The Wheels of Industry.
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This journal, dealing as it does with the "Chariots of War," no less than with the "Wheels of Industry," is now of national importance. Its interests embrace impartially the transport wagon and the parcelear, the steam wagon and the ambulance.
The September Board of Trade returns show an increase of 4,210,000 gallons of petroleum imported into this country last month. Of a total of 52 million gallons over 91 millions was motor spirit. In spite of this increase, the cost, despite the war, was nearly £135,000 less.
The Waterworks Committee of the Halifax Corporation has decided to fix four standards in different parts of the borough so as to enable drivers of motor wagons to obtain a supply of water when passing through the borough and thus avoid the fouling of the drinking troughs provided for the use of animals.
In these serious days it is good to come across the mind which can rise cheerfully above its surroundings. The cartoon entitled "When we all get military," in the October issue of the "Dennis Tatler," is very funny. Apparently good spirits reign in the Dennis works, and that will help in the turning out of good work for the W.D.
Civilian Employment.
We repeat the intimation that there is a considerable demand for skilled mechanics and machinists inScottish motor works, a-nd we will send on applications that reach us from suitable men. We also learn of shortage of mechanics in other branches of the industry, and we have evidence of the lack of sufficient reserve of capable steamwagon drivers. We have not yet been notified of any definite effort that has been made by steam-wagon makers to remedy this last-mentioned very serious shortage.
Fresh Road Board Grants.
A sixteenth list of grants to highway authorities has been issued by the Road Board. During the months of July, August, and September, 1914, advances have a4nounted in the aggregate to 2373,562, of which £269,280 was by way of grant, and £104,282 by way of loan. The advances made and indicated up to the 30th September, 1914, amount to £5,927,486. The formal grants completed with the approval of the Treasury during the last quarter, amounting to £902,657, were applied as follow: Road crust improvements, £493,464; road widening-s and improvements of curves and corners, £3544; road diversions, 21699 ; reconstruction and improvement of bridges, £3950; western approach road to London (75 per cent. of actual cost estimated), £400,000.
Az12 Whiting, Ltd., advises us that it has been honoured with an order for 50 Whiting-Federal two-ton lorries for the Russian Government.
The B.S.A. Co., Ltd., and the Daimler Co., Ltd., have jointly presented to the Red Cross Society a 20 h.p. Daimler ambulance priced at 2600.
An appeal is being made for 20 motor ambulances for the North of Ireland Ulster Field Force. Mr. 0. Locher-Lampson will be happy to bear the expense of conversion if 20 touring cars are presented to him for this purpose.
Unsuitable Ambulances.
Colonel P. Broome Giles, County Director of the British Red Cross Society, "sincerely trusts that the present idea of covering a chassis with a Red Cross edifice and calling the production -a motor ambulance will cease." Important features for which he enters a plea are that there should be a door in the front between the driver and attendant, and a gangway between the pairs of stretchers. The fittings should be made to take the regulation army pattern of stretcher. The Colonel will be pleased to show what are considered to be examples of correct construction to those who apply to him.
C.M." Employment Exchange, Notification of Engagements.
Our Employment Bureau still remains open, and, as a matter of fact, is very busy. 1Ve are still open to receive the names of suitable men who are not eligible for military service, and who are looking for employment, being duly qualified, and we will take what means we can to assist them. Owing to the large amount of work that this involves, they must not expect correspondence to follow theii requests, but must rely WOOD our best efforts to help them. We cannot see callers with reference to such applications. Will those applicants, as well as those employers who are parties to interviews arising from apnointments that we make, be good enough to notify us as to the success or non-success of such meetings, in order that we may keep our lists properly checked? Some difficulty arises owing to the neglect to extend to us this courtesy, which we certainly have a right to exPect as a result of our efforts to relieve distress and to meet the local requirements as to shortage of labour which are becoming evident as time goes on. C.M.U.A. Proceedings.
The General Committee met at 83, Pall Mall, S.W., on the 7th of October. There were present : Colonel R. E. Crompton (Chairman), Mr. W. G. Lobjoit, E. P. Beavan, Walter Wolsey, Junr., J. C. Mitchell, L. G. Oldfield, Herbert Cannon, A. Re,dgrave, Barnard Humphrey, W. F. French, and F. G. Bristow (Secretary).
WAR OFFICE AND MECHANICAL TRANSPORT.—A report was received from the Chairman and Secretary as to the work of the C.M.U.A. in connection with the mechanical Transport of His Majesty's Forces The War Office had expressed iti appreciation of the assistance ren dered by the C.M.U.A.
ARTERIAL ROADS IN GREATER LONDON.—It was reported that a Memorandum; prepared by the Chairman, had been forwarded to the Local Government Board dealing with this Matter.
PARADE ComirrrEE.—The Chairman reporteA the proceedings of a meeting of the Parade Committee held prior to the General Committee.
