News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches : weekly circulation exceeds 8,000 copies, exclusive of any extra mailings of special our regular issues.
Some of the intending competitors, in the R.A.C. trials, evidently want reminders on several points.
One of the most important duties of an entrant is to nominate, and to make the necessary arrangements for, his observers, and to do so in good time.
The Cost of Observers.
We are a little surprised to find,' from conversation with more than one manufacturer, that this question of the provision of observers has not received general attention so far. Supplementary regulation number 15 requires that "every competitor shall provide throughout the trials one competent observer per vehicle entered by him . and shall be in every way responsible for his actions, his remuneration, and
his expenses. . . . The observer nominated by any entrant shall not be in charge of any vehicle entered by that entrant." It will interest those of our supporters who have not yet made their arrangements, when we inform them that the foresight of others has led them to book accommodation on the road already, as well as to secure thoroughly good men. We estimate that competitors should reckon anything-between L:3o and .4:4o per observer, to cover remuneration and expenses for the five weeks of the trials.
Further Entries.
Less than ten clays remain for those who have not yet entered for the trials to take their final decision in the matter. We are satisfied that a very large number of intending purchasers will attend the various exhibitions en route, and we believe that no entrant will have occasion to regret the unavoidable cost of participation. Quite apart from the special reports that will appear in the technical Press, the Club's arrangements indicate that no step will be neglected to secure good notices at the hands of the London and provincial daily Press, and we unhesitatingly repeat our recommendation that the trials should receive support. We hope to ree a material addition before the entries close on the loth instant, for the small penalty of .4:5 should in no wise deter late entrants from sending in their papers. Sidney Straker and Squire, Ltd., has withdrawn its petrol-electric chassis (Class El, which we regret, as there will now only he the ThomsonHouston system, as fitted to a Sicideley chassis, in the tests.
On Wednesday of last week, an interesting trip was undertaken, at the invitation of the directors of the AngloAmerican Oil Company, Limited, of 22, Eilliter Street; E.C., by several members of the Press. Visits were made to the Silvertown and Purfieet depots of the company, and luncheon was served on board the steam tug which carried the party. Further reference to this interesting demonstration is, unfortunately, impossible in this issue, owing to pressure on our space.
The West Ham Corporation has passed plans for a motor house for the Anglo-Continental Guano Company at Tidal Basin. •
Motorcab Orders.
Mr. Davison Dalziel presided at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of the United Motor Cab Company, Limited, on the 26th when it was resolved to increase the capital of the company to -7:5oo,000. Mr. Dalziel informed the shareholders that the sister company, the General Motor Cab Company, Limited; had taximeter cabs running in London, and that the average earnings were its. tSer day per cab greater than the estimates given in the prospectus. It was intended to order further Unie cabs, as well as 250 Siddeley cabs: We note the large order for British cabs with much pleasure.
Extraordinary Traffic : Limit for County Courts, £50.
An action by the Bath Rural District Council, against the Midland Railway Company, in re alleged extraordinary traffic on the Bradford-on-Avon road, was brought, in Bath County Court, on the t9th ultimo, before His Honour Judge Gwynn James, and was in respect of a sum of LIII spent upon a portion of the main road traversed by the defendant company's motor lorries between Eathford and the Wilts County boundary near Farleighwick. The defendant company was represented by Mr. E. B. Charles (instructed by _ Messrs. Beale and Co., Solicitors, Birmingham), but, before the plaintiffs opened their case, Mr. Charles took exception to the raising of the action in the County Court. This objection was based on the fact that the jurisdiction of County Courts was extended by the 1898 (Heavy) Locomotives Act, so as to enable the District Councils to recover expenses up to.',25o. But Section 17, _Sub-section 2 of the above Act states " Nothing in this Act shall affect 'Light Locomotives within the meaning of the Locomotives on Highways Act, /896."
From this counsel argued that claims 'for road damage, so far as motor • wagons are concerned, must come within the ordinary County Court limit of and His Honour took this view.
At Dublin.
One of the interesting stands at the Dublin Exhibition is that of the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Company, • of Vulcan Works, Hunslet, Leeds, and a view of it is reproduced herewith. If Irish roads were a little better than they are, there is no question that a !larger business would be done there.
