Correspondence.
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Comparative Working Costs.
The Editor, 44 THE COMURRCIAL MOTOR."
Sir have read with great interest the first part of
Mr. Sturmey's article on " Comparative Working Costs," and, being a van builder of long standing, and running a shoeing forge as well, 1 can speak to the moderation of his estimates on the horse side of the question. Without criticising his estimates seriatim, T should like to say that the man who can keep his repairs on two vans down to -4:6 per annum and, at the same time, have them smart in appearance and a good advertisement for his business, has not much to learn in that line. The esthnate, of 7 per cent. for depreciation is a very moderate one; in per cent. would be nearer the mark.
Now, with regard to his estimate of ,5.28d. per horse-van mile, tins should, I think, be multiplied by two, for it rarely happens that a van can get a return load. Still, if a tradesman is delivering 15cwit. one mile for a cost of mod., he is not doing very badly. I am looking forward with interest to Mr. Sturmey's estimates on the other side for the loadcost per mile.—Faithfully yours, JAMES HI:NSF/Ali".
Lurry Works, Stockport, t5th November, 1907.
British versus Foreign Vehicles.
The Editor, " THE CommERcitAi, MotroY."
Sir :—In reply to " Impartial's " letter in your last issue, I would ask him to read my article again, in which case he will see that I clearly stated that the deductions drawn were purely from the record of stoppages published. If mishaps during Trials are not to count, in arriving at any practical conclusions concerning the vehicles competing, of what use are the Trials? " Impartial " considers that " deliberately go out of my way to attack the Continental maker." I did nothing of the kind. Thinking it would be interesting to see how British and Foreign vehicles relatively had come through the Trials, I got out the figures published, without any preliminary estimate of possibilities, And I simply dealt with the figures as I found them. If he will read the article, he will see that I quite as severely criticised sonic English vehicles which failed as the Foreign ones, and I endeavoured to be fair throughout, hut, naturally. as an Englishman—and I confess I am an Englishman—I was as pleased, as I was surprised, to see the very great differences shown by the figures, and I said so. Mr. " Impartial " quotes the Milnes-Daimler Company--which company has my sincere congratulations upon its medal award --and asks whether I can give the names of English manufacturers who have as good records as those possessed by this company.
I think, in its own particular sphere of influence, the Laere vans have quite as good a record as those of the company named, although certainly not so long a record in point of
Lime. By selecting this company, " Impartial " is mentioning the oldest firm in the trade, so that it stands to reason they have a longer record than any other firm competing. Were I desirous of unfairly " attacking the Continental maker," as " Impartial " seems to suppose I was, I might very readily build up an onslaught upon this very fact, but I have no desire to do anything of the kind, but only to give honour where honour is due. " Impartial "thinks that in the long record of the Mill-les-Daimler Company "lies the sting.'' To me there is no sting at all, but, if there is any sting lying about, I am inclined to think it must be in the fact that the figures come Out as they do, for Impartial " has not attempted in any way to dispute the accuracy of the figures given, because he knews very well that they are correct, and I suppose " that's where it hurts."
—Yours faithfully, HENRY STUMM'. The Quarry Close, Coventry, isth November, 1907.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir have read with interest. Mr. Henry Sturmey's
article, which appeared in your issue of the 31st ultimo. He a-mu:moldy has all the pros and cons of the Foreign versus English commercial vehicles at his finger-ends, and I therefore hope that we shall see his reason for the collapse of the Foreign utility vehicle embodied in a second article ere long. I do not agree with him that the manufacturer, whether Foreign or British, should include the guaranteeing of tires when he sells a vehicle, and this, I take it, is what is meant in the lines, et sequeuter, at the bottom of page 196. If the manufacturer knows that the design and construction of his production is good, why should he be liable for the shortcomings of tire manufacturers? All those who are connected with the industry know that tires, as a whole, cost more in upkeep than is desirable, although many thousands of pounds have been spent to bring them to their present state of comparative efficiency. Admitting these arguments, I cannot but feel that tires, generally, do not to-day repay the care in design and the amount of money expended upon them.
I hold no brief for the Milnes-Daimler Company, but feel that the sympathy of all those who look to the successful future of the industry must he with them, over the deplorable fact that their one-ton van was unable to run throughout the trials, owing to the giving-out of the pneumatic tires with which its wheels were shod. Prospective buyers, surely, when weighing up the merits of different manufacturers' productions, will not say : " I won't buy that vehicle; its tires gave out ' before it properly started on the trials." This judgment would he most unfair, and users of vehicles generally buy their chassis first and put the tires in a secondary place, not vice versa.
