News and Comment.
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The authority, circulation and influence of this journal rest upon facts.
The Royal Show-next week.
For a few advance notes, see parts of pages 295-299.
No report will be out so early as ours, and none will be done so well.
Uniformity of road signs is being strongly advocated by important county councils—see page 309.
Huddersfield Corporation has purchased its motor ambulance from Clayton and Co., Ltd., of that town.
R.A.S.E. Fire.
The isolated fire, at the Liverpool showvard, on Monday last, will in no way hinder the show programme.
" Commer Cars" in U.S.A.
We have reason to believe that an agreement of a satisfactory nature is on the point of signature between an important American motor-manufacturing concern and Commercial Cars, Ltd., in respect of the American manufacturing rights of the latter eompany.
Westminster Order Hangs in the Balance.
The report of the Special Committee of the Westminster City Council, in regard to the projected purchase of seven petrol wagons is not expected for a few weeks. Reactionary interests upon the Council are doing their inmost to prevent the placing of this further order.
A Statue to Dunlop.
Mr. H. Massac Buist, writing in " The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News," sees eye to eye with us in regard to the intended pneumatictire memorial. We quote: " Could not the memorial, therefore, tell some
such story by making Thomson and Dunlop the prineipal figures in the act of shaking hands over their mutual but independent discovery, and by having Welch and Bartlett as subsidary figures, or, maybe, merely showing their heads in bas-relief on the plinth of the statue? That is sufficient. acknowledgment to the inventors of the pneumatic tire. The world, of course, owes it more to the enterprise of Mr. Harvey tht Cros, whose commercial genius and pluck alone brought the invention to a state of perfection. On the other hand, the world owes Mr. do Cros nothing because he has long had the reward to which his business foresight and pluck are entitled, namely, a very handsome fortune." New Registration.
Anglo-Brazilian Motor Transport Co., _Ltd., with an authorized capital of £25,000 in 23,250 ordinary shares of 121 each, and 36,000 founder shares of Is. each, by -Waterlow Bros. and Layton, Ltd., Birehin Lane, E.C., to take over the business of carriers of passengers and goods and owners of motorcabs and other vehicles carried on at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the Empresse Auto Transporters de Brazil.
Another Satisfied Foden User.
We hear good reports, from a .Kerttering correspondent, of the work done by a Fod-en wagon for Mr. W. A. Pink, Removal Contractor, of that town. This vehicle was delivered on the 16th ult., and its first trip was to a point near Cockermouth (133 miles), thence to Bestow (154 miles by the route taken), and finally back to Kettering (83 miles). A small coalcarrying platform, which can take 10 cwt. of this fuel, is placed behind the leer axle for use on long journeys.
More L.C.C. Road Motors.
The Highways Committee of the L.C.C. is purchasing three additional motor vehicles for the use of the tramways department, and particularly to deal with breakdowns on the track. We understand that the B.t.R.T. Co., Ltd., is disposing of 28-32 h.p. Armet rong-Whit worth chassis, at L360 each without tires. The Highways Committee states that, after fitting tires and suitable bodies, each vehicle will cost £485. Why not more Fodens, which have done so very well:.
More Trials in France.
The Trials Committee of the French Automobile Club, under the patronage of the Minister of War, will conduct trials for commercial vehicles during the. period commencing on the 10th August and terminating on the 8th September. The principal depot, from which all the vehicles will start for the various daily runs, will be at Versailles. Entries will close on the 30th inst. The vehicles will be divided into classes according to their suita
iilitv military requiremelits or public-passenger service. There is to he a special class for motorbuses of types especially suitable for the Service of the Compagnie Cenerale des Omnibus it Paris. A wax model of the Hon. C. S. Rolls has been added to Madame Tussaud's exhibition, together with a facsimile el the aeroplane on which he crossed and recrossed the English Channel.
Visitors to Liverpool, during next eeek or at any other time, should remember the excellent cross-river services (Sundays included) of ferryboats upon which motorcars and other motor vehicles are carried.
A Sample Van.
The compactness of the samplecompartment van, of which we reproduce a photograph on this page, is yet another instance of how a motorvan can serve wholesale houses. It is an Alldays and Onions ear, and is used in the boot trade.
Belsize Vans.
A smart and handy 15-cwt. van is the Belsize. Fitted with 810 mm. by 100 mm. plain pneumatic tires on the front wheels, and ordinary solid tires on theback wheeis, the chassis is priced at 1:!.310. A 14-16 lip. fourcylinder engine is fitted. The inside body measurements are: length behind driver's seat, 5 ft. 8 in.; width, 4 ft. 64 in.; height, 5 ft.
Not Culpable Homicide.
A motor-Iorry driver, at Perth, was travelling with a white lieht as a tail lamp, and a motorcar driver ran into the lorry (from behind) with fatal results. The aceused's solicitor successfully put in the following objections to the indictmenton a charge et culpable homicide: " That the indictment was irrelevant in respect that—(a) there was no obligation to < ;irry on a motorcar a red light attached to the back ; a)) the conduct charged did not constitute a crime by the common law of Scotland, but a contravention of statutory regulations, which could be punished by the 'stn tutory penally only ; (c) no relation of cause and effect was averred, and none was necessarily implied between the white instead of a red rear light and the collision."
