News and Comment.
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Newsagents and subscribers' orders for this journal are more than double those for all similar journals combined: in addition, we post many thousand copies of special issues.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is now more comfortably and adequately housed.
The new premises are in Maxwell House, Arundel Street, Strand, W.C., and include a room capable of seating 200 persons.
The funds of this society arc over Lio,ono, and these are invested in trustee securities. Active steps arc now being taken to reconcile the apparently divergent interests of British manufacturers and importers of foreign vehicles.
The general committee of the Motor Union has offered to contribute a sum of ten guineas, in connection with the forthcoming lamp trials of the Automobile Club, if a special test can be ar ranged for the purpose of discovering
a motor head-lamp which will not give rise to complaints. on account of brilliancy and glare.
The Lancashire County Council is about to "armour" a length of macadamised road between Dnrwen and Manchester, where heavy motor traffic is very general.
Bremen is reorganising its Fire Brigade on a self-propelled basis. We understand that a trial is to be given to a steam engine from the Maschinenbaufabrik at Bautzen, near Hanover, which has supplied the municipal councils of Hamburg, Schiineberg, and other towns with similar fire-extinguishing plant.
This is the Twelfth Special Issue of "THE, COMMERCIAL MOTOR.'
Owners of country estates and hotels will, naturally, peruse the section which begins on page 456 with some eager•ness; they will find matters to interest them in other portions of our journal; not omitting the advertisement pages..
We feel called upon, from our own knowledge of the advantages which are to be derived from their employwent, to emphasise the economies that should universally result where pleasure cars are relieved by stout and substantially-built machines, fitted with .solid rubber tyres f for station and similar work.
Our previous Special Issues have
been, during 1905 'Indian and Colonial "(March 23rd,)•, "The Brewing In_ dustrv " (April 13th); " Laundry 'and' Allied Trades " (May nth) ; " Milling and Flour-dealing Trades " (June 8th); " Motor Omnibuses " (July 6th); Market Gardeners and Fruit Growers" (August 31st); " To Middlemen " (October 12th); "Olympia Show" (November i6th and 23rd); and the "Japanese Supplement" (November 3oth). The January " Special " was for " Builders and Contractors."
Three provincial exhibitions remain open until Saturday. Liverpool has the newest types ; Manchester the greatest number of steam wagons. Reports of these shows, and of the one at Newcastle-on-Tyne, are given on pages 452 to 455_ Motorbuses are being employed at Liverpool.
Thirty-six companies and firms will exhibit commercial motors at the forthcoming show to be held at the Agricultural Hall, which will be open on the 24th proximo.
For the third year in succession the Ivel Agricultural Motors, Limited, has won the gold medal offered by the Upton-by-Chester and District Ploughing. Society for the most efficient agricultural motor.
The new self-propelled engine acquired by the Schtineberg Corporation, which was illustrated and described in our issue of November 23rd, page 228, is included in the Automobile Exhibition at Berlin. The place of tire-extinguishing plant is the lire station, not an exhibition. If the corporation can lend its motor plant, why not do without it? It may be recollected, however, that the vehicle got put out of action on its first, as well as its second run to a fire ; it couldn't be steered, and skidded all over the roadway.
Two interesting papers were read last Wednesday evening. The lirst, entitled " Some Unsolved Problems in Motor Engineeri,ng," by Col. Crompton, C.B., R.E. ; the second, " The Horseless Carriage, 1885-igos," by Claude Johnson, Esq., of .Messrs. C. S. Rolls and Company.
Messrs. Frank Little and Company, of Ward's Buildings, High Bridge, Newcastle-on-Tyne, have just opened a commodious and well-appointed garage and repair shop at Moor Edge, Spital Tongues, Newcastie. They are also shortly opening a central tiep(nand show rooms at 19-21, Westgate Road, in the city on the banks of the Tyne.