The members had been approached as to the advisability of holding .a Parade in 1915, and the
eat majority were in favour, of it being held. The Committee there fore recommended that the neces sary arrangements be 'proceedec with, the final decision on the mat ter to be made early in the Ness Year. Mr. W. G. Lobjoit had been appointed Chairman of the Parade Committee, and Messrs. E. W. Rudd, Herbert Cannon and, T
Jones were elected new members. The Report and Recommenda, tions were adopted..
WINDSOR BRIDGE.—The Secretary reported that he had attended at the Local Government Board Inquiry at Windsor, 'with the Solicitor, to oppose the closing of Windsor Bridge to Heavy Motor Cars.
KENSINGTON BOROUGH .COUNCIL V. YORKE, STONEHAM AND JONES.— The steps taken by the Chairman and Secretary to arrange for the defence of this case, in which the Council sought to obtain an injunction to restrain the defendants from using steam wagons in the Royal borough, were confirmed. A guarantee fund had been opened to obtain adequate funds to fight the case.
NEW Mininnas.—Sixty-six new members were elected.
Kensington's Laffly sweeping machine has been delivered and is ready for work.
, Since the 1st October, the London address of the Coventry Chain Co., Ltd., has been 47, Victoria Street, S.W.
Grisson's Taxi-Cab Co., Ltd., is to be wound up voluntarily. Mr. A. W. Love, 28, Fleet, Street, E.C., is the liquidator.
A number of wheelers is urgently required to sign on for foreign service. Applications will be forwarded to the right quarter.
By the time this issue goes to press, it is anticipated that 100 Dennis employees will be serving with the Colours. A large number has joined the 5th Queen's for foreign service, and a fair percentage of the men is in the A.S.C., M.T On Thursday of last week a detachment of A.8.O. drivers and a fleet of Daimler and Commercar wagons left the Grove Park Workhouse, near Bromley, amidst a scene of enthusiasm, for an unknown destination. This institution has been temporarily taken over by the W.D. • Proposals and Purchases.
Newport (Mon.) Fire Brigade is purchasing a new fire-engine at a cost of £965.
Manchester Corporation is purchasing a motor lorry from the Austin Motor Co.
The Watch Committee of Bacup T.C. is considering the purchase of a modern motor fire-engine.
A sub-committee of the Rochester City Council is considering the question of purchasing a motor fire. engine.
Weybridge U.D.C. is making application for sanction to borrow 2750 for the purchase of a motor fire-engine.
Tenders are being invited for a motor mail service between Maidenhead and High Wycombe. Copies of the tender form can be obtained from the Surveyor's Department, G.P.O., Reading.
Dr. Thresh, County Medical Officer of Health for Essex, has, at his own expense, provided a motor ambulance for the conveyance to hospital of any cases of smallpox that may occur in the Chelmsford district owing to the influx of refugees and prisoners of war. We regret that in one of " The Extractor's " recent notes a misprint occurred by which we stated that Mr. Leawright, of H. M. Hobson, Ltd., had received a commission in the A.S.C. This shoule have been Mr. Searight, who is,. course, well known in connectiot with that concern.
With reference to our short de scription of the Darraeq-Serpolle::*out pantechnicon, which appeared on page 89 of our issue of 'the 1st inst., the Direct Motor Transport Co., Ltd., which concern purchased the machine in question, advises us that the vehicle actually cost it £109, and that the conversion involved over 2200.
Complaints are being made by London and other taxicab drivers that the public is not now giving the tips to which it has become accustomed. It is surprising how soon the public learns that it can economize in matters like this ; it will only be the drivers who take the trouble to be civil and obliging that will earn such gratuities,
We reproduce a photograph of an interesting Dennis tractor of entirely new design, which has been specially constructed to meet the requirements of the South .African Government railways. This machine is capable of hauling a load of nine tons at 12 'm.p.h. Its trials have been very successful, and Mr,
• W. W. Hoy, the general manager of the railways in question, is firmly convinced of the utility*of a machine of this type for use in a country where the roads are very often mere tracks across the veldt.
Kensington Borough Council, on Tuesday of last week, decided to purchase from John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., a 30 h.p. petrol motor wagon at a cost of £680. The main tenance contract, which had reference to the two machines which were previously supplied by this maker but were commandeered by the Government, was, it was suggested, terminated by the Government's action. The company did not agree to this attitude, and felt that in equity it was entitled to a
reasonable payment for maintaining the vehicles up to the period of their leaving the council's possession, and in compensation for the cancellation of the agreement. The council had purchased a Napier motor dust van to replace one of those previously owned, and was, therefore, only able to agree to the suggestion by Messrs. Thornyeroft in respect of the one new machine. The maintenance contract in question, it was suggested by Messrs. Thornyeroft, should be held in abeyance during the time that would elapse between the date of the commandeering of the original wagons and the delivery of new ones to replace them. The council decided to meet the makersein recoed of of the one machine.
