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Curious Causes of q0ME unusual and, in Accidents Outlinedt•-". certain cases, humorous by the R.A.C. . . . incidents connected with causes of road accidents have been recounted by the Royal Automobile Club. In many such instances in which the legal liability was apparent the R.A.C. was able to recover compensation for its members. In one of these a car skidded on oil dropped from the sump' of another car that was damaged by running into a milk churn which fell from a lorry with an insecure load—a chapter of accidents. In another, a crane driver, not content with dropping one car on top of another, followed it up with the complete crane. Then there was an accident in which masonry from a bomb-damaged house descended upon a parked vehicle, with concertina effect. An unusual event was the cracking of the window of a vehicle during one of the hottest days last summer, when cold water was directed at it from a child's water pistol The Editor Recalls an THE Editor of this journal Amusing Incident to I had a most interesting chat Mr. Ford last week with Mr. Henry Ford, and he reminded the latter of an amusing incident which occurred in connection with the digging of the first sod at Dagenham by his father, the late Mr. Edsel Ford. when young Mr. Henry was present. A few days before the Editor went to Dagenham for the ceremony he had written for our columns a paragraph reading 'One Hears—What Mr. Edsel Ford called the spade." This proved to be peculiarly n22
appropriate, because when the little silver spade was pushed into the soil it bent badly.. Looking at it ruefully, the hero of the scene endeavoured to .straighten it. Later, the Editor was asked if he were • a prophet. Mr. Henry is a well-built, cool and collected man of about 30, with a cheerful outlook and a good sense of humour, apparently not greatly perturbed by the heavy responsibility resting Upon his shoulders. He denied that America was short of oil, but said that high-octane fuel was both dear and scarce. His description of the new Ford " bonusbuilt " commercial vehicles was that they gave more strength and greater service in comparison with their cost.
G.E.C. Wins Valuable VIRITAIN has achieved a Radio Contract for "high position in radio engin
Pipeline eering. This is emphasized by
the award to The General• Electric Co., Ltd., of a £300,000 contract for one of the most elaborate telephone and radio-communication systems yet devised. It will span the whole length of a new oil pipeline which is to be laid between the Persian Gulf and a Mediterranean port 800 miles away. It will include main very-highfrequency beamed transmitting and receiving stations; high-, mediumand low-power h.f. stations, and unattended automatic radio ropeaters, right down to "walkie-talkies." Working parties will also have mobile wireless trucks while surveying. A teleprinter service will be operated between the stations over similar radio links, and communication will be possible between those along the pipeline and aircraft flying over the route.
How Cold Affects the Starting of a Vehicle Battery DURING cold weather operators often tend to concentrate on the engine and radiator in their efforts to keep vehicles warm. They usually overlook the battery. Whilst extreme cold does not harm this unit, it temporarily reduces its capacity and, consequently, the energy it can exert. The essential factors to bear in mind are the state of the charge and the temperature of the electrolyte. As an example of the differences that can be observed, a battery which is two-thirds discharged will produce the same starting "kick" at 20 degrees F. as that from one fully charged but at 11 degrees F. It is therefore important that, whenever possible, a garage . should be warmed and, in any case, the battery should be maintained in the fully charged condition, if necessary by utilizing a garage charger for this purpose. Battery
X-ray Testing of Tyres UORE information is availas Normal Inspection "I able regarding the X ray Procedure . . • inspection of tyres which is used extensively at Fort Dunlop. The type of X-ray tube employed for this work is adapted from that specially developed for examining light-alloy castings. The rays can penetrate a tyre sufficiently well to enable an expert to see clearly the interior construction without pulling it to ,pieces. Normally, a tyre is mounted on an adjustable stand in front of the tube, with sensitized film behind it, but where a quick examination of, say, the bead-wire structure is required, the tyre is mounted at eye level and the tube arranged so that the shadow image is projected on to the fluorescent screen behind it. The process is an adjunct to normal inspection and can give a definite decision where factory viewers are doubtful. It can show even individual strands of cord.