Army Wagons.
The secretariat of the Automobile 'Club de France has already received several intimations from French com-mercial vehicle-makers of their willing.ness to supply the Army Department with conveyances for the September mameuvres in the South of France. The following firms have offered lorries :—Die Dietrich et Cie. (2), Berliet 46), Dclau&re et Clayette (t), Peugeot .(1), and De Dion Bouton et Cie (4).
Spirit in Sewers. .
The L.C.C. has decided to serve a -.copy of the order made on the 20th December, '898, prohibiting any petroleum, or any product of or residue from petroleum, or any liquid giving ‹a.it inflammable vapour, from being per
mitted to flow into any sewers, upon the following amongst_ others :—Amalg-,amated Motor. Bus Co., Victoria Works, Belvedere Road, Lambeth; General Motor 'Cab Co., Ltd., 1-3, Brixton Road ; Jas. Shoolbred and Co., Tottenham Court Road, W.; Associated Newspapers, Ltd.,, Carmelite House, E.C. ; Aberdeen Steam Navigation Co., Aberdeen Steam Wharf, Emmett Street, Poplar ; Robertson Electric Lamps, Ltd., Brook Green Works, fammersmith ; British Body and Wheel Works, Ltd., 13, Britannia Street, King's Cross; Huggins and
Co., Ltd., Lion Brewhouse, Broad Street, Golden Square ; Ralf Joseph Wilde and Sydney Roger Dawson, Cranbrook Dye Works, Nunhead Grove ; National Air Gas Co., Ltd., I 22a, Tanners Hilt, Deptford.
French Trials Report.
The official " order of merit " of the vehicles which took part in the recent trials of commercial vehicles promoted by the Automobile Club of France, and supported by the French Military authorities, has just been issued in the "Bulletin Officiel de la Commission Technique." The report provides interesting reading, inasmuch as every incident of the road is most faithfully reported. Twenty-nine vehicles were disqualified f or various reasons, amongst which were the following :—Engine replaced; broken crankshaft ; gear-box changed; gear-box taken down for repairs; differential-gear broken ; whilst the number of broken road-wheels, and the necessity for changing them, was one of the most conspicuous features Of the trials. Time lost for tire changes is also accountable for some of the disqualifications. Many instances of vehicles undergoing repair were illustrated in our issue of the 3o111 May last. The final test for the vehicles remaining in the contest on the loth of June took the form of a run of /57 kilometres for categories /, 2, and 5, and 99 kilometres for categories 3 and 4 ; during this test run the actual running time, the total fuel consumption, and the cost of the fuel were most carefully recorded,, together with the useful load, the weight of the observer, and the gross weight of the vehicle as run. In deciding the order of merit the following formula was employed :—
AN here T represents the run.
ningtime, in minutes; C, the total cosi of the fuel consumed, in francs; L, the gross weight of loaded vehicle, in kilogrammes; and D, the total distance rue during the test, in kilometres. The ac. oompanying table gives the complete list of competing vehicles which were officially placed by the Automobile Clot of France, together with all the figure, relating to the.'Y-I>17b-..st,--•
The latest 2-cylinder " Kornerkar " delivery van is described and illustrated on pages 530 to 532. This van embodies the most up-to-ate ideas in commercial vehicle design, and it has so many good points that we anticipate an early and large business for its makers.
Argylls at Edinburgh.
Mr. William Alexander Smith, Chairman of Argyll Motors, Limited assisted in the inauguration of Argylls, Edinburgh, Limited, at 16, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, on Monday the 291h ultimo. After the reception and opening ceremony, a large number of guests were greatly interested in their inspection of examples of Argyll commercial motors, including a char-A-bancs. Mr: J. F. Bradford, late of Glasgow, is managing director of this, the latest, provincial company to open an Argyll depot, and we are glad to note his belief in business vehicles.
Berlin Streets.
Berlin wagon and carriage owners have lodged a complaint with the Muni.cipal Street-cleansing Department about the greasy state of the asphalted roads in summer, and want to know 'how it is that, when rain falls or the water-cart has been at work, sand or gravel is not strewn, as in winter-time. They also complain of the oil-droppings from self-propelled vehicles. In some -spots these oil-covered surfaces constitute a real danger.
