News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches.
The drawings for the article on the flail gear (pages 438 to 441) have been specially prepared for this journal, and are, now, published for the first time.
The Norfolk county surveyor intends to improve the roads in the Loddon and Clavering rural districts, in order to facilitate motor-omnibus and other toolor traffic in the district.
A. Darracq and Company, Limited, has in hand an order for 4,003 motorcabs, a number of which are intended for the London streets. A separate factory is necessitated by this development of the company's trade.
Mr. Edmund Gascoine (Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Company, Limited) has been elected to the Commercial-Vehicle Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
An interesting demonstration of a soh.p. Saunders-on agricultural tractor was given at Leagrave, near Luton, on the Toth instant. The machine proved ito:lf, by comparison, equal to 36 horses, and it is about to be shipped to:work on a cotton estate in British East Africa. An illustration, from a photograph taken during the tests, will be included in our next issue.
It is announced that a company with an authorised capital of ,,200,ozio is to be organised to exploit the Renard train in England. In this connection, it should be noted that Engl.sh Motorcar Acts allow only a single trailing vehicle, for goods-carrying purposes, and forbid the use of a trailer for the conveyance of passengers. Should it be held that the special transmission of the Renard train, in which each following vehicle is driven, on one axle, by the combination of a jointed propeller shaft and suitable gears, constitutes the complete train a single motorcar, the whole will, then., have to be regarded as a traction engine, and be required to work under the Locomotives Acts of 1861, 1863, 1878, and 1898.
Messrs. Embury and Sutton, of 21, Davey Street, Cardiff, have written to Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Company, Limited, of Pepper Road Works, Hunslet, Leeds, under date the 2nd instant, as follows :—"We think it will be of interest to you to know that the steam wagon supplied by you at the beginning of last year has given to us the most complete satisfaction. It has been engaged in hauling 3-ton loads, daily, in and around Cardiff, inclAing Newport, Barry, Rhondda,Cetn Coed, etc., and we are pleased to say our repairs bill is nil. M'e consider the type of boiler is a very strong feature in connection with your wagons, and, also, the fact that there are no chains to give trouble in the drive. We consider, judging by actual performances, that we undoubtedly possess the most reliable and compact wagon in the districtShould our work justify us in purchasing another, we shall most certainly come to you." The Birmingham Motor Show, which is to be opened to-morrow (Friday) at Bingley Hall, will possess some interest for those who follow the progress of commercial motors. We note amongst the exhibitors : Alley and MacLellan, Limited; Argyll Motors, Limited; Continental Tyre and Rubber Company (Great. Britain), Limited ; De Dion Bouton, Limited; Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Company, Limited ; New Arrol-Johnston Car Company, Limited; North British Rubber Company, Limited ; St. Pancras Ironwork Company, Limited ; Valor Company, Limited ; and the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company, Limited.
The adjoining illustration of a London horse-cabdriver, to whom we win not apply the word typical in view of the exceptional qualities depicted on his rugged countenance, is from a photograph which has been supplied to us by Argylls London, Limited, of 17, Newman Street, W. We had occasion, last week, to report that the Nuremberg service of rnotorcabs had been inaugurated with four Argylls, and this testimony to the enterprise of the Alexandria factory is now well set:onded by the information to hand in regard to the cabdrivers' school which is attached to its London agency. A large number of these men are taking a course of instruction at the establishment, which is, so ably, presided over by Mr. E. H. Watson.
The A.C. commercial trials will, as. was forecasted in our issue of the 3rd instant, be held in the Autumn : the, dates are given in our diary. A ',coomile tour is contemplated, to include most big towns in England.
The provincial meetings of the Motor Union, for this year, will be held at Lincoln, Southport and Leicester, on May 18th, July 20th, and September 14th, respectively. Although co part of the social programme, usually, is arranged to interest owners of heavy motorcars, the proceedings of the General Committee are, regularly, attended. by representatives of M.V.W.O.U.A.,. and the business arrangements enable representatives of the different sections of the movement to interchange views_ We are obliged, owing to continued pressure on our space, to defer publication of our references to the official report on the French road trials, which preceded the recent Salon. We are, for the same reason, obliged to hold over both last night's paper before the Institution of Automobile Engineers, by Mr_ Leigh Martineau, on the subject of " Accessibility and Cleanliness," and the text of the conditions for the Automobile Club's vapour-emission competition, copies of which are in our hands.
