News and Comment.
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This journal has an exclusive, genuine and maintained circulation: members of its Editorial staff hays practical experience and knowledge of the construction and use of commercial motors.
,.kpropos our several references to firebrigade motors in this issue (pages .466, 470 and 478), we trust that British Municipal Corporations will not fall behind those of leading German and other -Continental cities.
Further to our last week's announcement about the flotation of the Electric Taxicab Company, Limited, some additional particulars about the equipment of the chassis which are to be used will be found on pages 467 and 468.
The conditions for the War Office tractor trials will be out shortly, but each entrant will clearly have to look for his reward in the shape or prize and purhase money, in regard to which the official intentions are not yet made _public. See, also, page 466.
L.C.C. Plans and Orders.
In connection with the distribution of stores to schools, the Stores Committee of the L.C.C. . is of opinion that valuable information and experience would be obtained if a trial were made with a mOtorvan. It intends, therefore, lo hire a two-ton motorvan for three months, the cost (including driver, van guard, running expenses, etc., and the provision of a second vehicle in the event of breakdown or accident) not to exceed Liso.
The Fire-Brigade Committee of the. I,.C.C., in a report issued on Monday, stated that it was desirable there should be at the chief station of the tire brigade Inotor appliance which would be always available to convey the principal -officers quickly 16 fires. z1 motor hosetender would be convenient for the purpose, as it would be capable also of carrying a supply of hose and smoke helmets. After inquiry of several firms as to the price at which they would supply the chassis for such an appliance the Committee has provisionally accepted the offer by Commercial Cars, Limited, at ;475oo, of a 3o-35h.p.
engine and chassis, similar to those o the motor escape vans recently supplied by the company to the brigade.
Provincial Motorcabs.
The statutory meeting of the Provincial Motor Cab Company, Limited, was held at 32, Old Jewry, E.C., on the gat instant, under the chairmanship of Mr. Davison Dalziel, who referred to the enormous amount of preliminary work which had fallen upon the company in respect of the obtaining of licenses and the arrangement of fare schedules in the Provinces. Services had already been established at Brighton, Eastbourne, Folkestone, Aldershot, IL-irrigate, Manchester.and Bradford, whilst the company's cabs were about to take up their work in „Bristol, Sheffield, Liverpool and Glasgow. WolseleySiddeley vehicles are largely employed by this company, and we are interested to note Mr. Dalziel's statement that the company had earned a net profit of 41,546 during the month of June. This is largely due to private hiring's.
France's Two Salons.
In reference to the decision of the Automobile Club de France to hold two separate shows this year for private anti commercial vehicles respectively, as reported by us last week, M. Gustave Rives, the org.anising genius of France's famous motor salons, says :— " In view of the growing importance of our motor trade, and the extended range of the motor's application to transport, the organising committee, in order to satisfy the desire of the exhibitors, is faced with. the necessity of creating two distinct and successive salons, which will both be held at the Grand Palais-the first, for private cars and cycles, from 28th November to 1.3th December, and the second, for commercial vehicles, motor boats, and aerial craft, from the 24th to the 3oth December,
" Permanently classed among the most brilliant manifestations of our national activity, presenting the most complete exhibition of the latest 11Dprovements in the automobile, and •a rendezvous for all interested in new means of locomotion who come for the purpose of purchase or study, our Exposition de l'Automobile indisputably constitutes at the present moment the principal market of the world for the motor industry."
Already the A.C.F. has received a considerable number of requests for stands, and the belief is held that in point of exhibits this year's salon or salons—will not fall short of those of preceding years. NI. Rivs appeals to makers to send in their most up-to-date type of vehicles, and to apply for space without delay. The need for stir and " hustle " is evident.
Requests for stands should be addressed : " M. le President du Comite d'Organisation, 8, Place de la Concorde, Paris."
The Fire Brigade Committee of the Willesden Urban District Council reports that a petrol, motor, fire engine, which is to be supplied by Merryweather's, will be ready for delivery shortly. Some firemen have attended at the works of the makers for instructions in the management of the engine.
Scottish Club Considering C.V.
Mr. Robert Smith, Secretary of the Scottish Automobile Club, during the recent pleasure-car trials in which the English and Scottish Automobile Clubs co-operated, intimated that the inadvisability of holding a trial for cornmercial motor vehicles was under the consideration of a special committee of his club. Although it would probably not be advisable to hold such trials in the immediate future, the Scottish Club was keenly alive to the rapid development of this branch of the industry. •
Cleansing Superintendents Meet.
