News and Comment.
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This journal enjoys a valuable and exclusive circulation among business men: the sales of this issue are guaranteed to exceed 8,500 copies.
This issue is the first number of our fifth volume.
Several regular features of this journal are omitted from to-day's issue in order to enable us to deal adequately with the exhibits at Olympia. Our regular fortnightly i census of Metropolitan motorbuses n commission was taken on Saturday last, 48 hours early, and it will be found on page 49.
The second portion of our Olympia report will be found on pages 9 to 48, and the 8-page supplement contains additional illustrations connected therewith. The first portion of our report, in which mowers, rollers, steam wagons and tractors were described, was in considerable demand at the exhibition on Thursday, Friday and Saturday last.
This week's issue, which is put on sale at Olympia some 6o hours ahead of our usual publishing time, completes the report proper, and brings it up to a total of 84 pages inclusive of 12 pages of illustrated supplement. It is the first complete report to be published, and indications point to its enjoying a very large sale to the many new observers of commercial motoring who are making their acquaintance with the subject for the first time.
The accompanying illustration of a 5-ton Foden wagon serves to point our statements of last week as to the development of the estate of the First Garden City, Limited, at Letchworth, where this vehicle is employed by its proprietors, Messrs. J. Dent and Company. This machine has been able to get through a large amount of heavy work, both on the surrounding roads and on the meadow-land during the erection of various buildings, and it has proved to save a very large amount per week in respect of the conveyance of 3-ton to 5-ton loads. We believe it was the first motor wagon to be employed in connection with the development of
this interesting estate, which offers so many advantages for the establishment of new factories, but it is certain that it must be looked upon as the fore-runner of many others.
The Local Government Board has assigned the index mark " H.A." to the County Borough of Stnethwick, to which dignity that place will be advanced on the ist proximo.
Mr. Percy Martin's paper before the Institution of Automobile Engineers on the i3th instant is, as we go to press, a subject of much interested specula. lion among members of the industry. It is entitled " Works Organisation," and the fine lecture-room of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers al Storey's Gate, S.W., is the place for its delivery. Our Olympia stand is No. 96.
Mr. J. M. MacLulich, the Managing Director of the Sirdar Rubber Company, Limited, of Bradford-on-Avon, and 34, Baker Street, W., enters a plea in our correspondence columns for more recognition of British labour in the motor-tire industry.
The Adams Manufacturing Company, Limited, of 147, Queen Victoria Street, E.C., has issued a catchy and Succinct pamphlet entitled " What they say about us." A few interesting references to the company's cabs, interlocking foot control, and commercial motors are included.
Mr. H. Fournesse Hirst advises us that he is retiring from the management of the Commercial Motor Company, of Saint Ann Street, Leeds, and that he is open to accept a good agency for the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, or other position in connection with the introduction and sale of utility vehicles.
John I. Thornycroft and Company, Limited, of Chiswick, Basingstoke, and Southampton has been advised of its having been awarded a Grand Prix in addition to other awards at the last year's Milan Exhibition. This brings up the total awards received by the Thorny-croft Company to four, consistof one Grand Prix, two Gold Medals, and one Diploma.
Mr. Rees Jeffreys, Secretary of the Motor Union and of the M.V.W.O.U.A., is giving much of his time, just now, to combating the hooded-van danger. He is urging various county councils and other authorities to adopt a by-law similar to that which is in operation for the administrative county of London. The L.C.C. by-law was made in pursuance of the provisions of Section 23 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882, and Section 16 of the Local Government Act, 1888. It came into force on the 1st day of May, 1904, and reads :—
" No owner of a vehicle shall drive such vehicle or permit the same to be driven or to be upon any highway unless it be so constructed that the driver thereof shall have a fuft and uninterrupted view of the traffic on such highway in front and abreast of him on each side, and no person who shall be driving any vehicle upon any highway shall occupy such a position as will prevent or interfere with his having such full and uninterrupted view as aforesaid. Any person who shall offend against this by-law shall be liable for each offence t()aenalty not exceeding forty shillings."
wonder how it is that drivers of County Council tramcars do not suffer repeatedly under this by-law, having regard to the position of the stairways. Several important letters intended for our correspondence columns are held over until next week.
The Lord Mayor, Sir W. P. Treloar, showed the greatest interest in the commercial exhibits when walking round the show on Thursday morning last. He was accompanied by Mr. H. G. Burford, Chairman of the Commercial Vehicle Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and other leading members of the motor industry.
After the luncheon, in proposing the toast of " The Exhibition," he referred to the improvement which he had noted in the running of London's motorbuses. and expressed the opinion, speaking as a tradesman, that the use of the motorvan would be an absolute necessity for anybody who was to keep up with the times. In the course of his response on behalf of the Society, Mr. Sidney Straker, who occupied the chair, referred to the pluck and determination that was necessary to enable makers to triumph over their many difficulties in connection with motorbus traffic in London. A pleasing feature of the proceedings was the presentation to the Lord Mayor of a cheque for so guineas, in the name of the Society, as a small contribution to his Fund for Crippled Children. Sir William Treloar acknowledged this graceful act in terms which left no doubt as to his appreciation of the recognition of the work he has done in this direction.