On the subject of this competition, which is to take place on March 7th next, the object in view is to encourage improvement in the design of existing petrol-driven motor vehicles, in order Ulf diminish the nuisance caused by foul exhaust. The competition will he divided into two parts, the first to consist of r3o miles of running on the road, and the second of to minutes of engine. running, with the vehicle at rest, on an, incline of i in 7. Entries must be made,. by the t4th proximo, and the Club offers several awards for the devices which best fulfil the conditions laid down by it.
The " Glasgow Evening News " is employing two-cylinder ..)irgyll cars, Jilted with suitable bodies, for the express delivery of its issues in various country districts. Seven have been ordered, and all will be at work within the next few weeks.
Southampton has been receiving much attention during the past few weeks, owing to the transference of certain Atlantic liners from Liverpool. It is not inappropriate, therefore, that we should mention the fact that the Parsons Motor Company, Limited, has et well-equipped garage and jettv at Town Quay, in this southern rAirt, where every facility for repairs exists. .Mr. Harry Parsons, the managing director of the company in question, is firm believer in the motorvan, of which he has produced a smart exampne
Good reports reach us of the behaviour of the " World" and " Giant " tires, which are manufactured by the Shrewsbury and Challiner Tyre Company, Limited, of Kay Street, Ardwick Green, Manchester, and sections of which were published in our issue of November 22nd last (pages 253 and 254). The popularity of these tires may be gathered from the fact that, of the vehicles illustrated in our first issue for the New Year, no less than half are fitted with them. Intending users who are about to renew their solid rubber tires, or intending purchasers of new vehicle's, should not fail to afford this company the opportunity to quote. The first effect of the extension of motor traffic in this country, as regards its influence upon the 'horse-dealing trade, proved to be a falling-off in the number of imported horses, and the recent annual returns of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries show that the home horse-breeding industry is, in spite of the growing competition of motor vehicles, holding its own, although the number of unbroken horses has fallen by about two per cent.
A Three-Year Testimony.
Bellamy Brothers, Limited, Mineral Water Manufacturers and General Bottlers, of Hamilton Street, Grimsby, which company contributed its experiences to our Brewers' issue of the math April, 1905, has addressed •a letter to the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Company, of Vulcan Works, flunslet, Leeds, and in this letter are embodied SOlite further interesting results. No apology is needed therefore, for re production of the letter in full. It reads as under " December 21st, 1906.
" We have pleasure in sending you particulars of the running of our two steam motors, which were supplied by you. The firstethotor was delivered on the 12th of May, 1903, and the total number of miles which it had travelled, from that date to the 1st November last, was 21,425. The number of journeys made 11.'a .550, of an average length of 39 miles each, and the cost of fuel per joimtmehas been 3s. We use three partscoke, and one part smokeless coal, the former costing 135. per ton, and the latter 255. per ton. The cost of repairs for tnis machine has been : First six months, i.;5; ist November, 1903, to 31st October, 1904, -,(32 7s.; 1st November, 1904, to 3ist October, 1905, L48 16s. id.; and ist November, 1905, to 3ist October, 1906, /..;28 25. 9d. "The second motor was delivered in May, 1904, and the total number of miles which it had travelled, from that date to November last, was 15,852. The number of. journeys made was 374, of an average length of 42t miles each, and the cost of fuel per journey has been 3s. 21d. The cost of repairs has been : Fee the first six months,
35.; ist November, 1904, to 31st October, 1905, L48 25. 8d.; and 1St November, 1905, to 31st October, 1906, 18s, gd. " We find, for about the first twelve months, that very little repairs are required; after that time, repairs such as wheel tireing, and others of small nature are necessary, so as to keep the machine in first-class order. The expense, during 1905, was considerably more than it would have been, but for the alterations rendered necessary by the recent Local Government Board regulations. In conclusion, we may say we have found the motors of distinct advantage in our business, and we would not like to be without them."
It is worthy of particular attention that the first motor has an aggregate of 21,425 miles to its credit ; this is the highest testimony to the strength and endurance of Yorkshire wagons.