A German daily announces military manoeuvres with freight motors for next spring. It states that the trials will extend over several weeks. We should imagine this, as the German War Office does not allow itself to be hurried into adopting innovations. Both the trials and the official report thereon will be awaited with keen interest, and we trust to be in a position to deal with this matter at the proper time.
We are indebted to Pickford's, Limited, of 57, Gresham Street, E.C., for the loan of the historic advertisement which we reproduce on this page.
The governors of the Battersea Polytechnic have just placed an order with Clarkson, Limitea, of Chelmsford, for a chassis. It will be used for the better training of the students attending certain of the classes in motorcar construction work.
The Automobile Mutual Protection Association and the Roads Improvement Association are conjointly taking steps to promote a series of experiments in the direction of a perfect dustless road. The constitution of the committee is : Lt.-Col. R. E. Crompton, C.B. (chairman), Messrs. Charles Cordingley, E. Shrapnel! Smith, W. Rees Jeffreys (secretary of the Motor Union), Jesse Ellis, J. D. de Mattos, and Douglas Mackenzie (secretary to the joint sub-committee). It is expected that a section of the London-Maidstone road, about ti mile in length, between Wrotham Heath and Maidstone, will be used for the tests. The three following descriptions of road materials will he given an exhaustive trial :— Kleinpflaster, a special mosaic of random small setts; tarred slag obtainable from a particular brand of pig iron ; and Ouarrite, a patented preparation of tar limestone, which is treated hot.
The Fire Brigade Committee of the London County Council has recently invited tenders for the supply of a motor-propelled hose tender, to carry, in addition to a quantity of hose, a telescopic first-floor ladder, hook ladders, and other small gear. The three selected companies and the amounts of their tenders were Merryweather and Sons, Limited— £768—; John Morris and Sons, Limited, of Manchester—
■ .)to--.; and the Wolseley 'foci and Motor Car Company, Limited, of Birmingham (no formal tender submitted). The committee has decided, subject to the usual sanction, to accept the tender of Merryweather and Sons, Limited. Whilst not doubting the excellence of design and workmanship of any machine turned out by the above companies, we should like to be informed why such important concerns as the New Arrol-Johnston Motor Car Company, Limited, James and Browne, Limited, and other well-known manufacturers have been omitted from the selected list of estimators.
The Hercules Motor Wagu:1 CUMpany, WurkS, LI:Vellshullne, Manchester, will shortly place a 4oh.p. petrol omnibus chassis on the market. It is announced that the gear-box will be of special design, mid that the changespeed control will be of the locking-gale pattern.
Mellowes and Company, Limited, of Corporation Street, Sheffield, which companv owns the " Eclipse " roof glazing, makes a feature of glass roofing for large buildings. The special method of attaching the glass in place makes it impossible for water or damp to leak through, and the system • is giving excellent results in the roofs of large railway sta. Lions, conservatories, and garages throughout the Kingdom.
• The prospectus of I he Edinburgh a id District Motor Omnibus COlnpail1r, itCd, whose registered office is at 236-239, Finsbury Pavement House, London, EC, has been
• issued with an authorised capital of 200,000 10 L. I
• Mares. The Company proposes to conduct the business of passenger carriers in 'Edinburgh, Leith, and surrounding districts, and the ex-general manager of the Barcelona Tramways, Limited, Mr. Thomas Morris, has reported favourably upon the scheme of working. A contract has been entered into with the Motor Car Emporium, Limited, for the supply of 15o chassis.
Messrs. Sinclair and Company, Fire Engineers, of 19, Eldon Street, London, E.C,, who are makers of the " Favourite " self-acting chemical fire extincteurs, have for some time past been marketing sizes which are suitable for motor omnibuses and garages. Seventy-six of their " No. 0" size, to hold one gallon and weighing only loth, have been supplied to the Great Northern and City Electric Rail
way Company. The chemical charges for this size are is. 3d. each. Each extincteur is !Med with a tap, and the
prices range from -/:1 ms. for the " 0" size (one gallon) to 4;6 125. 6d. for the "No. 5" size, which is the largest of the type for garages (seven gallons). This firm was • awarded a gold medal for its various lire-extinguishing appliances at the International Fire Exhibition which was held in London in iojoi. It might also be mentioned that the so-gallon copper cylinder and the automatic hose-reel for the leVolseiey chemical engine, which is owned by thoF Leicester Corporation, were supplied by Messrs. Sinclair.
