Motorcab Topics.
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An 18 h.p. Dennis taxicab, at Cardiff, owned by Sully's Taxicab Co., recently covered 192 miles in a day.
Three 14-16 h.p. Darracq landaulet cabs are now in service, at Preston, from the County Garage. They are owned by the Lancashire Motor and Engineering Co., Ltd.
Sixpenn3; Horse-cabs.
South London horse-cab proprietors are to try the experiment of an initial 6(1. fare. This competition is not viewed with any apprehension by by motoreab owners, and we think that it is only a half-hearted effort to meet the competition of the initial 8d. of the motorcab.
Argyll Taxicabs.
At the time of publication of our " Motoreab Special " (30th April, 1908), Argyll taxicabs were constructed on the unit system, and the gearbox was integral with the crankcase of the engine. This is not the case now, as the 12-16 h.p. Argyll engine is separate from the gearbox, in the cab model.
London's Idle Taxicabs.
The attention of our readers is directed to two interesting letters, on different aspects of the taxicab situation in the metropolis, which we publish on page 58 of this issue. Of considerable interest is the suggestion, by our correspondent, Mr. R. J. Williams, of the possible detriment to public interests that would ensue, in the event of licensing restrictions so acting as to yield the control of the bulk of London's taxicab business into the hands of one managerial group.
General Motor Cab Co.
The current traffic returns of the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd., are sent to us as follow :— Week ending Saturday, 11th September, 413,489.
Previous week, £13,166.
Corresponding week, 1908, £12.965. Increase on previous week, £323. Increase on corresponding week, 1908, £524.
Total receipts from 1st August, 1909, £79,507.
Increase on previous corresponding period, £9,790.
It should be noted that the above figures take no account of the average number of cabs in service.
An application to secure disclosure of the list of shareholders in the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd., which
was heard at tile Mansion House on the 10th inst., failed, it being shown that the applicant, who was not a shareholder, hut a clerk in the office of a body called the Motorists Protection League, had no legal right to require such a return, and that the company was entitled to file it at Somerset House any time up to the 31st December next. Five guineas costs were allowed by the magistrate against the applicant.
" The Financial News " reports the settlement of a recent disagreement between the drivers of the Brussels Motor Cab Co. and the management of that concern. The men were originally given a fixed wage of three francs (2s. 6c1.) per day, which was understood to be one of 10 hours work, but which often was extended to as much as 15 hours. Now, for every hour worked beyond 10 hours, the drivers will be paid 5d. Each man has to deposit 100 francs (£4) as security of good behaviour.
The Initial Eightpence.
There is a feeling among some motorcab proprietors with whom we have conversed on the matter that the initial 8d. fare is insufficient in their ease, and there appears to he a growing feeling that this ought to be brought up to Is., the old figure for the horse-drawn cab. There unquestionably are arguments in support of that contention, but it must be re
membered that such a change would be a virtual increase to is. 2d. for the first mile, for, as we explained in an article which appeared in our issue of the 14th January last, all increments of fare are registered in advance by taximeters, which means that the dial indicates the first additional 2(1. as soon as, say, 1,780 yards of straight-forward running have been exceeded, or, more generally, owing to the occurrence of at least one traffic slack to a speed of less than 6 m.p.h. before a linear mile has been completed. We fear that the popularity of the motorcab would he greatly lessened were any change to is. to be sanctioned in London.
Motor Union Driving Certificates.
A correspondent asks our opinion of the Motor Union's scheme for the issuing of driving certificates. This scheme, and the regulations under it, have been put before us, but they give no indication of the nature of the examination, in which circumstances it is difficult to enter upon criticism. It must be remembered that hackneycarriage drivers are usually required to know very little about the mechanism of the vehicles of which they are in charge. The men must, however, know the localities in which they have to drive thoroughly. We are not prepared to condemn the scheme.
On Burst Covers to Brighton.
On the 21st inst., it is intended that 20 pleasure cars; each of which will run on at least one burst outer cover, v-ill convey a. critical party of pressmen to Brighton and back. This would seem, at its first announcement, to be likely to constitute an experience which should prove the reverse of entertaining to the chosen guests, even though it were one with which they were quite familiar. The ingenuity of such a programme does credit to the business managers of the Reinforced Inner Tube Co., Ltd., who are adopting this method to draw attention to the reduction of tire troubles which may be secured by the employment of this company's patented inner tube. In spite of the damaged covers which are to play such an important part in this demnnstration run, owing to the employment of the Reinforced Inner Tube throughout, the party will, it is expected, complete the journey with no stops for tire troubles. The inventiou in question consists essentially of
a heavy rubber tube, which has its inner circumference slightly thickened by the addition of a. strip of pure rubber and which is reinforced on the tread, if it may be so called, and on the walls by the embodiment in it of two or three layers of special cotton canvas. In June last, the R.A.C. con. ducted a series of decisive testa with tubes of this make over 1,000 miles of road, with outer covers in which ugly gashes were present. The certificate of performance which was issued as a result of this trial fully bears out all that the maker claims for the device. It would appear from this and other trustworthy evidence : that, even in conjunction with a badly-cut cover, there is no tendency for the reinforced tube to protrude; that stretching of the fabric is unnoticeable; that nipping of the tube during refitting is almost an impossibility; that neither water nor friction are detrimental to it that the liability to puncture is reduced, and that there is no loss of resilience. All these advantages are of such a character as to appeal strongly to those users of light commercial vehicles which are fitted with pneumatic tires, and especially to motorcab owners throughout the country.
A representative of this journal hopes to be a passenger on the occasion of the run to Brighton, and we shall subsequently have occasion to make further x eference to this interesting development.