The Wheels of Industry.
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The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs. '_John Beattie Crozier.
We include this week our usual page in relation to the Campaign Comforts Fund for the ALT., A.S.C., but we regret to state that, owing to shortage of paper and other considerations, it will not appear again for three or four weeks.
Board of Agriculture and Stearn Ploughing: Important Appointmeta for Mr. John Allen.
We are pleased to be able to announce that Sir . Arthur Lee, Direetor-General of the Food Production Department of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, has prevailed upon Mr. John Allen, of wley; Oxon., to agree to act as Honorary Adviser on Steam Cultivation to the Department.
Mr. John Allen, who took up his new duties last week, is well known to readers of THE COADIERE1AL Moron, and there is not a better man in the country for the national service in which he has. agreed to co-operate. HisassiStanee. will no doubt be of the greatest value to Sir Arthur Lee and Mr. Perry, and above all to farmers throughout the country. Mr. Allen's practical experienceis a -guarantee that he will help to . get things pretty strongly on.the move very quickly. He is a man who poSsesses exceptional experience, influence and judgment, which points we are well satisfied have been appropriately recognized by Sir Arthur Lee and his colleague's. The appointment is one which will give universal satisfaction.
Taxation of Petrol Substitutes.
The Board of Customs and Excise began, towards the end of last week, to impose the usual petrol tax (6d. per gallon) upon all petrol sub
stitutes. The Petrol Control Committee, as the second step in the direction of corresponding control of petrol substitutes, has-issued the following notice :—" The sales of all substitutes for petrol which are sold for. use, in motor vehicles must be entered on the motor-spirit licence held by the purchaser. The monthly quantity of petrol and substitutes purchased by the owner of any motor vehicle must not exceed the monthly quantity of motor spirit authorized by the Petrol Control Committee to be purchased."
This action, which has been anticipated by us for some weeks past, furnishes further proof, so far as char-A-banes owners go, of the correctness of our warning to them, that it has become a case of "Coalgas or nothing."
It is possible that the total volume of petrol substitutes derived from overseas may reach as much as 3,300,000 gallons for 1917. It may, however, fall very considerably below that total, having regard to transport difficulties. Whilst the relief from any such volume of substitutes is of importance, the ratio to petrol must remain almost negligible.
Paraffin has been classed as a petrol substitute, for the purposes with which we are dealing, but is not yet subject to basic taxation. We consider that import duty . . upon it is most unlikely to be adopted.
Co-operative Delivery.
Not a few centres are following the earlier leads of Birmingham, Walsall and Kidderminster in the matter of efforts -to arrange cooperative local delivery systems. The Plymouth Incorporated Mercantile .Association is amongst the new supporters of such a war-time plan for • adding to the nation's efficiency, and in this connection we obserVe that the president or the Plymouth Drapers' Chamber of Trade, Mr. A. N. Holleiy, credited with the. statement that Mr. Neville Chamberlain will compulsorily Order such schemes to be put into operation, if they are not quickly brciught into being on a ,voluntary basis. Mr. C. B. Collier is another member of the Plymouth Mercantile Association who is endeavouring to bring matters to a head in that locality. Reverting to proposals in the Midlands, conferences are being continued betweeo the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Kidderminster, Dudley and Coventry Chambers of Commerce, which bodies are keeping in touch with the Ministry of „Munitions.
We deal editorally (page 43) with a far-reaching proposal for the compulsory adoption of co-operative delivery by the petrol-imparting companies. Recognition of the principle of co-ordinated delivery, to the end that there shall be elimination of wasteful parallel working by competing companies', must lae of the greatest national -benefit, but especially so if the 'cordial assistance of the Ministry .of Munitions is assured, as -apPears likely. Not only will overlapping and . double or treble running along the Same routes , be avoided, but the systematizing of road transport willbe given definite aid in a direction which cannot fail. to make for consolidation of theroad-haulage industry, both now and after the war. How to Address Us.
The new postal regulations for London provide that, in future, the address of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR will be 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, E. C .1.
Proceedings of Local Authorities.
The Bromley R.D.C. has agreed to hire motor vehicles for hauling.
Having secured delivery of a motor prison van, the. Plymouth Corporation is selling the old horse 'Van.
The Electric Committee of the Leeds Corporation has authorized, the purchase of a 3t-ton electric wagon,
The Newton-in-Makerfield Council is ascertaining the cost of a light motor lorry for delivering coke from the gas works.
