From Our Berlin Correspondent.
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Motorcab Licences Distrainable in Germany.
Two German courts of justice have already given judgment to the effect that a cab licence can be seized for debt, and it now remains for the Imperial Court of Appeal to quash or confirm this judgment.
German Subsidized Lorries for 1911-12.
The German War Office has granted subvention-plaques to 105 lorries, as follows :—Bussing and Daimler 141arienfelde, 19 each ; Benz (Gaggenau) and N.A.G., 18 each ; North German Automobile and Motor Co., 8; Eisenach Motor Works and Nacke Motor Works, 6 each ; Podeus Works, 5; Ehrhardt Co., 4; German Freight Automobile Co. (Ratingen), 2. An additional 18 plaques will be distributed in the course of the year, and there is a likelihood of sufficient money being available in the autumn for subsidizing another score. Thus, Germany's fleet of military lorries may undergo an increase of 143 vehicles during the year 1911-12. The Prussian and Bavarian War Offices now have 534 subsidized motor lorries at their disposal including such lorries as conform to the military type, but are not decorated with the subventionplaque, some 600 military lorries would be available in the event of war. The subsidized vehicles represent 13 makes. Prussia's 482 lorries are thus utilized ; —For the transport of mill-produce, 31; in agricultural operations, 25 ; for -transporting bricks, 32; for newspaper-transport, 8; in the carrying trade, 8; by paper factories, 7; for transport of stone, 10; for the transport of iron goods, 12; for carrying coal, 9; for carrying general goods, 111 ; for transporting beer, 214; for carrying building material, 7. A proportionate and analagous distribution holds good for Bavaria, Fifty-nine of Prussia's fleet are at work in the Province Brandenburg (including Berlin), 49 in Silesia, 38 in the Province of Saxony, 33 in Westphalia, 39 in the Rhine Province, and 22 in Pornerania. As yet, the State has expended over 2i million marks m purchase and workingexpenses premiums, or, Anglice, £125,000. The trade's turnover may be estimated at over half a million pounds sterling.
Austrian Army's Autos.
Recent statistics concerning the number and kinds of automobiles in the Austrian Army yield the following totals : — Lorries with three trailers each, and severally fitted with motors of 80 h.p., 29; automobile-workshops, 8; electric "trains," 2; heavy lorries of an old pattern, 28; lighter lorries of an old pattern, 12; cable-winding wagons, 2; searchlight wagons, 9; post automobiles, 6; cars, 18; motorcycles, 7.
Compared with Germany, Austria lags a lot behind, But Austria, as already announced, has framed a subvention scheme somewhat on the lines of Germany's, and five years hence will have 268 military lorries at her disposal in the event of war. The Government proposes to spend two million crowns on the scheme, which will most probably help to wipe off the " passive " balance in the foreign trade with industrial automobiles suitable for military employment.
Numerical Restrictions on Horsedrawn Cabs in Berlin.
Instead of leaving the Berlin cab traffic to shape itself to the law of demand and supply, the President of Police and his advisers prefer to meddle with it. For every devil he drives out at one door, seven come in at another. This is exemplified by the enormous prices now fetched by petrol-cab licences in consequence of his refusal to license cabs of this category. The President's latest part is that of suppressor of horse-drawn cabs, which, naturally, have not undergone a numerical reduction through his restrictions upon the internalcombustion type. In future, no fresh licences will be issued for horse-cabs ; only a transfer of licence will he permit. On the other hand, he is willing to allow a horse-cab owner to take out a licence for a petrol cab, on condition that 10 of his horse cabs are permanently withdrawn from traffic. How many horsecab owners will take advantage of this extraordinary condition, time will reveal ; not many I fancy. Moreover, the horse-cab owner must effect the exchange within the next nine months, that is, before the expiration of the year.