Mr. Richard Burbidge, Managing Director of Harrod's Stores, Limited, proposed the next toast, that of "The Industry," and proceeded to inform his hearers that, notwithstanding the fact that his company had been using motorvans since the year 1896, it was only within the last two years that it had felt justified in placing any extensive orders. He was, to-day, rather in the position of having difficulty in obtaining satisfactory delivery ; so assured was he of the saving that was to be effected by the employment of motorvans such as were obtainable nom that he wanted them at the rate of six a week. Our next week's issue will contain an article, from the pen of Mr. Henry Sturmey, on " The Renard train commercially considered."
We understand that William Foster and Company, Limited, the makers of the successful " Wellington " tractor, which has come so prominently forward within the last twelve months, has taken a record number of orders at the Olympia Show.
As there is no paucity of material and information in our show reports, and as, in spite of the very large amount of space at our disposal, we have been unavoidably obliged to shut out both text and illustrations, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR " can only offer its margins for the use of visitors to the show who may be able to find anything else of interest to add to our report.
It is reported that the first order booked at Olympia, where business appears to be proceeding with unanticipated _ briskness, was taken by the New Arrol-Johnston Car Company, Limited, in the forenoon of Monday last, this being for a 2-ton van from Messrs. Slazenger and Sons, of Laurence Pountney 11111, E.G., the wellknown makers of tennis requisites and other sporting outfits.
The question of establishing State motor lines for the Post in Austria, writes the " Eisenbahnblatt," seems very near solution. At first, only a few lines—some four or five perhaps— will be opened, and, indeed, those for which the requisite rolling stock can be most promptly supplied. The subsidising of these lines by the Post is justified by the fact that they will work the postal service. They will be arranged so as to lie in the neighbourhood of one or two central points, in order that, should breakdowns occur, reserve vehicles will be at hand to obviate any appreciable interruption of the traffic. We, also, understand that an extended use is to be made of motorcycles for the collection of letters, as the trial machines have answered very well. Not only Vienna, but big provincial towns as well, are to have cycles for the purpose mentioned. No decision has been arrived ht with re gard to the utilisation of automobiles in the parcel-post service.
The annual report of the Motor Union comments upon the amount of useful work which has been accomplished during the past twelve months by the M.V.W.O.U.A. The annual general meeting of this association will be held on Tuesday the 26th instant at four o'clock. The Executive Committee for the forthcoming year is as follows :—
Mr. G. Arnold (Messrs. W. Arnold and Sons), East Peckham, Paddock Wood ; Mr. L. IL Baxendale (Pickford's, Limited), London, E.C. ; Capt. W. K. Bagnall-Wild (Secretary, War Office Committee on Mechanical Transport), London ; Mr. E. R. Calthnop, M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E., London ; Mr. Arthur FT. Clay (Bass, Ratcliffe, and Gretton, Limited), Burton-onTrent ; Mr. F. C. A. Coventry (Great Western Railway), Slough ; Col. R. E. B. Crompton, C.B., M.Inst.C.E., London ; Mr. W. Dalziel (Union Transit Company, Limited), Glasgow ; Mr. T. W. Staplee Firth (Solicitor), London, ex-officio; Mr. S. D. Gilbert (London Motor Omnibus Company, Limited), London ; Dr. H. S. Hele-Shaw, F.R.S., London ; Mr. H. Howard Humphreys, M.I.Mech.E., London ; Mr. W. Rees Jeffreys (Secretary, Motor Union of Great Britain and Ireland), London, ex-officio; Mr. W. G. Lobjoit (Messrs. W. and J. Lobjoit), Hounslow; Mr. H. Thomson Lyon, M.I.E.E. (Chairman, Traffic Committee, Westminster City Council), Westminster; Mr. Douglas Mackenzie, A.M.I.Mech.E., London ; Mr. J. C. Mitchell (London Road Car Company, Limited), London ; Mr. L. G. Oldfield (London Omnibus Owners' Federation), London ; Mr. Arthur Paterson (Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd.), London, E.C.; Mr. R. R. Robbins (Messrs. Wild and Robbins), Yiewsley, Middlesex; Mr. James Scott (London Improved Cab Company, Limited), London ; Mr. D. H. Simpson, Manchester; Mr. E. Shrapnel] Smith (Hon. Treasurer), London, ex-officio ; the Hon. Arthur Stanley, M.P. (Chairman, Motor Union of Great Britain and Ireland), London, ex-officio; Mr. A. A. Campbell-Swinton (London and District Motor Omnibus Company), London; Mr. Chas. Wheeler (General Postoffice), London ; Mr. W. H. Willcox (W. H. Willcox and Co., Limited), London.
The business for the meeting contains several items of interest—