Opinions from Others.
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Claims on Behalf of Coke.
. The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL Moron.
[1555] Sir,—The figures given in the letter from Mr. V. R. Chadwick, published in your last issue, as to the relative values for steam-raising purposes of cokebreeze and bituminous coal-slack, as determined by his experiments on a Lancashire boiler, are very interesting, and would be more valuable still if Mr. Chadwick would kindly inform us under what conditions of draught the boiler was working during, the test, whether natural, induced or forced, the type of grate, and whether he made any alteration in the arrangement of the firebars, etc., for the different
tests.—Yours faithfully, F. T. IlitToN. Chapel-en-le-Frith.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1556] Sir,—Your correspondent, Mr. Chadwick, has touched one of the vital chords of road transport when he pulls at the strings of economy. Owners are concerned in fuel-cost per mile, and the best way of burning fuel for efficiency and results. It would be interesting to have a few more details of his speciallydesigned furnace, which appears to be a form of forced draught, induced by steam jets. What effect has this stem on the varying call for steam on a steam wagon, and what is the effect on the firebox plates„ tuloes, and stays ? The -system has no claim beyond creating a more-uniform combustion of fuel in a perfect fire, and it would not govern imperfect combustion caused by the fire's becoming thin, or burning in holes, through the want of more-careful and frequent -attention to firing. The evil of imperfect combustion would still exist.
Any system which tends to assist the fireman to burn his fuel with more equality and methodically would be a welcomed adjunct, as it would reduce firebox maintenance and extend its life. I note a traction engine has been fitted with this system, andjs working successfully ; but we are not told how long it has been in-stalled, and whether tubes, etc., have been in any way imperilled, particularly when the fire begins to burn thin in places. There must be an enormous amount of cold air rushed through the opened way. Forced-draught economy, I believe, can only be obtained when used in conjunction with mechanical stokers, special fuel, and a fairly-constant load. It is practically impossible to get a uniformity of fuel when wagons are on journeys of some 200 miles from home. The driver has to take what he can get and not what he wants. The majority of coal merchants do not stock Welsh steam coal, and much less coke ; consequently, the various classes of fuel, which have to be taken on board, require different firing. What I do believe would be of great assistance to drivers would be a -form of thermometric or pyrometric indication, but I do not think that there is a practical instrument, on the market. It would indicate the temperature of the firebox. and immediately register any undue cold air rushing through the grate. At present, drivers stoke by practice and skill—not scientifically ; hence the great difference there is continually existing in maintenance of individual fireboxes throughout a fleet of vehicles or tractors supplied by one rnalcer.—Yours faithfully,
Weston-super-M are. liViLLIAm T. LALONDE.
The Price:ol Petrol and the Effect of the Tax.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
115571 Sir.I have seen the letter in your issue Of 30th ult. in which "Importer" gives his views as to the reasons for the increase in the price of motor spirit, and there is certainly one part of that letter which calls for correction.
In the closing paragraph, he states that the makers B48 of benzole and Scotch shale spirit do not pay the excise duty on motorcar fuel, and that therefore they are protected to the extent of the duty. While this statement may be correct so far as benzole is concerned, it is totally wrong as regards Scotch shale spirit. As a matter of fact, the manufacturers of shale spirit not only pay the duty, in common with the importers of foreign spirit, but, in addition, have to bear the expenses connected with Excise supervision of their operations, from which the foreigner is free. The position of the Scottish shale-oil industry in regard to this matter was very clearly stated in "The Glasgow Herald" of the 5th inst. I enclose a cutting of the article in question, and shall be glad if you can insert it in your next issue along with this letter. —Yours faithfully, R. G. MeCuLLEY, Scottish Mineral Oil Association, Honorary Secretary.
Glasgow.
[Extract—The Shale Spirit Duty.] .
Them is one point in connection with the additional fax on fuel which is worthy of mention. Shale spirit made in Scotland is paying the extra duty; and it appears a suitable time to inquire why it should pay any duty. Ever since the petrol duty was imposed the shale distilling industry has been hampered in many directions, although the total quantity used for motorcars has always been a mere trifle of the output. Most of the spirit has gone for cleaning, as rubber solvent and other such purposes. The duty for the year ended 31st March, 1914, was only £17,761, and for that amount the whole shale industry was not only hampered in its business working but was subjected to unfair competition from benzole,ion which np duty was levied. When the Treasury was challenged regarding the state of things they justifiea it on tvvo grounds. In the first. place, to freei shale,spirit would be contrary to Free Trade principles, white in respect of the berimile violation of those principles it was held that the cost of collection would be too great. Benzoic is produced at a great many small coke ovens, so that the game of supervising them would not be worth the candle. It was a matter of principle in the case of shale spirit, and of expediency where benzole was concerned. How long would such a state of things have been allowed to continue had shale spirit been produced in Ireland ? A Scottish industry is too small a matter for the budding statesmen sent to Westminster from Scotland to trouble about. Now that the Free Trade excuse no longer holds, it may be expected that the shale-distilling industry will be freed from the irritating and hampering restrictions to which it has been subjected since 1909. It is rather a strange circumstance that the Treasury pay the alcohol distillers for the inconvenience tinder which they suffer in respect of spirit not drunk in this country,, while in the case of the shale distillers the Department denies that inconvenience can arise. Nevertheless the inconvenience is real and very expensive, hut if the Treasury had to compensate the distillers they would find 'the duty a rather costly one. Duty is Faid on about 5 per cent, of the spirit produced, so that compensation would have to be paid on the remaining 95 per cent:. and the amount per gallon. paid by way of recompense would have to be very minute indeed to prevent the whole of the duty being absorbed.
Why Drop that 53A Per Cent ?
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1558] Sir,—I think it has been ta-ken too much for granted that the proposed dropping of the importation tax on foreign-built commercial vehicles is desirable. I myself personally express the opinion that this is unnecessary, and not in the best interests of the industry as a whole, and I am surprised to have found, during the past week or so, while in conversation with men who are either American manufacturers or big agents in Great Britain for the importation of American lorries, that in quite a number of ca-sea they thought it was an ,ill-advised step. An American importer of considerable standing put it to me in this way :—" We've got the run of your market at present, and I do net think it would be inequitable for us to be made to pay for that privilege."—Yours faithfully, "