The LutonT.C. has passed plans lodged by Commercial Cars, Ltd., for an extension to. that -company's factory in Biscot Road.
The engineer of the Grantham T.C. has been asked to seek information as to the cost of the installation of an electric motor and chaff-cutter.
The Stretford U.D.C. is making inquiries from other local authorities with regard to the use of petrol and electrically-driven wagons for the removal of house-refuse.
The Salford Corporation proposes to bus. for the Tramways Department a three-ton Halley chassis with a char-it-bancs body for conversion into a motor tower wagon for the sum of 2725.
Theasuggestion of the Shoreditch B.C. that there should be a 10 miles per hour speed limit; for all vehicles in London has received the support of eight Metropolitan borough councils, while six are taking no action.
The Manchester Corporation has accepted the tender of the Shrewsbury and Challiner Tyre Co.,-Ltd., for the supply for the 12 months ending the 31st March, 1918, of tires for the corporation's motorbuses and motor tower wagons.
The Hove Corporation received application from Tilling, Ltd., for renewal of licences for 49 petrol and 12 electric motorbuses. The greatest number of buses .plying at any one time is 30, this being an inadequate service due to lack of labour. Renewals of licences were recommended.
The Camberwell B.C. has been informed by the L.G.O.C. that a 10 minutes motorbus service from Peckham High Street to• Forest Hill 'raven, via Rye Lane, Peckham Rye and Forest Hill Road, will start on the 19th inst. The Council suggests that the service be extended to Wood Vale, in view of the closing of Honor Oak Railway Static)].
c40 Bexley Heath D.C. is buying a 40b.p. Brook chassis, to be fitted with a body suitable to carry materials and nine men of the fire brigade, at 2298.
The Halifax Corporation is purchasing two Sentinel steam wagons, at 2740 each, and two lorries (converted Fords) at 2185 each, for the purposeorundertaking the bulk of the cartage of coke for the Municipal Gas Works.
The tenders for a motor tractor for the Chipping Sodhury R.D.C., mentioned in our issue of the 1st March, showed a considerable increase. For a second-hand tractor prices were quoted from £,295 to 2420, and for a new one from 2550 up-wards. It was decided to hire.
The Works Committee of the Marylebone B.C. has made arrangements to commence workon house-refuse removal at the expiry of the existing contract, with a combination of horses and motors. The delivery of the latter will be obtained before the end of the 'present month. Six motor dust wagons are being bought from the Austin Motor Co., Ltd., at 2745 each, subject to an approved agreement being arranged. The Works Committee also reports that from the 31st January to the 21st February, Laffiey motor sweeper, No. 1 covered 1056.8 miles and No. 2 covered 637.5 miles, the latter being under repair from the 17th to the 21st February.
Lancs. C.C. and Motorbus Traffic.
The Main Roads Committee of the County Council of the County4Palatine of Lancaster reports that a writ has been issued against the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd. (Barrow Electric Tramways Co.) to recover £2311 extraordinary expenses incurred in repairing the Barrow and Tflverston road, by reason of damage caused -by the running of a regular Service of motor omnibuses from 1st April, 1914, to 31st March, 1916. The County Surveyor (Mr. W. H. Schofield) has now issued a. certificate under Section 23 of the Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act, 1878, dealing with the extraordinary expenses incurred in th‘e repair -of the road during the twelve months ending 31st March, 1917. These expenses, according to the certificate,. amounted to £4011. In calculating the above amount the County Surveyor says he has had regard to the average expense of repairing the road for the three years 1911-12, 1912-13, 1913-14, and he has deducted the average annual -cost, together with a slim of 21158, whicIthe estimates to be. attributable to increase of traffic other than that of the said service of motor omnibuses.
The Committee recommends that the Clerk of the Council be authorized to take further proceedings against the company in respect of this sum of 22311. More Proceedings of Local Authorities.
The Sheffield T.O. has closed the following orders : One five-ton rubber-tired steam tipping wagon, from Fodens, Ltd..; a verucie or the same type from the Yorkshire Commercial Motor Co. ; and a 2-21-ton Orwell electric, lorry from Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd.
The special committee appointed by the Halifax Corporation to investigate street-cleansing methods has now presented its report. Delegates visited Bradford. Rochdale, and Huddersfield. At Bradford they were shown tivo patent vacuum cleaners, one built by the Yorkshire Commercial Motor Co., Leeds, and the other by the Leyland Motors '(1914), Ltd., Lancashire. The first empties 220 gullies per day and has a holding capacity of 800 gallons; • the second empties the same number of gullies, with holding. capacity of 1000 gallons. The initial cost, 2750, was about the same in each case. The comparison of running cost per gully between motor and manual steam labour is 2.8d. and 4d. The motor-sweeper in Rochdale carries about 100 gallons of water, lasting 1 hr., doing six Miles of road in that time. In Huddersfield there are no motor-cleaners, the work being done by hand.
