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News and Comment.

14th January 1909
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Page 8, 14th January 1909 — News and Comment.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The comment and views of this journal are respected and carry weight, because members of its Editorial staff possess practical experience and knowledge of the construction and use of commercial motors ; for these reasons, too, amongst others, it enjoys an exclusive, genuine and valuable circulation. It is purchased by readers—not given away.

Show or no Show—that isthe question.

It looks as though the decision might be not to have a show at Olympia next March, and we comment upon the situation elsewhere (pages 377 and 378).

Two-cylinders or Four?

Mr. Raymond Dennis takes up a branch of this controversy which travels beyond the range of the motorcab, and argues strongly in favour of four-cylinder engines for useful loads in excess of one ton (page 393).

Forthooming Manchester Show.

The Committee of the Manchester and District Motor Trades Association, Limited, is well satisfied with the support it is receiving for the forthcoming show at Belle Vue, and is trying to arrange an extension of space. The latest applicants are Robey and Company, Limited, of Lincoln, and Berna Motors, Limited.

Motorcab Topics.

Our section for the specific inclusion of inc.itorcab paragraphs has been remarkably well received, and we shall spare no pains to make its contents as interesting as circumstances permit. Following the publication of our special motorcab issue on the 3oth April last, there have been large additions to the ranks of country owners, whilst, as was proved by the directory of London proprietors which was exclusively published by this journal in its issue of the 29th October last, numerous individual purchases also took place in the Metropolis. This week's space is largely devoted to an explanation of the reasons "Why taximeters lie," but the article proceeds to make clear that the public at large has very little to fear in respect of inaccurate or excessive charges.

A report has reached us to the effect that steps may shortly be taken to establish a master patent on all bandsection tires. We shall watch for de‘elopmen:s.

°Road Traction Engineers.

The next debate of the session will take place, on Monday, the 18th instant, at 112, Piccadilly, NV., at 8 o'clock, for which occasion the subject set down for consideration is : " Electrhc. transmission from the engine to the road wheels versus other forms of transmission for the same purpose."

Members are invited to bring with them friends who are interested in the above question, which is certainly one that should give rise to many interest ing speeches. Mr. W. A. Stevens

The Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, Limited, notifies us of the election of Mr. L. M. Bergin as a director, and that Mr. J. Gooding has been appointed a member of the board of the Dunlop Rubber Company, Limited.

A Hungarian Tender.

We note that the Budapest Corporation purposes acquiring self-propelled vehicles for the removal of dust, snow, and the like, also for watering the roads. Home and foreign firms are invited to tender. The British Consul at Budapest is I. Briill, Esq., C.M.G., and he would doubtless render assistance tol3ritish houses wishing to tender.

Warm Motor Houses.

The majority of owners of petroldriven vehicles appreciate the necessity for the heating of the buildings in which their vans or lorries stand at night time. It is briefly explained, on page 395, how an inexpensive and simple " couple " may be introduced for the purpose of sounding a warning in the event of an undue fall of temperature through a temporary interruption of the supply of heat.

In the Snow.

Several private letters have reached us in which details are given of experiences during the blizzard at the end. of last month. One of the most interesting of these explains bow a load. of groceries was taken from a wagon which had become embedded in a snowdrift, and how the goods were conveyed, per motorcar, in lots of about three cwt. each, to the shops of an important co-operative society. Notwithstanding the difficulties experienced, and the heavy cost per ton-mile, deliveries were effected by motor which would have been absolutely ii-possible by any other means—unless by airship, which is uncommercial.

We observe that the Dartmouth Town Council is putting a Mann steam wagon to the test. This machine should prove very satisfactory for the purposes in view.

The Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, Limited, reports great activity at its Acton Vale works in the repairing and retreading of tires. This company's equipment for such repairs is of a first-class order.

R.A.C. Associates.

The Liverpool Automobile Club and Self-Propelled Traffic Association, which was formed in the spring of the year 1906, with the Editor of this journal as Honorary Secretary, and with the immediate support of the late Earl of Derby, Messrs. Alfred Holt, Anthony G. Lyster, Sir Alfred L. Jones, Dr. H. S. Hele-Shaw, F.R.S., Mr. John A. Brodie, and other Liverpool gentlemen, has become associated with the Royal Automobile Club,

The Roar of London.