A discussion on municipal motors took place, in London, on the occasion of the recent annual conference of the Association of Cleansing Superintendents. ;Members of this association cling to their horses with remarkable tenacity, and do not appear to be at all hurried to reorganise their departments so as to enable motor vehicles to have a proper chance. It looks very much as though the labour question was allowed to have undue influence in certain cases, as motor vehicles undoubtedly cause the loaders to "hustle," and tend to put a certain number of drivers and horsekeepers out of employment. These facts, no doubt, might lead to inconvenient results for some councillors; hence the attitude of apathy and superiority which is assumed by the more intelligent officials Who have to consider the political exigencies of the situation. Whiteley's fleet of Ts Lacre Vans is wholly equipped with Liversidge bodies and De Nevers, grooved, solid tires, both of which important adjuncts to the vehicles were supplied by J. Liversidge and Son, Limited, of 561, Old Kent Road, S.E.
Manchester Motoreabs: A Strike and Thrice -revised Fares.
It may be remembered that licenses to run motorcabs in Manchester were at first granted on condition that the fares charged should. be at the rate of one shilling per mile, and four shillings per hour for waiting. The proprietors of the competing horse-cabs disagreed with this schedule, and the owners of matorcabs had to adopt. a rate of ninepence per Mile for one or two passengers, of one shilling per mile for three or four passengers, and waiting to be charged at the rate of three shillings per hour. As a result of this agreement, the taximeters Were placed hors de combat, and the drivers had to be trusted to hook their earnings systematically. This they resented, and OR Thursday, the 25th ultimo, a procession was organised round the city, and the cabs wete, as a protest, driven back to garage at 9.15 g.m. A list of grievances was then presented to the manager, aria among the points therein made the following items figured : that the compulsory booking of fares implied distrust and dishonesty ; that objection was taken to an outdoor inspector ; that drivers should not be compelled to clean their engines ; and that the deductions made from their daily earnings were unfair, The deductions quoted comprise : sixpence per day towards washing the cab ; sixpence per day towards the cost of the uniform which the company supplies to the drivers on the ,•hire-purchase system ; and sixpence per day towards an accident fund. A -similar accidentcontribution scheme is in force in most public-service concerns : in the case of
the Provincial Motor Cab Company, sixpencti. per day has to he paid in, until such time as so shillings stand to each driver's credit, and the men, when leaving the service of the company, are entitled to draw any balance that ma) stand to their credit. Deductions are liable to he made for the loss of a horn, lamps, or rugs, or for the Wilful or careless damage of the chassis or coachwork. After a deal of consideration on the part of the drivers, the company's original temis were accepted without modification, and the cabs went to work, as usual, on the Saturday following.
A stipulation next arrived from the Hackney Coach Committee, which sent all the cabs hack to the yard with orders that the name of the company and the current table of faies were to be painted on the doer and panels of all the Vehicles.
Once more have the fares been revised. At the time of writing they are as follow : rfinepence per mile for one or two passengers, and threepencefor each succeeding one-third of a Mile, or, by time, sixpence for each 15minutes, i.e., two shillings per hour ;: one shilling per mile for three or more passengers and fourpence for each succeeding one-third of a mile, or, by time, half-acrown per hour, or sevenpenee halfpenny for 15 minutes ; and double fares to be chargeable between 12 Midnight and 7 a.m. This latest schedule implies eight different rating's; which arrangement again disqualifies the taxitneter.
In' spite of all these disabilities, receipts have been very satisfactory; for June, a total mileage of over 37,500 miles was booked, and the average gross receipts are returned at 4;2 ttS. 7d. per cab-day. Nothing will satisfy the Provinces in place of motorcabs, but it is an open question as to whether Ioeal people or London promoters will do the better in the long run.
The Tramway Nuisance at Brentford.
We reproduce on this page two instructive photographs; these show the (lisgracefui traffic conditions. which frequently prevail in the High Street, Brentford. On the 61h instant, a pantechnicon, which belongs to a Focal tirm of contractors, was drawn up outside a shop in the High Street, and it remained there during a period of two and a half hours in the afternoon, while moving operations were being completed. The shortsighted and monopolistic policy .which permitted the main thoroughfare through Brentford to be handed over almost entirety to the use of the tramway proprietors has resulted in " the birds corning home to roost " on many occasions since the installation of the service. The photographs show the pantechnicon in comfortable " possession " at the side of the road, with, of course, two of its wheels in the middle of the down tramway-track. On such occasions as this, and, we are informed that they are by no means infrequent, elaborate arrangements have to be mad'e by the police to control the traffic,
which is always considerable. The method adopted is to allow the cars corning in one direction to 'accumulate to the number of twelve, and then to run them through, in close order, on the one line which is free from obstruction ; by that time, a similar number of cars has accumulated at the other end, so that, by carefully switching them, over at intervals, the thoroughfare is effectually closed toeaff other forms of traffic.
