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.' —Iohn Beattie Crosier.
Motor Haulage for a Living.
In response to a gratifying demand, we have now reprinted a recent series of articles in pamphlet form, large quarto size, under the title of "Running Commercial Motors for .a Living," dewing with the wagon the lorry, the van, the agricultural tractor, the taxicab and the char-h-bancs, and going fully into all the details of running costs and of fair charges. The pamphlet is fuil of advice of a really constructive nature to men who intend to set up in the business of haulage, local, carrying, passenger trans. port or the provision of motor power for
agricultural work Petrol, steam and electric vehicles are freely dealt with, the comparison of costs for each class of vehicle being very instructive. The requirements of the licensing authorities in connection with passenger-carrying vehicles arc clearly set out. The pamphlet should be extremely useful and valuable to late officers and men of the R.A.S.C., M.T., who think of embarking on any form of haulage business. The pamphlet will be sent post free for is. by the publishing department of Temple Press Ltd., 7-15, RoseberyAvenue, London, KO. 1.
• To Baghdad • by Napier.
• The .30-34-cwt. Napier business vehicle had won an excellent name for reliability before the war. A column of some 20 of them recently traversed many hundreds of miles of sands in order to reach Baghdad. We understand that all the lorries gave a most satisfactory performance. Driving through sand is one of the most trying tests to which a lorry can be subjected.
The post-war model will be very similar to the present one, but a certain number of improvementh due to war experience will be incorporated in the engine and chassis, and it will be built to cart./ a road of two tons.
London Index Marks.
The L.C.C. has adopted a new index mark consisting of the letters LY. This information was conveyed to us in a pamphlet couched in the most legal and verbose phraseology, and containing
some 330 words. It gives a good example of national economy as practised by a local government department.
Lights on Motors.
The Commissioner -of Metropolitan Police has issued a useful memorandum summarizing the requirements as to lighting of vehicles in view of the return as from August 5th to pre-D.O.R.A. con ditions. The information, however, is well known to commercial vehicle owners.
Aeroplane v. Telegram.
With reference to the non-stop flight from London to Madrid recently made by a Napier-engined Alliance aeroplane, c26
an interesting point has been brought to our notice. The flight itself was accomplished in 74 hours, and the cable announcing the arrival of the aeroplane at Madrid did not reach the office of D. Napier and Son, Ltd., until 15i hours after its despatch. The 'fact that the cable took nearly twice as long as the aeroplane to cover the distance gives some. idea of the possibilities of the aeroe plane for commercial use.
The Institute of Metals.
The Institute of Metals will hold its autumn meeting at Sheffield en September 24th and 25th next. An interesting programme has been arranged for this gathering. Various places of. interest will be visited, and there will also be a char+banes excursion through the Peak district. This is the first gathering of the Institute to be held out of London since 1913, when a meeting was held at Ghent, Belgium. The address of the Secretary, Mr.. G. Shaw Scott, is 36, Victoria Street, S.W. 1.
A Taxi Swindle.
Users of taxicabs. should be on their guard against a. new trick to defraud them which is being used by certain unscrupulous drivers. When it is expected that a fare will be ready at a certain time the flag of the meter is lowered some time before this, so that when the cab is actually needed the meter already registers an amount; in certain cases recently exposed the sums thus illegally recordedigeached as high as 4s. 8d.
Co-operative Societies.
The Royal Arsenal (Woolwich) Cooperative Society is about to erect a gait-age, with a workahop, for its increased fleet of commercial motor vehicles. These have cost the society upwards of £13,500, but have been depreciated at rates varying from 15 to 30 per cent. until they now stand on the ac counts at, £5,000, which certainly a
very reasonable figure. • The members ,of the Failewerth (Manchester) Co-operative Society have instructhd the committee to spend up to £1,500 on motor vehicles for delivery purposes. The Soho Co-operative Society of Birmingham has a motor garage which cost £602 and is being depreciated at the rate of 2 per cent. 25 per cent, on cost is the rate of depreciation on its motor vehicles. The motor expenses last quarter were £113. At Colne the motorvan expenses were £232 for the same period, and £76 was paid for car hire.
The members of the Congleton society have authorized the committee to purchase a motor lorry for the sum of £650. The four motor vehicles in• the ser
vice of the Macclesfield society have been depreciated until they now stand at nothing in the balance: sheet.
Petrol v. Steam.
