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The Wheels of Industry.

15th July 1915, Page 10
15th July 1915
Page 10
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Page 10, 15th July 1915 — The Wheels of Industry.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

This journal, dealing as it does with the "Chariots of War," no less than with the "Wheels of Industry," continues of national importance, Its interests embrace impartially the transport wagon and the parcelcar, the military tractor and the steam lorry.

War Loan Subscriptions.

The Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., applied for 1250,000 of War Loan, and the Car and General Insurance Corporation, Ltd., for £85,000.

Proposals and Purchases.

Chester Town Council recently took delivery of its new Morris motor fire-engine.

Crossley Bros., Ltd., is supplying the Manchester Corporation with two motor ambulances.

Dublin Corporation has taken delivery of an Allclays-and-Onions street-watering wagon.

Poole Town Council has refused to spend £200 on a motor lorry to carry firemen and equipment.

Reigate Town Council now has before the Ls-G.B. a large scheme for the improvement of its police and fire stations.

Mr. Alexander Findlay, Cleansing Superintendent to theAberdeen Corporation, is reporting on motor-sweeping machines. Rotherham Corporation has placed an order for three motorbuses, at £959 each, with Scottish Commercial Cars Co., Ltd.

The L.G.B. has refused sanction to the Southampton Town Council for a proposed loan of £665 to buy an additional steam tractor.

The L.C.C. has placed an additional large order with Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, for motor fire-engines, bringing the total of that make on order up to 48.

. The Royal Show.

When we were dealing, in advance, with the preparations for the Royal Show at Nottingham, we made a forecast that the attendance would reach 100,000. The. official report shows that the total attendance was 103,883, compared with 87,803 at Shrewsbury last year, with 90,139 at Doncaster in 1912, and with 88,396 at Gloucester in 1909. There were no excursion bookings to the Show.

American Vulcan Chassis.

We note with interest the tyne of radiator which is now fitted to the American Vulcan chassis. This chassis, it may be recalled, is handled by Scottish Commercial Cars Co., Ltd. of 98, Duke Street., Glasgow. The radiator is not of the honeycomb variety' it has plain, flat, vertical tubes, the tubes being separated by metal spacingpieces The appearance of the radiator, at first glance, gives the impression that it is of the honeycomb type, whereas each individeal tube can be "stopped off" in the event of accidental damage.

A36 Metropolitan Munitions.

We are pleased to see that Mr. A. Hugh Seabrook, the chairman of the Commercial Committee of the Electric Vehicle Committee, has been appointed chairman of an active sub-committee of the Metropolitan Munitions Committee. The Marylebone Borough Council has released Mr. Seabrook for these important duties, and done so on favourable terms, so far as he is concerned, financially. He is the electrical engineer to this important public authority.

Mentioned in Despatches.

Amongst the names of members of the A.S.C., M.T., included in Field-Marshal Sir John French's last mentioned-in-despatches list we note the following :— Allden, Capt. S. G.; Armstrong, Lieut. J. C.

Blunt, Major G. C. G.

Fawcett, Capt. N. L. ; Fitzherbert, Capt. C. H.

Flar•Vey, Major G. H.; Holden, Lieut. U. S.

inglefield. Major L. W. Niblett, Hon. Capt. H. Organ, Major C. A.

Peach, Sec.-Lieut. L. T.; PeryKnox-Gare, Major A. F. G.

Rose, Capt. E. A.

Parker sae Stegeman.

Our American contemporary, the "Commercial Vehicle," i deals n a recent issue with the invasion of the English market by commercial vehicles made in the States. It is pointed out that the policy of making hay while the sun shines" exemplified by some of them in that they do not, apparently, see beyond the end of the war, is a short-sighted one.

Not the least interesting portion of the article is that which enumerates the various makes of vehicles which are• being offered for sale in the United Kingdom, although it is somewhat behind the times. The comparison between the American names of the chassis and those by which they are known over here provides food, in some cases, for speculation ; in others the nomenclature is, perhaps, rather amusing—that a vehicle named in the country of its origin the Kalamazoo should be called the Shakespeare when it arrives here is surely an affront to the bard. Other essamples of note are the Burford, originally the Fremont-Mais' the Garner, better known as the B. A. Gramm; the Parker, which used to be the Stegeman ; and the Patricia, altered since its arrival in. this country from the Schacht. The Importance of Motor Mails.