Recent Registrations.
0.S. Speedometer Co., Ltd. (22000), with its registered office at 1, King Street, St. James's, London, S.W.
Marvulc Accessories Co., Ltd. (£100), with its registered (Ace at 32, Disraeli Road, Forest Gate, London, E.
Essex Accumulator Co. Ltd. (k1250), with its registered office at 497, Grove Green Road, Leytoestone, N.E.
C. R. Garrard, Ltd. (£5000), to take over the business of C. R. Garrard, at 45, Endell Street, W-C., and of the Duplex and General Bearing Co.
Highway Press, Ltd. (E2000), to take over a magazine called "The King's Highway," carried on by E. N. Deffield, at 78, Napier Court, S.W. The first subscribers are C. Jarrott, E. N. Duffield, and A. W. Chapman.
Joseph Storey and Co. (Metals), Ltd. (24000), with its registered office at 4, Post Office Chambers, Newcastle-on-Tyne, to take over a business including branches as cop"per, iron, brass, tin, and metal founders.
Pall Mall Engineering Co., Ltd. (£2500), by H. P. Becher, 26, Bedford Row, W.C., to carry on.business as iron founders engineers and manufacturers of motor engines and accessories. First subscribers A. Watling and E. A. Digby. Garner's Lorries.
The Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd., 36, Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster, S.W., has no fewer than 38 Garner lorries on order from Henry Garner, 'Ltd., of Moseley Motor Works, Birmingham. Twenty of these are two-tonners, and eighteen three-tonners. The accompanying photograph is of one of the smaller vehicles, fitted with the standard body, plus a detachable tank.
Go to the Alhambra.
Mr. George Robey's evening concert, on Sunday next, the 18th inst., is deserving of support at large by those of our readers who happen to be in London that day. It. will be at the Alhambra -at 7 p.m., and is in aid of the funds of that branch of motor-transport volunteering which is helping to eonvey soldiers on leave from one London railway terminus to another. A splendid programme has been arranged, and it is understood that Lord French and Lord Derby will be amongst those who will give their patronage to the performance.
Civilian Members of the R.A.C.
It will no doubt interest not a few of our readers, who are civilian members of the Royal Automobile Club, to know that, by permission of Lieut.-general Sir Francis Lloyd, they may continue to use the II. A.C. premises on payment of their subscriptions for the current year, in return for which they will receive a special (red) card of membership. It is only if the accommodation becomes overcrowded that this concession will be withdrawn, but we feel confident in forecasting .that, owing, to the extensive character of that accommodation, there will be no withdrawal. This happy solution will remove all
• sense of grievance.
• Clothes for Drivers.
The question of suitable clothing is always an important one for the commercial-vehicle user. He has two points of view to consider. In the first place, a smart uniform • tends to increase the impression of progressiveness already suggested • by his use of the up-to-date method of transportation. Alternatively., consideration for his driver's welfare will also compel him to provide suitable weatherproof clothing. A handy little catalogue • from Gardiner and Co._ of 1, 3, 5 and 15, Commercial Road, London, E., which we have before us, would be of considerable utility in assisting the owner to make a suitable selection. .It is all the more useful generally, by reason of the fact that other lines in this class of goods are described, and these will probably meet the requirements of the.. commercial-vehicle owner's main business to which the vehicle is merely an adjunct. Proposed Increase of Taxi-fares in London.
The Home Secretary, replying to Majin. Newman in the House of Commons last week, stated that he was in communication with representatives of owners and drivers of taxicabs, in relation to the proposal for an increase of fares in the Metropolitan police area.
British Petroleum Co., Ltd.