Paddington Opposes Tramcars.
Stormy scenes marked the discussion by the Paddington Borough Council, on Tuesday, the aist ult., of a reconnrwitdation by the general purposes committee that the solicitor be instructed to present a. petition against the Landon County Council Tramways and Improvements Bill, which has refer-cnce to the proposed line along the Edgware Road ; the matter was before the Paddington Council at its last meeting (as \vas reported in " TELE COALMERCIAL MOTOR " of January 25th, page 395, anie), and was adjourned. Councillor Perring, supported an amendment to the motion for the adoption of the recommendation, viz., that it be referred back. Mr. Blackwood, following on the same side, s:tid that the ttest locomotion for the general public was the electric ear. (Cries of" No, no," and " Motorbuses.") He quoted New York, Glasgow, and Edinburgh in support of his contention, and went on LO say that there were four classes of people who objected to tramways : (1) peculiar; (2) interested; (3) prejudiced; and t,.4) ignorant. (Laughter.) Who were opposing the electric cars in Paddington? Why,
die interested Another member said : " Whilst you allow those dust-raising, death-dealing motorbuses to go along the road." . . (The rest of this gentleman's remarks were inaudible, owing to loud laughter and cries of dissent.) Sir U. Fardell, M. P., said he was not interested either in electric ears or in motor omnibuses, but he asked, as a matter of business, that some decision should be arrived at that day, as otherwise the time for presenting the petition would have gone, and nothing could be done.
The amendment to refer the recommendation back was put and negatived, as was also a subsequent amendment. There was considerable confusion and warmth displayed on both sides, but eventually the motion that -a petition he presented against the Bill was adopted,
London General and Road Car Reports.
We refrain from any criticism of the half-yearly reports which have been issued by the two oldesi: London companies, as our interest in their contents is strictly limited to a factor which is not yet allowed to make itself apparent. Motor omnibuses have been purchased by both of these companies, although the Road Car Company has shown the greater enterprise in appreciating the situation, but it will be im)ossible, for at least another six months, if not for a year, to draw any useful inferences from the published accounts or from the regular system of observations which are being taken by members of the staff of this journal. The small reductions in the dividends need give rise to no alarm on the part of shareholders, for it is natural that the older companies must suffer while they are engaged in studying the ways and means of meeting unwelcome competition from newcomers. Our only forecast of the situation is this -that unless the self-propelled omnibuses are maintained in good running order, and unless the principles of a railway running-shed are applied to their operation, a not: inconsiderable proportion of them will be off the streets before the end of this year.
The last fortnight has not witnessed any change in the rate of increase by which London's motor omnibuses are being augmented. One new vehicle per day has brought the total from 258 to 282, and the London Motor Omnibus Company is now or machines in front of the Road Car Company, with 71 to 6o. As regards the makers, Milnes-Daimler keeps ahead in numbers, but the StrakerSquire and Bussing vehicles give every indication of reducing that lead, notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Sidney Straker turned his serious attention to the development of his present type of motor omnibus little more than a year ago. The Cricklewood-Elephant and Castle route now has 81 omnibuses upon it. Three of the new double-deck " Pioneer " omnibuses, built to the order of the London Power Omnibus Company by Scott, Stirling and Company, Limited, of Twickenham, were in service on Monday last, and all this company's single-deck omnibuses will be withdrawn, The London and District Motor Bus Company inaugurated a new route between Putney and Brondesburv, ;•ia Earl's Court, Kensington Church, Notting Hill, Westbourne Grove, and Kilburn, on the 12th instant, utilising for the purpose all the Milnes-Daimler omnibuses which came from the Isle of Wight, and three Straker-Squire vehicles.