In the House of Commons, on Tuesday of last week, Mr. MacCullum Scott asked the PostmasterGeneral whether he had considered the advisability of temporarily suspending during the War the motormail services in those cases in which the mails might be carried by railway with little inconvenience, and whether he had formed any estimate of the number of men and ears who could thus be released for the purposes of the war. Mr. _Herbert Samuel "Advantage will be taken of any favourable opportunity that occurs to release motor mailvans and their drivers for war purposes, but at the present time it is not possible to say how far such changes are practicable."

Mr. MaeCallum Scott : "Has the right honourable gentleman considered this with reference to the specific cases where motorcars are being used ? "

Mr. Herbert Samuel : "The local officers of the Post Office have been consulted in feference to specific cases."

Army Drivers.

Sir R. Cooper asked, in the House of Commons last week, if the tinder-Secretary for War will inquire whether there has recently been a large proportionate increase in delays, damage of property, and danger of life in the motor transport . service in Britain, and if he will say if this arises from the in-creased proportion of inefficient drivers that are being taken on by this service ?

Mr. Tennant : "If the honourable Member is referring to delays, damage to property and danger of life arising from motor vehicles used on Army Service, I can assure him that there has been a remarkable freedom from accident, and that this service has been throughout particularly efficient."

Sir R. Cooper also asked if a number of inefficient drivers, who have not the 12 months driving reference required by the War Office, have been and still are passed into the motor-transport service, and will he take immediate steps to ensure that such men are not sent to the Front, and that only efficient men are in future admitted to that service ?

Mr. Tennant said :—" The rules and regulations as to driving references are still in force for trained drivers, and at no time has the length of reference required been reduced below 12 months. It has lately been again extended to three years' road experience. All recruits are tested prior to final approval." Eastbourne Motorbuses.

The report and accounts of-the Eastbourne motorbus undertaking, for the year ended the 3-1st March last, show a net profit on the year of 23078, after charging 21897 for interest and sinking fund. A total of 22885,379 passengers was carried during the year, and a total of 268,654 miles run. The revenue was 14.47d. per car mile, and the total cost, including capital charges, 12.02d. We congratulate Mr. Ellison, the manager, on the results.

Testing Axle-weights.

Several correspondents have inquired the conditions under which a local authority is entitled to test the weight of a heavy motorcar. The conditions are laid down in Article XII of the Heavy Motor Car Order. They specify that a heavy motorcar must be within a distance not exceeding half-a-mile by road from a public weighing machine, or other weighing machine which is conveniently accessible, and which belongs to or is subject to the control, or may be used for any purposes of a registering

authority or of any other -Council having control of the highway. Furthermore, there must be "reasonable ground" for ascertaining whether the axle-weight for the time being of any axle of the heavy motorcar, or of the trailer drawn by the heavy motorcar, exceeds the registered or marked axle-weight of that axle.

The law, therefore, at the present time, does not empower a local authority to test the axle-weight if the heavy motorcar is at no time nearer than half-a-mile from a suitable weighing machine.

Personal.

We are interested to learn that Mr. A. P. Coppinger has been appointed the North of England manager for the Union Petroleum Products Co., Ltd. He has opened offices at Lloyd's Bank Buildings, King Street, Manchester. Mr. Coppinger is thus "back to his olet love "—petrol. Many of his friendg in the industry will undoubtedly avail themselves of the facilities and quotations which he is in a position to give. Mr. Coppinger was last associated with Peter Union tires.

A New Registration.

Thompson and Co. (Carriers), Ltd. (23000), with its office at ;88, Great Brunswick Street, Dublin.

Sitnonis Output.

Most of our readers know of the firm of Henry Simonis, of Park • Royal,' Willesden, in connection . with the construction of motor fire.. engine apparatus. Their export of motor chassis came to an end when hostilities commenced, and this, of course, seriously affected the company's business which largely consisted of the Supply of fire apparatus to *Overseas users. The Park Royal works have been concentrated for some months past on • other 'classes of munition supply.

• and one of our 'photographs shows a week's output of aeroplane tails, rudders, and similar components for aeroplanesThe standard 60 h.p. fire-engine is of the tytie which has been supplied to so many Overseas establishments. This particular machine was sup, plied, as will be seen from its mark, to the War Department. In tests carried out by the M.T. officials speeds in excess of 40 m.p.h. were achieved, and the pumping test, of six hours duration, showed the machine to -be capable of continuing at a pressure of 125 lb. per sq. in., while delivery of 150 gallons per minute was recorded.

