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.
L.G.O.C. Results.
Our references to the last accounts and balance-sheet of the L.G.O.C. have to be held over for want of space.
Proposals and Purchases by Local Authoritic S.
L.G.B. sanction has at last reached Grimsby for the fire-engine loan of 21200.
Camberley U.D.C. is considering the purchase of a steam tractor with tipping wagon.. The Stretford U.D.C. has approved the plans for the offices and depot (in the Chorlton Road) of the Cotton Industry Motor Transport Co., Ltd.
The Town Improvement and Streets Committee of the New castle-on-Tyne City Council has decided to purchase a batteryequipped refuse-van.
The Lancashire County Council has been considering suggestions re the cost of maintenance due to motor-wagon traffic on the roads of the county, and particularly on the Liverpool, Warrington and Manchester main road.
Sheffield Tramways Department, following the purchase of another potorbus chassis, will construct the body in its own shops ; the Health Committee of the same Corporation is buying another battery-equipped 'vehicle from Edison Accumulators, Ltd.
The Bacot) Town Council is much concerned about the unavoidable delay in the delivery of its Leyland motor fire-engine. The Mayor, Chief Constable and other officers
of the council have been appointed to endeavour to hasten matters— both with the makers and with the
L. G. B.
Various local authorities have been complaining that the London Customs Authorities are classing motor-sweepers as pleasure cars. The Broom-and-Wade lorry, in the
R.A.C. trials of 1907, was humorously so classed on the occasion of a certain entertainment, but there is little humour in the reported action of the Customs authorities. Where is Mr. H. H. Gregory?
The Chipping Sodbury R.D.C.
has decided not to purchase a traction engine, in connection with
road-haulage work, and the sur veyor, Mr. W. Norris Hudson, may now be able to persuade his com mittee to make the smaller investment which is demanded by a steam tractor or wagon. His report shows that the cost of hauling stones, by the use of horses, has gone up from is. lid, per cubic yard, in 1910, to 4s. at the present time;
The D.S. and T. Resigns.
We note, with much regret, the retirement of Major-General Long from the office of Director of Supplies and Transport. He is, as a worker, unsparing of himself, and a recognized organizer of unusual ability. His record for the M.T. and ether A.S.C. branches has been unprecedented, as has the war. Three Army Points.
We are able to state, in response to inquiries :—(a) a time-expired A.S.C.' M.T., man can leave that branch of the Service when his time is up, and not be under any risk of compulsory re-enlistment under existing legislation ; (b) an attested man who completes his forty-first year before the date on which he has to report himself for service passes out of the military-age categories under present legislation, although, if the age limit be subsequently extended, he will become liable to be called up in any class (or group) later than No. 46; (e) men who entered the Army under the Derby Scheme, and are posted to the A.S.C., M.T., will get current rates of pay (2s. 4e1. per day), and not 6s, per day, this rate of pay having been in force for many months past for newly-joining men.
Russian Directory of British? Manufacturers.
Mr. G-. W. Kettle, chairman of the Russo-British Trade Exchange, Ltd., which has its office at 16, Regent Street, W., considers that our reviewer did not fully apprehend all the circumstances when dealing (issue of the 9th inst.) With the recently-published directory for which Mr. Kettle, amongst his numerous activities, is in part responsible. Mr. Kettle particularly wishes to point out that there is no connection between the Russian Chamber of Commerce and the publishers of this directory, and we willingly draw attention to this cidstinction. Certain points of classification were adopted, Mr. Kettle informs us, to suit the manufacturers themselves, although he contends that the inclusion of advertisers only is justified. We cannot agree that the best commercial practice. is indicated by the following contention: " Every. Motor firm of note has been approached by us, but few of them have demonstrated the enterprise to be represented in the book ; and we hope you will agree that it is no concern of ours to insert in this work the names of British manufacturers who have not the enterprise to present their goods through such a medium." We certainly do not agree. A directory should be a directory. Finally, Mr. Kettle expresses the view that Roman characters are now commonly understood throughout Russia, and that the use of Russian
characters in the directory for the names of British manufacturers might have led to confusion in the British Post Office later on. Mr. Kettle assures us that Mr. Lenski is a Russian. Recent Registrations.
Carlisle Motor Delivery Co., Ltd. (23000), registered by Jordan and Sons, Ltd.
Lorry and Munitions Supply Co., Ltd. (E10,000), registered by Kenneth Brown, Baker, Baker and Co. Motor TraubOfl Co., Ltd. (210,000), with its office at 24, Waterloo Street, Birmingham, to manufacture and deal in motor lorries, etc.
R. Barton Adamson and Co., Ltd. (22000), with its office at Sandringham Works, Enfield Highway, Enfield, Middlesex, to deal in electric and other vehicles.