Mr. H. Waymouth Prance, A.I.E.E., A.M.I.A.E, a partner in the firm of Messrs. Markham and Prance, consulting motor engineers, of 143, Strand, MC., contributed an interesting article on the above subject, last week, to the

" s Evenire= News." The roar of Lon

don, even fifteen years ago, it occurs to us to point out, was enormous compared with that of to-day, and it is mainly to the substitution of wood for stone setts that the improvement is due, although the wider use of rubber tires has largely helped. Mr. Prance deals fully with details of mechanical construction in motor vehicles of various types, and points out that a comparative degree of silence has resulted from alterations, and from better driving. Whilst we are in general agreement with him that such reduction of noise in detail is eminently desirable, and that small matters such as rattlingadvertisement boards should not be ignored, we cannot agree that the motor vehicle has at any time deserved to be regarded as the prime cause of what is generally understood as "The roar of London," which the title of the article suggests.

India's Christmas Mail.

One of the Renard trains now in India, Nvhich trains are under the direct charge and supervision of Mr. Kenneth H. Buchanan, the late general manager of the Pioneer Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, did very useful work for the Bombay General Post Office a few weeks ago. The collection of the heavy inward mails from the P. and 0. steamer, both for conveyance to the railway and the sorting office, is naturally a heavy job, and this had previously been undertaken by slow-moving bullock carts. No less than 90 tons of letters and parcels, much of these being in large boxes, were taken by the Renard train in only seven trips; as many as iSo packages were easily accommodated per trip against seven by a bullock cart, whilst the saving in time per trip was in excess of ,Lit per cent. This performance should help the representatives of the Renard 1:,:lad and Rail Transport Con

poration to elttain further In orders. "The Surveyor" and Roads.

Our contemporary "The Surveyor,"" which is the mouthpiece of the surveyors and engineers of the country,. appears to us rather to have gone out of its way, in its issue of the 8th instant, to attack Lord Montagu or Beaulieu. In the course of a short leading article in the journal named, we read : " Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, whose claim to speak upon road matters would appear to rest upon no more substantial basis than that he is a member of the Council of the Roads Improvement Association, is of opinion that the administration of English_ roads is inefficient, wasteful, and not to be compared with the much better sys tem obtaining in France. . . The need for military roads again can scarcely arise in this country, dependent as we are upon our fleet for the necessaries of life." Lord Montagu has no need for apologists, but we might mention, merely as a matter of fact, that his membership of the Hampshire County Council, coupled with a more than usual capacity for close observation, may well be held both to qualify him for membership of the Council of the Roads Improvement Association and for the utterance of an opinion such as that which seems to have raised the ire of Mr. GibsonThompson. Whilst we are prepared to admit that some motorists are inclined to ask more than is reasonable, it is equally certain that not a few surveyors are behind the times in their methods, and fail to use all their undoubted influence in respect of a forward policy. On the matter of the possible use of our roads for military purposes, our contemporary can hardly be acquainted with recent happenings at the War Office, whose intention to develop mechanical transport for home defence is. becoming increasingly known. It is, of course, perfectly true that this country relies upon its first line of defence —the Navy—for protection, but that is no valid reason why the Home Army should be imperfectly provided with modern transport. The opportunity depends upon proper road construction.

Mr. A. Aldersley Taylor, sales manager of Commercial Cars, Limited, has been elected a member of the Commercial Vehicle Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, RenoId Chains.

Hans RenoId, Limited, of the Progress Works, Brook Street, Manchester, has recently issued a most instructive 130-page booklet on " RenoId Driving Chains and their Uses," in which publication a quantity of original data and information is given. The uses to which driving chains are now applied are extremely numerous and varied in character, and there can be no doubt that, in many cases, they offer great advantages over the older forms of power transmission. The book should be read by every user of power.

Wood-shod Tractor Wheels.

We are indebted to William Foster and Company, Limited, of I.incoln, for a copy of a letter which that company has recently received from Messrs. W. J. Lobjoit and Slin:,„ of Heston Farm, Hounslow, and we believe this will interest many of our readers : " You will doubtless be interested to know that the wood-shod wheels supplied by you with our No. 4 tractor proved their value on Monday mornMg last (Dee. 28th). The roads were SO slippery with snow and frost, that horses were lying aboutin all direc tions, unable to stand. Our No. 3 tractor with steel-shod wheels was hung up helpless. No. 4 took a heavy load to Brentford Market without trouble, then returned and took the load that No. 3 was stranded with to Covent Garden Market. At Busch Corner, Isleworth, there were eight trams held up on ac

count of the prostrate horses. The tram men cheered our tractor, as the only thing able to move on the road."