In the course of the prosecution of a driver of a heavy motorcar at Petworth Petty Sessions last week, it was stated on behalf of the county council that instructions had been issued that the laws and by-laws relating to heavy motorcars should be strictly enforced. The vehicle in question weighed 4 tons 19 cwt., and towed a trailer. The driver was fined 21 10s. inclusive for exceeding five miles an hour at Westborough Green.
Orders for Headlamps, S. Smith and Sons, Ltd., now informs us that it has been favoured with orders from the War Department for its special acetylene headlamps, embodying the large 6 in. Mangm mirror. These lamps are guaranteed for two years, and can be supplied, in 7 in. diameter for light delivery vans, at two guineas. Other specialities of this make are well known, and include the A.L galvanized disc-feed generator, selfcontained lamp, and the special commercial type cast-aluminium electric lamp, which is used in conjunction with the Trier and Martin dynamo. The whole of this firm's goods are British made by British workmen.
Modified J-type Thornycroft.
We are in receipt of a copy of the latest edition of the Thornycroft commercial vehicle catalogue, in which a number of modifications appear. These principally concern the 3-type chassis. A larger engine has been specially designed for it, the bonnet and radiator have been lowered, and larger wheels have been provided. When desired, this new type can be loaded up to 41 tons, including the weight of the body. Chars-aebancs and other large models can be supplied with specially-long wheelbase. The new engine has a bore of 4 ins., the wheels are now 920 mm. and 1050 mm., respectively, and the clearance has been increased from 91 ins. to 12 ins.
Dennis Busy with Fire Engines.
Some impression may have gained currency that, owing to the activity of the Dennis works, at Guildford, for the War Department, the corn. pany's great speciality in respect ofmetor fire-engines is not receiving the usual attention. This, however, is quite wrong, and we learn that the company has received a further order for Dennis turbine fire-engines for London. This will bring the Metropolitan fleet up to 35 Dennis machines, and is the tenth repeat order from the Brigade.
Recently a fire tender was delivered to Wimbledon, a turbine fire-engine to Brisbane, which was a third repeat order, and a fire A46 tender to Bournemouth. Last week a turbine fire-engine was delivered to Bristol, another machine to Cairo, and two to London. In fact, the Fire-Engine Department is running under normal conditions, and very little delay in delivery is occurring at the moment. Other than what is required for the eom
pany's own use, all the other output is, of course, for the W.D.
We are pleased to record the granting of a commission to Mr. T. C. Aveling, Assoc. M.Inst.C.E., of Birmingham. He is now a lieutenant in the Royal Marines (Engineer Units). It has been decided to attempt to limit the speed of heavy motor vehicles to four m.p.h. in certain of the main streets of Swansea, by a modification of the by-laws.
It is reported in New York that the Greek Minister to the United States has just placed an order with an American concern for 50 30-cwt. motor lorries for the Greek A.S.C., oz its equivalent The F.I.A.T. Co. is offering a special type of motor ambulance, and will be pleased to forward particulars to anybody who is interested. It is arranged to carry two large-sized, army-pattern stretchers in addition to five passengers.
Belsize Motors, Ltd., notifies us that it is still able to give delivery of a few of its heavy-type machines for December, but owing to the number of inquiries that are continually being received, such an offer cannot necessarily be maintained.
In the course of recent discussion concerning the motor-fire-engine equipment for the Edinburgh Town Council, the firemaster pleaded the urgency of getting machines into service at once, " as they might be needed to put out outbreaks of fire caused by airships dropping bombs."
By a new regulation, headlamps have been prohibited on all motor vehicles at Margate and other seaside towns. Most of the chars-6,banes have now ceased running in Margate, as the end of the season has, of course, arrived, but we learn that Daimler single-deckers will run throughout the winter to Faversham, unless previously impressed.
The staff of this journal continues to suffer loss owing to certain of its members' going on active service. There is at the moment a vacancy for a young assistant in the Editorial offices on this account. Applicants for engagement to fill this vacancy, who must have proof of technical training and journalistic leanings should address their letters to the Manager, THE ColtMEnerAL More; 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C. The form of application is left to the applicant.
We learn from the George Fischer Electric Steel Works, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, that not only is Switzerland " trying to send us steel wheels," as was recorded on our " One Hears" page of a recent issue, but that large quantities of these castings are actually being forwarded into England via Genoa, 40 tons of steel wheels having recently been sent to Leyland Motors, Ltd., alone. Camberwell (Australia) Municipal Council has presented a motor ambulance, valued at £1000, to the Au stra ian Expeditionary 'Force.
Mr. A. du Cros is providing 20 ambulances and mechanics for 50 for a new column for the Front. Thirty more ambulances are wanted in this connection at the time of writing, and a number of drivers. Applications, marked Buenos AMBULANCE," to this office will be forwarded to the right quarter.
The Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., asks us to state that, in reference to its recent advertisement of the sale of 20 three-ton Maud slays, it is considered that some people might believe that these machines were being sold because they had not given satisfaction. The General Manager of the company informs us that they have given extraordinarily good service, the only reason for disposing of them being "we are replacing them with more up-to.. date machines."