Mr. Joynson-Hieks, in the House of Commons on the ,5th inst., asked whether it is with the assent of the Board of Trade that the British Petroleum Co., Ltd., a, Germanowned concern, had entered into an agreement with the English branch of the Standard Oil Co. of America to distribute petrol in this country for account of the American CMpany upon a commission basis, being bound to sell at the same price as the Standard Co. ; and what advantage there is to the British public in such arrangement ? Mr_ Roberts: The shares of the British Petroleum Co. and of its allied companies were some months ago vested in the Public Trustee, and the companies are controlled by directors nominated by the Board of Trade. The shares were previously registered in the name of the Europaishe Petroleum -Co., a German company, but of whose shares the Russians, French, and Belgians elainaad to own 49,15per cent. His Majesty's Government consider that it is to the national advantage that the organization of the British Petroleum Co. should be kept-alive, and that it should remain permanently under British control, and they have taken steps to ensure this object. The arrangement with the Anglo-American Co. was made with the knowledge of the Board of Trade, the reason being that only by such an arrangement could the British Petroleum Co. preserve its valuable petrol-distributing goodwill until such a time as the company could erect its own distributing installations. Mr. Joyason-Hicks : Are _these shares to be retained or sold ; if they are retained, will they not be handed back to the German owners after the war?
Mr. Roberts : I understand they have been sold.
It is more than passing strange, in our opinion, that-it should have • taken so many months for the information to 'be extracted--e and ,then only by a question in the House of Commons—to show that the continuation of the business of the British Petroleum Co. is arranged in conjunction with the Anglo-American Oil Co., -Ltd. To whom—if-it has been sold at all—has all or any part of the German holding been sold by the Board of Trade ? We cannot understand, the last portion of Mr. Roberts's answer. .What it is that he understands ? There has certainly, so far as we c-an ascertain, been no sale through the Board of Trade in Great Britain. Have the German holders of the German interests sold those German intereats in Cfermany to somebody in America ?
Travellers Freed for National Service.
Our attention has been directed. to the course which has been adopted by Mackie and Co. (Distillers), Ltd., of Glasgow, in order to free their travellers for natiOnal service. They are allowing their large outdoor .stafT to volunteer at once for such work in the national service as is congenial to them, in conjunction with a promise that, when their remuneration is arranged and they let the. company know the amount of it, the Board will give careful and sympathetic consideration to the position of each man, with a view to bringing up his income to the present standardFurther, there is an undertaking . that when the State no longer requires the men's service, the company will take them back to their old positions on the old terms. Business Names.
A pamphlet by Mr. G. W. Daines, dealing with the Registration of Business Names Act, is now available, price 3d. post free, in the shape of a reprint from " The Financial News." Mr. Daines is press representative at Somerset House, and manager of the Information Bureau, 140, Strand, W.C. It is pointed out that no searching will he allowed under the
Act until the 22nd June next, and possibly not until the 22nd September.
The pamphlet makes it clear that expert assistance is desirable in connection with inquiries and investigations under the Act, Death of the Editor of our French Contemporary," Le Poids Lourd."
M. Ventou-Duclaux, editor of the French commercial motor paper "La Poids Lourd," has just died in Paris at the age of 36. For a number of years! M. Venton-Duclaux had been secretaryiandichemist of the Technical Laboratory of the Automobile Club of • France, and was the author of several works on internal-combustion engines and on the use of crude oils. Immediately after the death of M. Pierre Souvestre,' founder of "La Poids Lourd," M. Ventou-Duclaux assumed the editorship of this journal and held that post, without, however, abandoning rhis work at the laboratory, until the outbreak of war caused all such papers in France to cease publication. Called up for service as an artilleryman on the first day of the war, M.
entou-Duelaux served with this battery at the front for more than a year, when. suffering from bronchitis caused by exposure and hardship, he was sent to the rear. A position was found for him in the engine testing department of the aeronautical section of the French Army, where he had as collaboratour another motor journalist and engineer, M. Charles Faroux. While testing engines during the ex
tremely rigorous weather of a few weeks ago, M. Ventou-Duclaux caught a severe cold which developed into pneumonia and proved fatal.
The loss of an engineer and chemist of such marked ability is a severe one for the French motor industry. It is to be regretted that the military estimate of values should have caused such .a man to be sent on active service at the Front—a service for which he had low physical qualifications—while men of his technical experience and ability were, and are still, so vitally needed at the rear. Our own system of selection is similarly vulnerable.
Gazette.
The Dunn Motor Body Co., Ltd., is to be wound up voluntarily, and Mr. G. H. Tyler, of 43, Cannon Street, Birmingham, has been appointed liquidator.
The Warlingham Motor Works, Ltd. is to be wound up voluntarily, and Mr. H. E. Oldham, of 30, Bush Lane, Cannon Street, B.C., has been appointed liquidator.