The driver of the lorry might have pet a piece of red paper or red cotton. cloth over the glass of his lamp. Royal Show Garage.
Messrs. Solani Bros., of 26, North John Street, Liverpool, will provide garage accommodation during the Royal Show, in the old tramway shed at the corner of Wavertree High Street and Prince Alfred Road, near the showyard, at 2s. 6d. per ear.
The Parade.
Press comments upon the Parade nearly always mentioned the silver cup which this journal gave to the C.M.U.A., and our contemporary " The Surveyor," which is the official organ of the Incorporated Association of Municipal and County Engineers, gave a largo reproduction of the cup and its plinth. Several general extracts are given on page 312.
A "Sentinel" for Tar-spraying.
We illustrate, on page 298, the seeond six-ton Sentinel steam wagon to be purchased by the Corporation of Kingston-upon-Hull. The tarspraying outfit is such that the tar is heated by the exhaust steam from the pump which forces the liquid through the atomising jets, whilst an eight-foot strip of roadway can he tree led at one operation. The tank holds enough tar (1,000 gallons) to treat onemile in length of a 24-foot carriageway in about one hour.
Demand in the Dutch East Indies.
In the course of a chat which we had recently with Mr. II. Panzetta, who has lately returned from a business tour in the Dutch East Indies, etc., our view that the commercial motor will play an important part in the development of the new rubber estates in the Federated Malay States, and elsewhere, received ample confirma
tion. The new plantations are in many places being made in clearances effected in the jungle, far from the homes of the workpeople, and many miles from the railways. As the estates are developed, chars-ii-barns will be required for the conveyance oi employees to them, whilst the transport of the rubber to the railways will also call for the services of the commercial motor. If offered at the right price, nearly a hundred charsh-bancs and commercial vehicles could be sold at once in the Federated Malay States.
Heavy Motors to Carry Bird Seed.
At first thought, it would hardly seem likely that a bird-seed firm would have much use for heavy motor vehicles, yet Messrs. It. Hyde and Co., of Camberwell, S.E., at present employ one five-ton Foden and a two-ton trailer, one 3,i-ton steamer of the same make on rubber tires, and one four-ton petrol van. These vehicles are rendering good service, mainly in carrying parrot food and sand, which go a long way to make up heavy loads. In respect of lighter petrol vehicles, Messrs. Hyde at one time owned a considerable fleet, but they appear, new, to favour the larger capacities. The new 3-ton Foden is shown, together with the petrol van.
To Cater for Industrial Vehicles.
The Ariel and General Repairs, Ltd., of Camberwell New Road, SE., is one of those companies with motorvehicle repair shops which are early awake to the fact that the future prosperity of their undertakings is capable of being considerably enhanced by the adoption of a scheme which shall embrace the repairs and maintenance of commercial motor vehicles. At present, the premises in Camberwell, which have already from time to time been enlarged, are fully occupied with the pleasure-car side of the business, but it is the intention of the proprietors immediately to make a. bid for a share of the large amount of new business which will increasingly be available owing to the rapid extension of industrial-motor services. Already this company is prepared to quote annual maintenance figures for various classes of machines, and we are given to understand that further extensions of the premises and the installation of heavier plant will be considered immediately that this new branch of the business warrants such expenditure. During a recent visit which was paid to the present premises by a representative of this journal, the variety of work which was being undertaken was sufficient indication of the fact that
Ariel and General Repairs, Ltd., intends to be ready for the heavier class of repair work when it comes its way.
Suburban Firm's Enterprise.
The success which has attended the business of Mr. Prank BenteII, who runs a veritable " Ladies' Paradise " in his premises at 25-41, Clarence Street, Kingston-on-Thames, seems to have been remarkable indeed, and the following report dealing with the pro gress of this business house in the adoption of self-propelled vehicles should prove informative. Starting their motor delivery service, in 1906, with a 15-cwt. Argyll van, which a local firm let to them, this firm quickly realized the advantages which would accrue from a more-extensive adoption a suitable vehicles, so a 16 h.p., 25cwt. Lacre van was ordered about the end of 1907. This vehicle proved itself a most-useful acquisition, and it has been worked so hard that it has covered over 75,000 miles to the time of writing. The business, however, grew so rapidly after the installation of the first ',acre, that a second one was purchased, and this has proved equally successful ; a third van, a 16 h.p. Albion, has since been acquired, in order further to cope with the growing orders which flow through the firm's dispatch department. Ac cording to Mr. F. G. Lodge, the manager of Mr. Bentall's dispatch department, when the last two motorvans were acquired, they were put on a round which did not give profitable results for a month or so, but, by the regular and extensive motor service in certain districts (notably Woking and Guildford), a fresh round has been opened up, by the second mothrvan installed, which brings the firm in about i150 of revenue a week ! Lately, al
though Wimbledon is well " peopled " with stores in the same line of business as Mr_ Bentall, the Kingston "Ladies' Paradise" Lacre vans have invaded this outlying S.W. suburb, and have worked up a very-paying round. Sometimes, they even deliver orders in London itself.