Water Supplies in Lancashire.
Lancashire users will be interested to learn that the Manchester, Liverpool, and Counties C.M.U.A. has now completed arrangements for the disc-in-slot pillar fountains, for roadside water supplies, in the boroughs of Bury. Oldham and Rochdale. The fountains will be fixed and ready for use by the 25th inst. Full particulars can be obtained direct from Mr. Ellis Green, 3, Cromwell Buildings, Blackfriars Street, Manchester, who informs us that the charge for a disc is 3d.
L.G.O.C. Guides.
We have quite recently received a supply of new motorbus guides issued by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. It is some oonsiderable time since these helpful leaflets were issued, which is undoubtedly due to the fact that the number of buses in actual service has been considerably reduced, with the natural result that various modifications have been made to the routes and services which were previously in operation. As a matter of fact, the L,G.O. Co. had, in July, 1914, well over 3000 omnibuses on the road, whilst at the present time the number falls short of 9000. The guide is published in its usual form, and applies from the present until further notice. Copies can be obtained upon application to the Advertising Dept.
American Appreciation of the Comforts Fund.
The issue, dated 17th February, of " The Motor Age," of Chicago, includes an interesting three-page illustrated article, from the pen of W. .F. Bradley, dealing with the organization of the Campaign Comforts Fund for the A.S. M.T., organized and maintained by THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. The description of the very complete card system which as in use to ensure adequate and effective distribution is particularly well dcpe, and a number of illustrations renders the article unusually informative. May we be permitted to quote with justifiable pride, the following appreciatory words
from the columns of our representative American contemporary : —" The Comforts Fund for the motor transport men serving with the British Army abroad is certhinly the best managed of the many organizations for taking care of Tommy in the field." R.A.S.E.
Intending exhibitors at this year's Show of the Royal Agricultural Society of England are reminded that entries close on the 20th inst.
Manchester Tramways.
The general manager of the Manchester Corporation Tramways is reported to be taking steps to restrict motor-lorry traffic to the sides of tramway streets. If this report be true, it forebodes a grave interference with the rights of users of the street under the Highways Act, but we can quite conceive that in certain thoroughfares in Manchester the interests of all parties will be better served by some arrangement of the kind, subject to due safeguards.
Industries of the Empire Fair.
We understand that various members of the motor industry are paying heed to the possible claims upon them of the Industries of the Empire Fair, which is to take place in a new building at Willesden Green in March of next year. The exhibition, is already the subject of communications, we are informed, between the promoters and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The promoters, for whom Mr. William Glass of Lincoln House, High Holborn, London, W.C., is the organizing secretary and manager, hope to secure widespread industrial support, and it is their intention to exclude all foreign exhibitors and exhibits. Furthermore, no private cars will be admitted for exhibition. It is hoped by the promoters that they will be able to secure support from the commercial side of the motor industry, in the same way that individual support is accorded to certain trade exhibitions which are not primarily or chiefly motoring exhibitions, such as those which take place at the Agricultural Hall, and the annual show of the R. A. S. E.
Petrol Supply and Consumption.
The R.A.C. has issued a manifesto, under date 10tIt inst., in which it urges economy in the use of petrol upon its members, but in which it at the same time points out that the great majority of privatecar motoring at the present time is of a useful character. The Club deprecates the hoarding and storage of petrol in an unnecessary manner, and urges local authorities to enforce the 60-gallon limit upon people who ignore it. This manifesto is published in the current issue of our sister journal "The Motor" (dated the 14th inst.), to which we refer those of our readers who are sufficiently interested to wish to see the whole text of the manifesto. We are more concerned with the commercial position, with which we deal in the course of articles on pages 43, 44 and 45. We are none the less keeping in very close touch with private-car control, seeing that the less private ears use the more likelihood there is of a reasonable balance of supplies to meetcom
mercial needs. The "first turn" must of course be given to the various services of the Crown, but we hope the ultimate situation will yet prove to be that there is no risk of permanent shortage for anybody.
L.C.C. Hostility to Motorbuses.
The Highways Committee of the L.C.C. is again sho'wing its hostile attitude towards motorbuses. The latest example concerns the proposals of the Erith U.D.O. to inaugurate a service to meet the travelling requirements of mumtion-workers. The Highways Committee is apparently opposed to the granting of powers to the Erith U.D.C., in the absence of an undertaking to maintain the roads over which the motorbuses will ran, and to contribute one-third towards the cost of any street improvements which may " partly " be necessitated by the heavy motorbus traffic.
The Highways Committee has secured the support in this matter of the Finance Committee, the Local Government Committee, and the Parliamentary Committee of the L.C.C. A contribution of three-eighths of a. penny per omnibus mile is evidently favoured by the L.C.C., although its interest in the roads is slight.