Dunlop Clothing.
In the catalogue of waterproof clothing which is issued by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., of Manor Mills, Aston, Birmingham, some useful garments for drivers of commercial motors are listed. Amongst these may be mentioned the Crossover" waterproof ; this is -shaped somewhat like the well-known "umbrella" coat, but it has an expanding breast piece and an adjustable rubher collar which is fastened with spring
,studs. Compared with the umbrella coat, it is much easier to put on and
take off. Another useful garment is the " Bag" apron. This does not only exclude wind and rain all round, but the wearer may sit in a pool of water without fear of becoming damp. '
An Indian Enquiry.
' A correspondent of this journal has drawn our attention to an opening for a motor service in the neighbourhood of Rajpore (India), and the suggestion is that " some motor firm " should lay out the necessary capital. We are more inclined to think that motor manufacturers study their own interests best by not helping to finance motor services, but by sticking to their own side of the trade, especially at so great a distance from this country. Again, unless local enterprise thinks the opening good enough, it is best for English manufacturers to leave it alone. We have, none the less, placed the enquiry in the hands of a correspondent in Calcutta.
In Calcutta.
English and Continental motor manufacturers and agents are not alone in the production of attractive catalogues. The Russa Engineering Works, Ltd., of Russa Road (North), Bhowampur, Calcutta, for which company Messrs. Kilburn and Co., of 4, Fairlie Place, Calcutta, are the managing agents, has just issued a well-illustrated catalogue and description of its works and the vehicles which it handles. The works have been equipped with the most modern machine tools by Alfred Herbert, Ltd., of Coventry, and Buck and Hickman, Ltd., of London, and are capable of rapidly producing spare parts for any of the types of vehicles which are handled by the company, or any special repair work which may be required for any other motor vehicle. The company has the sole agency for India for the pleasure and commercial motors which are manufactured by the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., of Glasgow, and, in our issue of the 27th of June last (page 429) we gave a report
of the running of an Albion chassis which had been fitted with a special body at the Russa Engineering Works.
An Omission.
We are reminded, by the great publicity given to the fact at the recent meeting of the Motor Union at Southport, that the Liverpool Self-Propelled Traffic Association received a joint donation of ,4,:so from the Motor Union and the R.A.C. to clear off the debt On the 19o1 trials. No mention appears to have been made at Southport of the efforts that were necessary to raise the odd £2,950, and this eagerness to boom the generosity of the Motor Union appears to us to exhibit both a lack of appreciation and proportion. We might add, in passing, that several members of the R.A.C. subscribed •a total of 475, per the late secretary of the club, Mr. Claude Johnson, in 1899. We tender our apologies to the Motor Union for our omission of last Week.
The Belfast Strike.
We Make brief Editorial ire-ference to a particular aspect of Ow_ .strike of dockers and carters in Belfast, and a second illustration will be found on page 518. The impotence of Belfast citizens, in the face of the extraordinary treatment they appear to have received from Dublin Castle, might well form a theme for lengthy discussion, but we must content ourselves by drawing attention to the special use of motor wagons in connection with this lamentable strike. Beyond that, we can only say. that tie incident of disaffection amongst a large body of the Royal Irish Constabulary is a great surprise to us, as it must be to many of our readers. As we go to Press, we are officially notified that, unless the strike is promptly settled, certain of the railway and shipping companies which are affected will materially increase their fleet of motor wagons in the city. If this course is followed, horse-drawn interests will probably suffer by the,permanent retention of the self-propelled vehicles for ordinary work hereafter.
At an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in Dougill's Engineering, Limited, held on the 20th ultimo, it was resolved that the company should be wound up voluntarily. Messrs. E. A. Beaumont and J. II. Oldflelcl, of Huddersfield, are the joint liquidators.
Further to our brief report of last week, Editorial reference to the judgment in the case of the Clutton Rural District Council against Messrs. Lovell and Sons, of Bishop Sutton, is made in this issue, whilst the full text of the judgment is given on pages 519 and 520. Mr. Howard Humphreys was the chief expert witness for the defendants.