The National Steam Car Co., Ltd., are rapidly extending their country services, and have opened neveones from garages at Norwich, Colchester, Bury St. Edmunds, Sudbury, Luton and Bedford.
The Bedford service will consist at the commencement of six omnibuses, and a garage, previesisly belonging to the L.G.O.C., has been obtained.
An interesting point in connection with the new servioes is that some of them will be run with petroldriven omnibuses, which renders the title of the company somewhat of a misnomer. We have not yet re ceived full details of the scheme.
-Absorbing the Demobilized.
Tlie way in which demobilized men are being absorbed. into industry is shown by figural recently -given by the London traffic combine. Since the Armistice 4,680 bas men and 1,671 railway men have returned to their work, and the number previously employed after their war service was 2,375, so that the total number of 'men now employed who have been on active service is 8,726.
Low Insurance fOr Electrics.
Users of vehicles manufactured by Edison Accumulators, Ltd., should know that insurance policies at exceptionally low r rates are being issued for these vehicles. These policies are known as the " Wheel and Wings" policies, and are issued by Lloyd's. If desired the risk of burnt out coils or armature windings from any cause may also be covered_
Mr. J. L. McCarthy Passes.
During the whole long period of the war manufacturers and their staffs were of necessity practically divorced from their customary association with their many civilian and official customers. They had only one client in almost all eases, and that client was the Government.
So far as the firms were concerned who had the good fortune not to be turned from their normal commercialvehicle productiOn on to other munition or aircraft work, they practically had only one buyer—at any rate, for the last few yearPof the war period—and that was the Department of Mechanical Transport of the Ministry of Munitions.
One of the men who Created an extremely pleasant atmosphere, although it was an official one, in connection with his duties on behalf of the Ministry of Munitions in this connection was Mr.' J. L. McCarthy, a gentleman who, by. reason of the very large negotiations of which he had executive charge, became intimately known to everyone of import-. ante in the solid and pneumatic tyre trade in this country. He certainly achieved a great reputation for his courteous and highly-efficient handling of the very large number of negotiations which
were from time to time intricate and involved in nature.
All those who knew him in this connection—and it has to be remembered that he was normally in no way associated with the motor vehicle industry, being one of Sir John Jackson's principal engineers—will be grieved to learn of his death at Salonica recently from a sharp attack of malaria.
He had recently gone out there after leaving the Ministry, to take charge of a huge scheme of land reclamation and drainage in Greece, and he was, when leaving here, full of enthusiasm for this renewed opportunity of taking up work of a kind with which he was familiar in all parts of the world. His association with the motor industry was one of only a few year's, but in that time he made a great many .friends, all of whom will indeed be sad to learn this news so soon after hehad onde a-gain got into his normal harness.
Knee • Aprons for London • . Omnibuses.
The question of enforcing the provision of waterproof knee aprons on the exposed seats of omnibuses, and on tram seats where these are not covered in, is now being considered by the Commissioner of Police. The Commissioner has communicated on the subject with several of the corcerns affected by the Order, and has agreed to give an interview to representatives of these concerns at which the question will be finally settled.
Personal Pars.
Col. Crompton is the veritable Grand Old Man of the motor movement. He is as keen and 'enthusiastic and as live as ever, and never seems to have an idle moment. His great recreation has been found in the squash racquets courts at the H. A. C.
It is not everyone who would be plucky enougn -su remain in the near vicinity of a miming motor lorry loaded with bombs, but an it.A.S.C. driver, Pte. A. E.Usher, actually crawled under a fiercely burning French lorry loaded witn 3,000 lb. of aero bombs, and succeeded in putting tint the flames with the -aid of a Pyrene fire extinguisher.The lorry was in the centre of a. large Serbian camp, and Pte. Usher's heroic action undoubtedly sa:ved a large number of lives. As a reward for his gallant conduct, he was 'recently presented by the King with the Albert Medal at an Investiture held at Buckingham Palace.
Sir William Joynson-Hicka, Bart., M.P., was included in the list of baronets published in the Birthday Honours on August 13th. He has for long. been intimately associated with the commercial-motor movement and the law in connection with road transport. Ho is the author of a book entitled "The Law of Traction on Highways."
Sir is head of the firm of Joynson-Hicks, Hunt, Cardew and McDonald, of Lennox House, Norfolk Street, Strand, .and is M.P. for the Twickenham Division of Middlesex, having for some years previously represented Brentford in Parliament.
