A USEFUL HI NT TO VAN MANUFACTURERS THERE are approximately 25,000 radio dealers
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throughout the country, a very, large number of . whom handle refrigerators, washing machines, etc. In addition, there is a very large number of electrical shops and electrical contractors dealing in-these lines. Most of the delivery vans used by these concerns have load capacities of 5-12 cwt." It is important, when transporting a refrigerator, 'that it remains upright, yet there is no standard van of 12 cwt, or below which has sufficient height in the body to achieve this.
We are confident that a low-loading van with, perhaps, 5 ft. 6 ins headroom in the body, would sell very well indeed to the traders we have mentioned.
It surprises us that no manufacturer has produced a front-wheel-drive van with a U-shaped rear axle—a design which would lend itself best to these requirements.
We hope a Prominent manufacturer may see this letter and give the matter his earnest 'consideration in
the future. H. R. SNELL.
Swansea. (For Messrs. Snell and Sons.) WARNING TO BUYERS OF SURPLUS TYRES
IN connection with the disposal of surplus tyres from A Ministry of Supply depots, my attention has been drawn to instances where tyres have been described on tender forms as " new," but on delivery have been found by the purchaser to be not new, but newretreaded tyres.
In such circumstances, although the purchaser will have paid a higher price than he would otherwise' have done, he has no redress, in view of Clause 3 of the Standard Conditions of Contract, which reads:—
" The goods referred to in any schedule or notifi
cation 'shall be taken with all faults and errors or mis-statements of description, measurement, weight, quantity, quality, number or otherwise. (whether of a substantial nature or not)."
Any trader tendering for surplus tyres offered by Governnient Departments should, therefore, make a point of inspecting the goods before tendering, as, otherwise, he may be misled by. the descriptions given
on the tender .forms. . I have no doubt that the descriptions of tyres shown on the tender forms are given in good faith, but this is no consolation to a buyer Who is misled by an erroneous description and who has no redress because of the oPeraticiri.:of the above-mentioned 'clause.
R. G. KIRKPATRICK, National Secretary. (For National Association of Tyre Specialists.) London, E.C.2.
AMERICAN INTEREST IN "MALICE IN BLU NDERLA ND"
WITH the-live s of all.of us depending on the correct " understanding and solution Of the social and economic problems confronting' us as citizens and nations,. it is sometimes appalling to note the indifference of the 'average man towards -these matters.. It is most difficult to get him to read a serious article— however short—on these things.
In your issue dated December 20, some genius has done a capital job of camouflaging a short lesson in economics in Malice in Blunderland," in a language that intrigues the interest of anyone who starts it.
The Waukesha Association of Commerce would like your permission to reprint arid circulate this article, 'giving your journal Proper credit for it; We would also like to mention the writer's full, name if he will let us do so
We trust that we may have soMe additional articles by this author in conning issues of "The Commercial Motor." J. B. FISHER,
Vice-president and 'Chief Engineer.
Waukesha, (For Waukesha Motor Co.) Wis., U.S.A.
A CONFIRMED USER OF OIL ENGINES
WE have noted with interest the letter from Mr. W. F. Poole, Junr , Published in "The Commercial Motor' dated February 14.
We have had a fleet of Perkins-enginecl lorries operating since 1935, the total mileage to date being 650,000. Last year we added a further three oil-engined Thomycrofts to our fleet.
We can also claim to be the fist users of an oilengined private car, as a Perkins engine was fitted to a Standard 16 h.p. chassis in 1936. Also in that year, we had a Jowett-Victor oil-priginecl van.
We take this opportinity of thanking the Editor for the most useful weekly paper on road transport, and one from which we have gained immense value.
Wicklow. S. R. SHEANE.
(For D. H. Haskins and Son, Ltd.)
[We are doubtful as to whether your claim to be the first user of a private oil-engined car, can be maintained. We can remember seeing a Gardner-engined Bentley, run by Mr. Hugh Gardner, which we believe was powered in this way some years before 1936. Incidentally, it took part, unofficially but most successfully, in a' Monte Carlo Rally some years before the recent war. Perhaps Mr. Gardner and other early users of oil engines in private cars will answer this letter. We are glad that you find "The Commercial Motor" so useful, and we shall continue to do everything passible to make it even better.—ED.]
THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF • ALUMINIUM
p EGARDING the last paragraph on page 638 of "your issue dated January 31, the strength of pure aluminium is given as 5,000 lb. per sq. in. Surely this is a considerable understatement, as even super-purity aluminium has a tensile strength of some 4 tons per sq., in. and the normal commercial grade exceeds 5 torts? The reference also does not take into account the strength obtainable in the heat-treated alloys, which now reach almost 40 tons per sq. in.
E. G. WEST, Technical Director.
(For the Aluminium Development Association.) London. W.I.