The I.A.E. Dinner
Page 52
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THE Institution of Automobile Engineers last Friday held its 15th annual dinner at the Park Lane Hotel, . the President, Mr. L. M. Pomeroy, 35.I.Mech.E., being in the chair. Amongst the guests were M. Maurice Goudard, President of the S.I.A.
After the loyal toast, that Of the Institution was proposed by • M. Goudard. He remarked that making a speech with 500 English words was like trying to make a car with 509 parts.
As a proof of the remarkable durability and stamina of French cars he alluded to our "beautiful" pre-war taxicabs, most of which were of French make and are still running. An interest.ing confession was that streamline bodies were not designed to decrease 'wind resistance but to increase sales. In the development of oil engines, England was helped by the fact that the cost of petrol was 100 per cent, above that of gas oil, whereas iii France, the oil being dearer, petrol was only 50 per cent, above it.
Mr. Pomeroy responded, first presenting to M. Goudard a certificate of membership of the Institution. He referred to the I.A.E. repairs certificate scheme, which would make its mark on the industry served by the Society. He spoke of the value of the work done by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and of the co-operation of the national Physical Laboratory.
.Sir Frank Smith, D.Sc., FR-S., secretary of the D. of S. and I.E., proposed the toast of "The Industry," and referred to the fact that there were 33,000,000 cars in the world, of which nearly 2,000,000 were in this country. Here, 217,000 people were directly employed in the industry, which, however, gives work indirectly to a million.
Sir Herbert Austin, K.B.E., replying. said that the quality of the sales and service sides of the industry was very much behind the manufacturing side, and that the new I.A.E. scheme was to raise the status of the ambitious mechanic. He called for more help for research work, which wants 12 times the amount of the present subscriptions.
The toast of "The Guests" was proposed by Major-General S. C. Peck, CB., D.S.O., and replied to by Mr. G. L. Sclater-Booth.