A Well-built Kitchen, We are enabled to publish Oh page 426 an interesting photograph of a motor kitchen equipment in which a number of novel constructional details has been employed. In particular it will be noticed that the coachwork has been schemed on Lines which are evidently the-result of experience with this class of bodywork on active service. In the nature of things, coachwork of this type 4 of a shape which is not capable easily of being tied or supported laterally. The need of ample gangway right down the cantre of the machine, together with the provision of large doors and -shelves, render the employment of sufficient bracing a difficult matter. The photograph reveals in this connection the use of a very stiff iron running right round the end of the coachwork and firmly holding the pillars and bottom sides ; this covers six corners, it will be noticed. Amongst other novel features is the employment of four individual stoves rather than the more usual central-heating arrangement. Again the water tank, instead of being placed in the roof, is fitted on the floor of the kitchen ; it has a capacity of rather more than 50 gallons. Semi-rotary pumps are employed for the distribution . of the water. The whole equinment has been carried out by the Grosvenor Carriage Co., of Willesden Lane, Kilburn.

Road Board's Grants.

The 191h list of grants by the Road Board to highway authorities has been published. It concerns the months of April to June last, and sums which aggregate 1109,903. The authorities which received most money, for the last period. are Cheshire (210,000), Cumberland (E4516), Durham (224,657), Essex (14347), Gloucester (X5867), Lancashire (R6000), Norfolk (17035), West Suffolk (216,952), West Riding of Yorkshire (g6943), and Dumfries (E4289). The rate of making grants has been very considerably curtailed on account of the war. It is sought to economize labour just now, except for military work.

North British Tires.

The activity in the rubber-tire trade is being shared by the Castle mills of the North British Rubber Co., Ltd., at Edinburgh, in common with the other leading members of the industry. This company has in its employ a number of men who have served it for long terms, and one of these, Mr. Alexander Murray McKenzie, foreman in the rollercovering department, last week completed 42 years of service, and chose this occasion for retiring. The management presented Mr. McKenzie with a gold watch and an illuminated aeddrees. Mr. Alexander Johnston, the general manager, made the presentation, and took the opportunity to point out that Mr. MeKenzie's father before him had served the company for 30 years.

Crewe Councillors Fail to Mud-splash.

Crewe is particularly concerned with the problem of mud-splashing at the moment. The members of the Crowe Town Council are endeavouring to find some means to mitigate this nuisance, which is invariably noticeable in districts where the roads are not kept in a suitably clean condition. Before the members of the Omnibus and Hackney Carriage Licensing Committee of the Corporation a few days ago, tests were carried out with one of the buses belonging to the British Automobile and Traction Co. through the courtesy of Mr. R. Fenton, the local manager. The street in Crewe which was the subject of the experiments was paved with granite setts and had plenty of large holes full of water in its surface. These experiments, both light and loaded and up to speeds of. 10 m.p.h... did not satisfy the Committee that artyserious mudsplashing took place. This was due to the fact that the bus carried mudguards, and even•mt 15 m.p.h. no inconvenience was caused to bystanders in spite of the very had state of the road surface. The Crewe Town Council, of course, a40 will have realized by now that the real way to stop mud-splashing is to keep the streets in good condition for drainage and to see that there are no unnecessary accumulations of mud or other splashingmaterial.

Bartle's 54th Beanfeast.

It was our pleasure on Saturday of last week to accompany a large party of the stall and woilpeopie of Messrs. James Bartle and Co., Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, on their annual beanfeast—the 34th of its kind. This concern has, as many of our readers well know, been very fully engaged on Government work ever since August last. Indeed, long before that period a large proportion of its activities was of a similar nature. The firm has been on the War Department and Admiralty lists many years before the war broke out. The staff, as in other factories similarly engaged, has been working exceptionally long hours and at high pressure for months past, and they were, therefore, particularly entitled to such temporary relaxation as an annual

beanfeast affords. Working on munitions and war-like stores, it was not surprising to find that the committee had selected Southend, the scene of recent air raids, as the 'venue. It is to be presumed that the expedition felt more at home in a war-scarred district like' this than they would have done had they gone to some seaside town less favoured by enemy attentions. The party went down to Southend-on-Sea in private-hire L.G.O.C. omnibuses, labelled with the excuse for the outing "War Munition Workers." An excellent lunch was provided at the Ship Hotel. Mr. C. S. Windsor, the senior partner, congratulated the Men on the hard work they were putting in and foreshadowed even larger developments for the firm at no distant date. Mr. L. G. Davies, The other partner, also spoke. Mr. C. Cook replied for the staff. The opportunity was taken by the representative of this journal whb was present, to congratulate the employees of James Bartle and Co. upon their valued support of the Campaign Comforts Fund by means of works collections.


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