The tread of each of these driving wheels consists of 64 blocks of poplar wood, arranged in four rows. The blocks are 41in. in depth tin the direction of the grain), and the total width of the tread is tolin. The blocks in adjacent rows are staggered, and a space is allowed between the ends of the blocks in each row. The steel rim of the wheel has one fixed and one removable flange, and between these the blocks zire clamped by means of 32 bolts.

Dennis Deliveries.

Recent deliveries by Dennis Brothers, Limited, of Guildford, include one of two 35h.p. vans for J. and P. Coats, Limited, and two 2oh.p. vans for Messrs. S. Maw, Son and Sons : these latter vehicles %ill be worked, under contract, by McNamara and Company, Limited, thereby relieving Messrs. Maw, who had originally intended to purchase the vans themselves, of all responsibilit in regard to maintenance and running. The feature of the body of the Coats' you is the method of construction, NOICh allows access from the side : the top half retires like the top of a roll-top desk, while the bottom portion has down as shown herewith) in order to allow goods to be wheeled over it into the van, which was supplied through Rennie and Prosser, Limited, of Glasgow. The lettering on the vans for Messrs. Maw is effectively displayed, and they are shown (page 387) outside that company's extensive premises in Aldersgate Street, London, E.C.

Willing's Press Guide.

J. Willing. Junr., Limited, of 125, Strand, W.C., is to be congratulated upon its latest issue of Willing's Press Guide, this being the a6th year of publication. How so much useful information in regard to the Press of the United Kingdom, America and the Colonies can be compressed into 460 pages is hard to explain, except on the

basis of long experience, whilst the low cost of the book in question, which is sold at is., cannot fail to appeal to all commercial men who for any reason may desire to refer to its contents.

Frankfort Fire Brigade Wants Money.

The filo I a t ion of the Fran

Fire Brigade has been postponed .5:ne die, Frankfort's Chief Burgomaster having declared that the city really had no money for the execution of the project. It is somewhat difficult to believe that a rich city like Frankfort cannot raise sufficient money to re-organise its brigade on modern lines.

A Stoltz Metamorphosis.

Our Berlin correspondent writes :— " When referring to the Stoltz steamchassis on its appearance here in conliction with an omnibus body, I stated that Herr Peter Stoltz contemplated modifying the general mechanical plan, and the new arrangement, I find, is incorporated in a single-decker now on actual trial in Paris by the Societe Anon toe des Generaleurs Economiques, a strongly-financed company formed for the purpose of making and selling lorries and omnibuses with the Stoltz chassis. The gila76rateur &onomique ' consisting, of a series of tubular plates drilled and machined out of the solid, has been illustrated and described in your columns, and there is nc need to deal with it further. As to the omnibus, both body and mechanical plan differ considerably from the former designs. In the old chassis, the generator lay in front along with the bun. kers, the smoke—what there was of it, for a Stoltz emits practically no smoke —being carried up through a chimma also in front and emerging a foot or s( above the roof-extension, whilst the compound engine, in horizontal position, was carried underneath the framt and close to the countershaft carrying the sprocket for the rear-wheel chair drive. The condenser, too, lay uncle' the frame, at the back.

" In the new design, this last-men. tioned unit is right in front, and, be hind this, above the steering axle, ot the plan adopted by Biiessing and thi Gaggenau firm for some of thei: models, comes the steam motor, but diagonal one, completely cased in [The engine was illustrated on paga 345 of our issue of the 31st Decembe last, when dealing with the vehicli at the Paris Salon.—ED.1. The chim icy is no longer visible, for it passe through the bunkers, which, with fire box and generator, occupy the space be tween the omnibus body and th■ driver's seat. Further, we get trans mission by cardan and chain to rea wheels. So far as I can gather, th Stoltz patents seem to be making toler able headway. The next competitioi for the Prussian War Office's subsid:

will see a Stoltz on the scene, suppos ing, that the lorry can be got ready ii

time. Herr Stoltz has designed a yehicl in accordance with the Prussian mili tary requirements, the lorries hithert

marketed being either too light or to heavy for the subvention," An illut tration of a bus built on the Sic& system is given on page 387.—ED1


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