His activities are too numerous to mention in detail. He is vice-president of the Road Improvement Association, solicitor for the C.M.T.1.A. and for the National 'Traction Engine Owners Association; in addition, he has always taken a keen interest in philanthropic and church work. During the war he was chairman of the Belgian Field Ambulance Service, and he raised the 17th and 23rd Service battalions of the Middlesex Regiment. His favourite hobbies are golf, tennis, and shooting, but when we saw him recently he informed us that he has so much work in hand that he has had to cut these out. As a matter of fact, he -a one of the busiest men we know. He is usually at hi office at 10 a.m., and is often at the House until 2 a.m. He is a strong believer in doing everything thoroughly. Adapting the Ford Onetonner.
In connection with our article on the Ford 1-tormer which appeared in our issue dated August 5th, we have received a letter from Bramco, Ltd., Coventry, notifying us that they are already prepared to furnish Olson adaptors for converting the Ford 1-tonner into a chassis capable of hauling 30-50 cwt. loads, and that they now have permission to import these adaptors from America, where some hundreds have been giving satisfaction.
The outfit consists of a substantial carrying extension, an extension piece for the transmission and the Olson patent brackets With 14-leaved lorry springs. The rear wheels, which are td replace those on the Ford, are of cast steel and provided with 32. in. by 3 in. twin solids. These wheels, are provided • with .internally-toothed .rings which are driven by pinions fixed to the enda -of the Ford driving shafts, and they run on the largest ball bearings which we have yet seen used on lorry wheels. These bearings have a. load capa.bity of 10 tons each. ' To strengthen further the chassis a pair of heavy wheels fitted with large" pneumatic tyres takes the-place of the front wheels on the Ford chassis.
The price of the adaptor complete is 10225, or the complete outfit, including chassis and a platform becly with cab and screen, can be supplied at the price of £575.
Insurance Company's Extension.
The developments which have taken place in the business of the Eagle, Star and British Dominions Insurance Co, Ltd., have compeNd them from time to. time to acquire various offices in the city. With a view to bringing the avhole of • their departments together, the company. have purchased the freehold of the premises known as 1 and 2, Threadneedle Street, now occupied by the Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society.This site, 'which is one of the finest in the city, should suit the company admirably, as it adjoins their own building, British Dominions House, erected in 1914. It is the intention of the company to rebuild upon the site an impos
028 . ing building which will compare favourably with oiler important buildings in the City of London.
Revocation of War-time Light ing Restrictions..
We understand that the special lighting restrictions imposed under 0.0.11.A. have been revoked. The effect of this is a reversion to pre-war coaditions, when certain classes of traffic, cattle, horses, etc., were allowed to use the highway after dark without being efficiently lighted.
The Automobile Association is making strong representations to the authorities with a view to making compulsory the adequate lighting of all traffic.
Messrs. 3. Blake and Co., manufacturers of the J.B. commercial lamp, are experiencing exceptional and unforeseen difficulties in the manufacture of this well-known accessary, and are for the moment unable to cope with all the inquiries which are being received. They -11oPe soon, however, to deal promptly
With all orders. .
A "Who's Who" of the Motor Trade.
We have just received a copy of Vol. 4 , of the !.` Motor Transport Year Book and Directory" issued by Electrical Press, Ltd., of 13-16, Fisher Street, Southamptan Row, W.C. 1.
This annual was first brought out in 1916 to meet the need for a financial and descriptive record of British.motor transport undertakings and other associated manufacturing concerns. In the first volume inforthation was given regarding 350 coMpanies and corporationfs authorized to engage in the motor transport business. In the volume under review this number has been increased to 486, and the number of manufacturing concerns dealt with has risen from 300 in the first volume to 470 in the last.
The hook: is divided into three sections. The first contains a record of motor transport undertaking's.; the second relates to manufacturing concerns, and has an appendix, giving particulars of associations, insurance companies, etc., connected with the motor industry, and it also includes ..an .interesting geographical index; section three is dev.ated to a directory whichcontains the nahies and addresses of over 3,000 director a and Officials.
The price of this useful book is 12s. 6d.
13.enzole Tests.
As there still appears to be a certain amount of cloiibt in the minds of some people on the subject .of-the -advisability of Using benzole owing to its alleged bad effects .on engine parts, the Automobile Association has undertakenate provide a test which shall be. at once positive and cOnclusive, and will prove whether or not benZale of good quality is a really satisfactory fuel for internal-combustion engines., Arrangements are being Made for a road test of 10,000 miles, and the engine and all its parts will be examined by an independent authority both befaro the teat and immediately after its CCM. elusion..„ The benzole, used will be the N.B.A. brand of approved specification, manufactured by the various producers who are members of the National Benzole Association.