Touching on the vehicles themselves, which are shown in a line outside the owner's premises, Mr. Lodge spoke highly of their reliability; in fact, this year, they have all been kept on the road without a break. This gentleman, who was eight years with Messrs. Barker, of Kensington, before going to Kingston, considers his present fleet of motorvans economical in repairs and fuel consumption, and has a word to say in favour of the chain cases which are fitted to the second Lacre and the new Albion. The bodies of Mr. Bentall's motorvans are all highly finished in green and gold, the first body being a Liversidge, and the last two by J. Batson, of Kingston. A high mileage is always averaged—. sometimes like 70 to 80 miles a day, though the new Albion, which is fitted with an odometer, has covered as much as 96 miles per day. AR the motorvans are driven by "converted" horse drivers, this course having given satisfaction. This Kingston firm of motorvan owners consider that one 25cwt. van, such as they use, can easily do the work of three horses per day, but, as their new and extensive rounds could not have been opened up by horses, they consider that there can be hardly any comparison between the two methods of delivery. Further extensions in Mr. Bentall's motordelivery service may be looked for at an early date.
It is ever a mental stimulus to me to sit down for an exchange of ideas with Mr. H. E, A Little Talk, ton, of the Albion
Company. He has always something new to say, or a fresh point of view to explain ; during his part of the conversation the other has to give close attention because his words come out like a surging torrent. I do not know if he is a public speaker, but, if so, he must be the despair of the reporters. He was kind enough to approve warmly of some further steps we are taking on this journal to reach the conservative horse user. Mr. Fulton realizes so acutely what an untilled field there is still amongst the numberless small tradesmen who will compare the initial cost of a motorvan with the cost of a horsedrawn equipment. Our missionary efforts have met with much success, but there is a great public to be interested yet, and our Editorial staff are not sparing themselves in their labours concerning the preparation of articles and comparative figures.
A good sign at Huddersfield, which town I visited last week, was that at David Brown and Sons, Ltd., the gear Are An' All." manufacturers, vast
extensions of preinis.es are going forward. and Mr. Percy Brown reported business as being very brisk. The same report can be given anent Clayton and Co., Ltd., the makers of the " Karrier " cars, even to the extension of premises. 'Busy They
This Yorkshire-made petrol lorry is making nice progress. AS far as I know, the " Karrier " car is now the only petrol lorry which is made in Yorkshire, a circumstance which is somewhat odd considering the size of the county, and the importance of its towns. Clayton and Co. will exhibit at the loyal Show, at Liverpool, next neck.
I was in Lancashire on Monday week when I read, in my " Daily Telegraph," the excellent account of Saturday's Parade, and on Tuesday I looked in on the Fodens, at. Sandbach, and imparted the news that the team of Foden vehicles had annexed THE COMMERCIAL Marna Cup. '' It's strange," they said to me, " because Bauly, of the Eastern Motor Wagon Co., was speaking from London on the telephone just now and he never mentioned it." They could hardly believe their good fortune. "There is. amongst many trophies just now leaning up against the wall of one of Foden's oilice,s, without a proper resting place as yet, a gorgeous silver shield—the latest scalp secured by the Friden Wagon Works Band. This Cheshire wagon builder is so busy, too, and extensions to the works are in process of construction, but they are shockingly behind with deliveries. I ventured to inquire of one of the Fodens how he accounted for it, and he said to me " Well! we keep finding out things, and altering and improving; we are always learning, you
Akvays Legrning. know." I told him that he reminded me of Gladstone, who, when he was well over 80, and talking about politic-9, insisted that he was only a learner still.
"Anything doing specially ?" I asked of Mr. Morris, of John Morris and Son, Ltd., the fire-engine makers, at Salford, and he rejoined as if it were a commonplace: "The Pretoria municipality have cabled for another motor pump, with 60 h.p. engine, similar to the one recently sent, and which you saw here, and the Nuneaton Fire Brigade have just ordered a motor tender and escape, &Cr, with other orders in hand, we are well occupied." Cabled for Another.
My arrival at the Argyll factory synchronized with the departure of a new Argyll tender Off to Oldham. for the Oldham Fire
Brigade. It was, as a matter of fact, going off to Glasgow for inspection and trial by the municipal authorities there, and would afterwards be forwarded to Oldham. This was a 50 h.p. engine, and was a repeat order from Oldham. Speed is a necessary quality in fire-engine work, and the test showed, even with the heavy body and fittings and a considerable human cargo, a matter of 30 m.p.h. I new depot has been opened by the Argyll Co., at 16, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, with a separate repair department, at 7, Devon Place, close by.