Change of Address. • The British American Import Co., Ltd., informs us that it has recently removed to larger premises at 11; Haymarket Street, &W., those previously occupied at 14, Cockspur Street, having been commandeered for the Canadian Red Cross. The telephone numbers, Regent 2046 anal 2047 remain as
before.
Catalogue Received.
Dennis Bros. (1913), Ltd., are justifiably proud of their new fireengine catalogue. This publication has been devised on new lines for one of its class, a, short description of each type of fire-engine being faced by a coloured illustration of the machine in question, each picture being mounted on a. suitable and artistic background.
A Motorbus Accident Chart.
The extent to which the slogan "Safety First" is obeyed in various districts through which the motorbus routes pass is very vividly shown on the chart issued by the 'London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. It is in the familiar form of a steeplechase board, having two courses, one for 1915 and the other for 1916. Motorbuses instead of horses are shown moving along the routes, the numbered divisions of which show the accident averages. Both during 1915 and 1916 the Mortlake bus leads, but from the minimum figure of I.931—indicates the number of accidents per 10,000 miles run—in 1915, it has advanced to the better minimum of 1.593. Hendon, Turnhain Green and Palmers Green press closely on Mortlake for 1916. Middle Row, Athol street, and Seven Kings come last, the first-named with an accident average of 3.123. There is a 22.5 per cent, reduction in accidents for 1916 as against 1915, showing a marked improvement in the whole field: Imports of Petrol.
Supplies of petrol are coming into the country, so far as total figures of imports indicate, in satisfactory fashion. The monthly arrivals, for the past three months, have been as follow :—December, 4,100,858 gallons ; January, 13,001,740 gallens ; February, 12,257,984 gallons.
Ford Agrimotor Plans.
Mr. Kellaway, in the House of COMmons last Week; replying to an inquiry by Colonel Gretton, as to whether the erection of a factory for the production of motor tractors at Cork by the Henry Ford Co., of America, had been sanctioned, said :—" A licence has been issued to Messrs. Ford, subject to the condition that they are to confine their manufactures during the war to agricultural machinery, and that they should import their own plant and material, except so far as sanctioned by the Minister of Munitions, and also comply with the directions of the latter as to conditions of employment and rates of wages. The whole matter was carefully considered by the Government, and it was decided that it was desirable to issue this licence in view of the urgent necessity for ample provision C54 of agricultural tractors for use in the United Kingdom in the immediate future.
"In order that British industry may not be placed at a disadvantage thereby, • negotiations have been opened with British firms in the hope that they will act together, and, if suitable arrangements for the organization of a similar factory in this country can be arranged, the Government will afford all possible The question and answer concern a matter to which we referred a fortnight ago. It is one of which the end has certainly not yet by any means been heard. It will be obserVed that, amongst our "Opinions From Others" this week,. several Correspondents draw attention to particular aspects of the identification of representatives of Mr. Henry Ford with the official programme of the -Director-General of. the Food Production Branch of the Board of Agriculture for increased tillage. 'We have refrained from commenting upon Mr. Perry's activities in a manner, that. can by any stretch of imagination be held to hinder them. Whilst we are not oblivious to the grounds for the suggestions which our correspondents make, we consider thatthe officially-sanctioned scheme for controlling and organizing agri
motors during the next few weeks should, owing—if for no other reason—to unrelenting pressure of the time factor, be allowed to proceed.
Approved Depots.
The third article of our series (pages 46 to 48) deals with Liver
pool. In completion of the list which we gave in Article II, dealing generally with the agrimotorcontrol programme for the country, we are now in a position to add the following names of district organizers, newly notified : —West Suffolk, II. E. Weston (Mann, Egerton and Ltd. 5, Prince of Wales Road, Co.gorwich); Cumberland, R. M. Rennison (Sir Win. Angus Sanderson and Co., Ltd.), 14, King Street, Penrith); Dorset, E. W Tilley (H. H. Tilley and Son, 45, South Street, Dorchester): Essex,' S. C. Spurgeon (Bates Motor 'Works, Ltd., 25; High Street, Maldon) ; raTe Of Wight; F. A. Cheverton (R. Bird, Cheverton and Co., Ltd.. 50, Lugley Street, Newport, I.O.W.); Staffs. H. E. Neade (Gaol Square Motor Co., Ltd.; Gaol &mare, Stafford); E. Hants, G. E. Whetiran (F. A. Hendy and Co., • 14-cl., East .Street, Southampton). The work of these county agents mist be of a most-strenuous and exacting character for the next few weeks.' They have ow best wishes.