New Principle Established.
Bills by the Middlesbrough Corporation and the Stockton-on-Tees Corporation 'have been considered by a House of Lords Committee, and during the hearing the Stockton Corporation withdrew from its Bill the whole of its tramway proposals and all its defined omnibus routes,. on condition that the Durham C.C. and the Stockton R.D;C. would agree to give their permission to the omnibus routes which had been defined upon the following conditions :—(1) That the Stockton CorporatimA contribute one-third of the cost of making the roads over which it is proposed to run omnibuses suitable for such traffic (such third not to exceed 25,000); (2) the Stockton Corporation to pay the Road Authority 4ci. per bus mile run, subject to revision under certain circurnstanoes.
• The Middlesbrough Corporation refused to withdraw its tramway proposals or its trackTess trolley proposals and declined to make any contribution towards the adaptation of thq roads for the purposes of motor omnibus traffic, but intimated that it will be prepared to pay id. per bus mile to the Road Authority in respect' of motorbus traffic.
The House of -Lords Committee, however, struck out the tramway and trackless trolley proposals ,from the Bill and decided that the Middlesbrough Corporation must share with the Stockton Corporation the cost of adapting the roads over which it is proposed that both Corporations shall run onmibuses or a third af the Cost if the Stockton Corporation does not run, and that the Middlesbrough Corporation shall pay to the Road Authority 14d. per bus mile run in respect of various roads.
As the Clerk of the DurhamC.C. reports, the result in connection with.these Bills may be considered highly satisfactory, as by the County Council's opposi. tion, the principle 'of a local authority which is adthorizeci to run omnibuses on roads outside its area' contributing towards the cost of adapting such roads, has been, he believes, for the first time, established, and the mileage rate of 10. is higher than' has yet been inserted in any other Bill, and, indeed, the same House of Lords Committee, in respect of the same Bill, only gave the North Riding C.U. a mileage rate of id. and allowed it nothing in respect of adapting the roads.
The West Hartlepool Corporation has also agreed to similar provisions, so far as its powers of running omnibuses are concerned, as have been imposed on the Middlesbrough Corporation by the House of Lords Committee.
_ A New Magneto.
In view of the fact that a private company entitled the Splitdorf Electric Co., of London, Ltd., was registered recently to deal in ignition apparatus, it is of interest to note 'that the American Splitdorf Co.. has just -produced a new magneto called the 'Aero„" but designed for commercial vehicles. This magneto embodies the Dixie principle of stationary winding's and revolving field, and it is unidirectional, that is to say, the spark employed for igniting and firing the charge always flows in the same direction.
The magneto itself is an alternating current generator, but only the negative waves are utilized for spark production.
The distributor block is composed of new product from the Splitdorf laboratories called Americanite, and the machine has been simplified wherever_ possible—for instance, a single square -,parbon brush is employed.
Local Proceedings.
• Harrogate T.C. is seeking a loan of £877 for the purchase of a motor lorry.
Llanelly T.C. is purchasing four elect. trio wagons at a Cost of £5,750.
Chorley T.0 has obtained a loan of £1,240 for the purchase of a motor fireengine.
Three motor lorries are being purchased for £1,715 by the Great Leigh R.D.C.
Surbiton U.D.C. has obtained sanction for a loan of E1,114 for the purchase of an electric dustvan.
Canterbury T.C. is purchasing a petrol motor vehicle at .a cast of £1,304 for the cleansing department.
Oldham T.C. is getting a loan of £4,000 for the purchase of a steam wagon, electric vehicle,' and gullyemptier.
In view of the great amount of road work to be undertaken the Surrey C.C. has decided to purchase a four-seater standard Ford car at a cost of £271 for the use of the superintending staff.
Edmonton U.D.C., which recently decided on electric vehicles for the collection of refuse, is applying for sanction for a loan of £8,500 for the purchase of five electric vehicles and the provision of garage accommodation.
Lancashire C.C. Road Committee recommends consent to a new service of motorbuses being run by Mr. E. Jackson, of Great Eccleston, between Great Eccleston and Preston three days a week, and Great Eceleston and Garstang once a week, for a period of five years on payment of 2d. per car mile, and an initial fee of £1 is. per annum.