One of the views off this page reveals a truly extraordinary condition of affairs, but one which apparently meets with the, approval of the police author
ities. It will be seen that the timehonoured rule of the road—" Keep to the Left "—has been abrogated in the caseof the main street in Brentford. Three tramcars of the twelve in waiting can he seen passing the pantechnicon, by running upon the wrong track . this method of progression entire4v. blocked that side of the road, and necessitated that reversal of the usual rules of the road to which we now draw attention. The inflexibility of tramway services has in no instance deserved more criticism than in this instance. We are led to wonder what would happen should two occupiers, living in, houses on opposite sides of the High Street, decide to move at the same time.
A Family Party.
The necessary res.;offitions for the amalgamation of the General Motor Cab Company, Limited, and the United Motor Cab Company, Limited, to which we made reference in our last issue, were duly carried at meetings of the shareholders on the Toth instant.
MunkPal Contractors.
The Streets Committee of the Middlesbrough Town Council appears to have been having some unusual experiences with a motor wagon. A wagon was sent to the Council, on trial, by a manufacturing company, and it appears that it was let out for hire, for the purpose of conveying wooden blocks, at a charge of only 17s. 6d. per day.. A heated discussion took place as to whether the wagon should be purchased or sent back to the maker, it being pm
posed, in the latter event, that any hire receipts should be handed over as well, hut the decision to buy was carried by a narrow majority. Surely it is a peculiar action for a council to undertake haulage work with .a machine that was only in its hands for trial purposes, but, on the old dictum that "All's well that ends well," we suppose no trouble will now ensue.
A Recent Albion Delivery.
We illustrate at the foot of Page 474 one of the latest-type, itih.p„ two-top, Albion lorries. The purchasing company, whose name appears on the side of the lorry platform, purchased a 24cwt. Albion van some 18 months ago, and the repeat order is due to its satisfactory running in the West Indies.
Held Over.
Owing to pressure on our space this week, and to our decision to give prominence in a single issue to several reports and articles concerning fire-brigade requirements in the motor branch, we are unable to make roam for the continuation of the article on " Lubrication Systems for Commercial Vehicles," and for several letters.
Advisory Help.
Mr. Howard S. Wilson, A.M.I.Mech.E., of 254, Castellain Mansions, Maida Vale, W., advises us that he has recently resigned his position with the Simms Magneto Company, and that he is now giving a large amount of time to the development of his consulting and advisory business in connection with commercial vehicles.
Swiss Industrial-Vehicle Trials.
The projected Swiss commercial trials cannot take place before the spring of igo9. Whereas the Confederate War Office will draw up the regulations, the work of organising the trials devolves upon the Swiss Motor Club. The Federal Council purposes supporting a vote of 25,000 francs to defray part of the expenses of holding the trials, and there will doubtless be a majority for this credit ; anyhow, little or no opposition is anticipated. The War Office will most likely purchase Successful
vehicles. The i,000 strong.
Late News and M.O.W.
Vanguard "Outing."
The annual outing of the men ernPoyed at the Waltharnstow works of the Vanguard Motorbus Co., Ltd., was held on Saturday last, Ramsgate being the place visited. A special train left London Bridge Station at 7.25 a.m., the party arriving back at 11.30 p.m. Luncheon was served in the Pavilion, Mr. Stanley D. Gilbert, the commercial manager, presiding. Votes of thanks were proposed to the Chairman and Mr. Evinson, Mr. Browell, Mr. Boon, and the outing committee, the 'speeches, however, all being short and pithy.
After luncheon, the men scattered ; some visited Broadstairs, Margate, etc. Great regret was expressed at the absence of Mr. 'Freeland and Mr. Bell, who were prevented from attending by irnpc.>rtant businessengagements. The weather was glorious, and altogether a very enjoyable day was spent.
Easy Access.
The Highways Committee of the Westminster City Council (see page 467) prefers vertically-hollered wagons. It appears that, in order to. meet the Council's specification of an overall length of 37 feet 6 inches, it becomes necessary so to set back a locomotive type bailer in the frame as to render it impossible to give the driver access, or space, to move, behind the boiler.
Proper Distribution oi Load.
Owners and drivers of motor. wagons will do well to pay more regard to the manner in which they distribute loads on the platforms of their lorries and wagons, especially in the neighbourhood of Bolton. The Manchester Motor Transport Company, Limited, of Bury New Road, Manchester, had to answer a number of summonses, at the Belton Borough Court, on the loth instant, and the company was fortunate, through its. solicitor, Mr. T. W. Grace, in being able to satisfy the Bench that there was not an excessive total weight, but only an incorrect distribution on the platform, whereby more than eight tons was on the rear axle.