enormously. In this connection, not every reader of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR may know that an increase of one halfpenny per gallon means fully ,.21 per annum per cow to the farmer, as an average yield from a herd is 500 gallons per head. The annual yield per cow sometimes reaches. 700 galls.
Concentrating on Ivel.
Mr. A. Hoffmann, whose name has been associated with the progress of Ivel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., for many years, is now about to concentrate his whole attention upon the development of that business, and is resigning his position as managing director of the United Motor Industries, Ltd. Ivel machines are selling in increasins numbers, and Mr. Hoffmann will shortly start on an extended foreign tour, to the Argentine. Brazil, and other countries of South, America.