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Utility Vehicles in France.

19th December 1907
Page 18
Page 18, 19th December 1907 — Utility Vehicles in France.
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Keywords : Den, Aster

Notes from Our Correspondent in Paris.

In the early summer next year, commercial motor trials, it is announced, will be held in Austria.

The town of I3ourges (France) has decided to substitute motor dustcarts for the existing horse-drawn wagons.

The Mayor of Toulouse has invited motor manufacturers to send in prices for motor road-sweepers and watering carts, and also for motor fire-engines and pumps.

It is announced that, in July next, the Itala firm will place on the market commercial motor vehicles, " constructed on special lines," with a unique motor and system of transmission as features.

An automobile club especially for doctors has just been formed in Vienna, with the object of aiding the members in the employment of motorcars in the profession, loaning out to them specially built cars, and aiding them in purchasing the vehicles.

Reports on Norwegian and English Business.

At the last meeting of the Chambre Syndicale du Cycle et de l'Automobile, Paris, a report under date November 14th, from M. Delavaud, French Minister at Christiania, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the automobile industry in Norway, was read. In this document, M. Delavaud mentions the forthcoming working of a motorbus service from the capital of Norway to Sandvilcen. There is room, the Minister says, for other projects of this kind to meet the needs of the inhabitants of Christiania, who take up their residence outside the city, but generally come in daily for business. In certain cases the motorbus would be of service to them, and could either compete with the railways or compensate for their absence.

Another report presented was that of M. Nicault, French Consul-General at Newcastle, in the course of which he says : " As for motor iorries, buses, and postal delivery vans, as long as there is no company on the point of dealing with the demand for these vehicles in this city, it is certain that one can increase our importations. Quite recently the North-Eastern Railway Co. bought no fewer than 20 Fiat motorbuses for service in the districts of Newcastle. We recognise, however, that motorcabs would probably have no chance of success, the tramway system in this city being too well developed to permit of their finding remunerative husi ness.

" It is interesting to note that the important firm of Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. have recently added largely to their Scotwood Works, and they are now in a position to produce annually 300 pleasure cars and 200 just

towered vehicles. This firm have towered their prices considerably. If we are to believe what we hear, they have created a very favourable impression in London with their omnibuses."

Although nothing definite has yet been decided, some notion of the lines on which the French trials for com mercial vehicles will be carried out next year may be gained from a proposal which has just been submitted to the Committee of Contests of the Automobile Club de France by a joint committee deputed to go into the matter.

The joint committee's proposal is that the trials should be made similar to those of England, and that, from April 25th to May 25th next, a tour of France should be undertaken. If the itinerary which has been mapped out be adopted, none of the important towns of France will be unvisited, with one notable exception—Marseilles, whilst in the largest of the industrial centres exhibitions lasting one day in each case will be held.

Starting from Paris on April 25th, the vehicles, it is suggested, would run north-west to Rouen, a distance of 133 kilometres. A zig-zagroute southwards would then follow, Caen (138 kil.), Le Mans (149 kil.), Rennes (144 kil.), Auger (128 kil.), and Cholet and Nantes (re7 kil.), being respectively made the daily halting places. This would bring the vehicles to Nantes on April 3oth, and the next day would be devoted to an exhibition. The next rest would come twelve days later at -Lyons, where the second exhibition would be held, and in the meanwhile the competitors would be required to make daily runs to La Rochelle (146 kil.), Angouleme (135), Montguyon and Bordeaux (132 kil.), Agen (143 led.), Toulouse (Ho kil.), Palmier and Carcassonne (134 kil.), Mazarnet and Begier (138 kil.), Nernes (123 kil.), and Valence (146 leil), ending up at Lyons (102 kit.), On May 13th, the vehicles would strike north-east to Chalons-sur-Saane, a distance of 120 kilometres, and visit successively Langres (135 kil.), Nancy (124 kit.), Vitryle-Franmis (130 kil.), Rheims (137 kil.), St. Quentin (109 kil.), and Cambrai, Arras and Lille (126 kit.). Then would follow the third exhibition in Lille on May 20th, after which Paris would be reached in two days, Amiens, a distance of 130 kilometresfrom Lille and 136 from Paris, serving as the intermediate stopping place, and the capital being reached on the night of May 22nd. The next two days would be deveteci to an exhibition in Paris, and on May 25th, a consumption test would be held.

Such is the proposed tour. It embraces a total distance of 3,265 kilometres, to be covered in 25 days' running, giving an average of 130 kilometres between the resting stages. It is not yet clear why Nantes should be chosen for an exhibition and Bordeaux neglected in that respect, nor why Marseilles and Montpellier are not em. braced be the itinerary, unless it be because of geographical objections.

The different categories, with the entrance fee in each case, are as follows : Class 1.—Vehicles carrying from 50 to 200 kilos-300 fr.

Class 2.—Vehicles carrying from. 200 to yoo kilos—soo fr.

Class 3.—Vehicles carrying from. 900 to 1,500 kilos-75o fr. Class 4.--Vehicles carrying from. 1,500 to 2,000 kilos--i,000 fr. Class 5.—Vehicles carrying from 2,000 to 3,000 kilos—t,5oo fr. Class 6.—Vehicles carrying more than 3,000 kilos—r,5oo fr. Class 7.—Vehicles for public passenger-carrying (7 to to persons)— 1,000 fr.

Class 8.—Vehicles for public passenger-carrying (more than to perpersons)-1,500 fr.

The weights given refer, of course,. to the useful loads. Vehicles entered: for classes and 2 will be forbidden. the use of pneumatic tires, and their average speed is limited to 12 kilometres.

In the consumption test at the close of the " grand tour " the classification formula will be :— In which T=time .of running in. hours.

C =value of fuel consumed in francs.

D =distance covered in kilometres. P=useful load, plus the weight of the bodywork.

With reference to the fuel employed,

those vehicles which run on petrol and its derivatives will be restricted to those figuring in the "Journal des P&roles," and the cost will be based on current prices, inclusive of octroi, quoted in this review. Where alcohol or benzol is used, the prices taken will be those quoted in the "Journal des Petroles " of October oath last, this date having been selected at hazard.

A special committee has been ap pointed to attend. to the work of mapping out the route, the members being —Commandant Fenz, Captain Enaux,. Mm. Chaix, Longuemare, Desson, Cochard, Montanet, and Le Rond. With regard to the provisions for re pairs and replacement of parts en route, it is laid down that no wheels or tires shall be changed during the

trials. Repairs will be permitted on condition that they are effected during the running of the competing vehicles, and by means of the kit carried. Whilst such parts as magnetos, sparking plugs, back and front springs, chains, and car. buretter pieces may be attended to, no enclosed parts may be touched. Those parts which may be replaced are divided into two classes : (t) Parts that are changeable at will, such as sparking plugs, valves, bolts, and screws ; (2)' adjustable parts which may only be replaced by exact replicas, such as fore or rear spring, chain, carburetter float, complete burners, and spare tubes in steam vehicles. One hour will be allowed to each competitor daily for putting his vehicle in order at the close of each stage run.


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