Road Maintenance.
The volume of public opinion, which is rapidly gathering in support of the charging of a proportion of the cost of main-road construction and maintenance to the National Exchequer, continues to grow. The latest resolution in favour of this course was passed at the annual conference of urban district councils of England and Wales, at Ventnor, some ten days ago.
The Bolton Show.
The exhibits at the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show, which opens at Bolton to-day, will include, at stand No. 94, a standard Leyland 5-ton steam wagon, and a standard 35-40h.p., 4cylinder Leyland petrol chassis. The former is a repeat order from the Manchester Motor Transport Company, Limited, and the latter is designed to carry either a 3.1-ton load, or a char-abanes body for 32 passengers.
A Modest Request.
The Simrns Manufacturing Company, Limited, of Kilburn, has received, in its recent correspondence, an extraordinary request from a gentleman in Scotland, who wanted" a small 2h.p engine, suitable for driving a threshing machine, for use as a portable motor, and for alternative use in driving a van on the road, or a wagon, or for boats, etc. I mean a motor for general purposes." Even a Simms en_ gine will not do all that is wanted. Not Easy.
The unfortunate trading results obtained by the Automobile Cab Company, Limited. which was formed early in December, 1905, with an authorised capital of Lloo,000, shows that motorcab operation in London is not necessarily an easy matter. This company had only £25,351 of its capital subscribed, and it appears to have had no small amount of trouble with the type of cab that was purchased. The trading account shows a loss of .L-10,196, and the company has only one of its original directors left. Were it not for the success of the General and United Motor Cab Companies, the report under notice might do some harm.
Hill-climbing Wagons.
The reputation which the majority of steam wagons have established for themselves as hill-climbers is one of the strongest arguments in support of their substitution for draught horses. Some of the heaviest gradients in South Wales are regularly taken by steam wagons of different makes, amongst which we may quote those of Mann's Patent Stearn Cart and Wagon Company, Limited, of Pepper Road Works, Hunslet, Leeds. An illustration of a wagon of this make is given on page 533, the photograph having been taken at the top of the ,famous Nant Yarw Hill, with a full 3-ton load aboard. This hill is fully a mile long, and has a gradient of approximately in to over the greater portion of its length.
A Bradford Order.
Mr. Walter Jackson, of Baildon Bridge, Shipley, Yorkshire, who handles Durham-Churchill vehicles in his district, has secured an order from the Bradford Corporation Tramways Department for a 2-ton DurhamChurchill van. This vehicle will be employed for parcels delivery, and for the conveyance of .prepared meals in connection with the Bradford Corporation's scheme for the feeding of poor school children. 'Mr. Jackson's facilities for repairs, and his considerable engineering experience, should stand him in good stead round Bradford, where he is particularly well known to all the manufacturers and merchants, and we
are glad to learn that he has already placed a number of commercial motors with customers who are likely to be large buyers hereafter.
A limited liability company has been floated in St. Petersburg with a capital of650,000 roubles (roughly ,f,65,000) for the purpose of multiplying automobiles in Russia, beginning with the introduction of taximeter motorcabs built specially for St. Petersburg. German engineers will manage the undertaking, in which a big Berlin bank is largely interested.
Another Large Fleet.
The Lacre Motor Car Company, Limited, of 1-5, Poland Street, W., enjoys the distinction of having sole several of the largest fleets of motorvans to representative houses in Great Britain. The large fleet of Messrs. James Shoolbred and Company is specially well known to readers of this journal, as we have faithfully recorded Messrs. Shoolbred's intentions and purchases from our first issue, in which it was exclusively announced that the proprietors of Tottenham House were about to give motor delivery a trial. Our accompanying full-page illustration depicts a portion of the fleet of t6h.p. Lacre vans which are owned by Harrods, Limited : the first Lucre van was delivered to Harrod's in April, 1905; a repeat order for three was completed towards the end of the same year; a second repeat order for six vans. was fulfilled before the end of March, 1907; a third repeat order for six more received attention in April and May of the same year; and, finally, six more vans are now being delivered, which will bring Harrod's total of Lucre vehicles up to twenty-two z6h.p. vans.