The manufacturer of to-day can only guarantee the work which is turned out undet the direction of his own stall, and cannot be expected to warrant the efficiency of the necessary adjuncts which are not made by him, and which go to complete a fully-equipped chassis. Let us have from Mr. Sturmey's pen the reason why the trials proved the Foreign manufacturer's " Waterloo," as it is surely a mistake of his to account it so when we recollect, the large and overwhelming numbers of Mitees-Daimler and Bfissing motorbuses on our streets to-day.—Yours faithfully,
JAMES' BLAIKE.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL Moro tz " Sir :—As one taking a great interest in the commercial side of the motor industry, I followed the C.V. Trials very closely. Reading " Impartial's " letter to you, in your issue of the 14th November, I think that he makes more severe criticism on English-made vehicles than Mr. Sturmey does on Foreign vehicles. 1 think it is mere bluff on " Impartial's " part to declare that Mr. Sturtney is afraid of the " material and workmanship " that emanates from the Marienfeide Works, Germany. I am sure that no English manufacturer is.
As to the question whether Mr. Sturmey can point out any English manufacturer who holds as good records as those held by the German firm, 1 daresay that he can give a satisfactory reply. Even if he cannot, I can.
Firstly, take for instance the six Lancashire Steam Motor Company's buses which have been running, and are running now, through King-sway.
Secondly, the Siddeley buses running for the L.G.0,C.
Thirdly, the fleets of Lacres running daily for Shoolbred's, Harrod's, etc., and I am sure that " Impartial " has forgotten such makes as Straker-Squire, Dennis, Thornyeroft, Maudslay, etc.
think that all the above hold as good records as, if not better than, those sold by Milnes-Daimler. Of course, it is only natural for " Impartial " to look after his interests, but Continental makers on the whole were beaten " hands down" in the Trials, as Mr. Sturmey so straightforwardly points out in his article, with facts and figures. Why should not we Englishmen shout over our success ?—Yours faith fully, STANLEY BARER. Islington, N., isth November, 1907.
Undue Noise.
The Editor, " TI/E COMMERCIAL MOTOR. "
Sir :-I read with much interest the article under the above heading, in your issue of 7th November last, in which Mr. Windsor says that a great deal of the noise from a motorbus is due, not to mechanical defects, but to the lack of attention paid to details. During the last few days, I have paid particular attention to the internal and external fittings of the average London vehicle. and I was astonished to find what a lot of" undue noise " is caused by these details. Perhaps the worst offender is the illuminated destination box now fitted to the majority of the motorbuses. I noticed it particularly in the wooden-box arrangement fitted to the " Union Jacks." This box has a little door at the back to allow of the insertion of a lamp, and the contrivance for holding this door shut is so inadequate 'that, even on the best road surfaces, a most irritating clatter is maintained.
On any part of the roof of the vehicle this noise is distinctty heard, and, to. the person sitting on the front seat the sound of the engine is almost completely drowned. This is not an isolated ease, for I have noticed it on four different vehicles.
Then, again, as Mr. Windsor says, the sheet-metal advertisements do not receive the attention necessary if noise is to be reduced to a minimum. Those long, narrow, strip advertisements are usually bolted down at each of the four corners only, the middle part being allowed to keep up a monotonous tapping against the roof or side to•which it is fastened. In some cases-, too, 1_ noticed that bolts holding the corners down had worked out a bit, and this, of course, made matters worse, Leather or rubber washers between the bolt heads and the metal should certainly eliminate this "undue
noise to a certain extent.
Seated in some motorbuses, what with the badly-fitting bonnets, loose lamp. glasses, and rattling window frames, it is quite impossible to keep up. a conversation without shouting. I have run over some typical North London roads on a standard London motorbus which, being in "private" service,was unadorned with advertisements, destination boards, etc., and then I have gone over the same surfaces on a similar vehicle in " public " service; such an experience fully shows what is " undue noise.' —Yours faithfully, " Rom) UsEn." London, S.W., tfith November, ¶907.
"A Railway Strike Service."
The Editor, " Ton COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir sOmeOf the motor journals I noticed a latter from
Me. Letts on the subject of providing a substituted service, in a very modified manner, for passengers on the great railways, should a strike of employees ever take place, and, although only like a drop of rain in the ocean, the experiment would bring out the capabilities and resources of the motor trade in More ways than one.
Should such a catastrophe over occur as to disorganise the whole trade and commerce of this country, I am of opinion that the stoppage of goods transport would be more keenly felt than that of the conveyance of passengers, because, in the fatter case, the employers and employed would in many cases, if not all, revert to the old custom of residing on or near their places of business " either by hook or by crook." To prevent a most serious stoppage of business, however, especially in the matter of haulage, I have felt convinced for some time that a method could be devised, such as is suggested by Mr. Letts on behalf of his motorcar manufacturer, of securing from our leading commercial motor manufacturers and their agents a statement as to whether they arc open to let out any vehicles, and to what extent they are prepared to go, in the case of such an emergency.
1 have gone further in this matter than Mr. Letts has with his only manufacturer, for, on behalf of my firm, I have made terms with a number of leading manufacturers of commercial vehicles to hire out to our customers a number of vans, wagons and lorries from one ton to ten tons (with trailers) for periods ranging up to three months and at rates that will amply repay both sides—in fact, in some instances, the rates are less than the railway rates and it is only the difficulty of obtaining return loads which prevents tny firm from embarking in the' business in a more extended form.
For the benefit of those agents who, like ourselves, have experienced the difficulty of selling these industrial vehicles to would-be purchasers who are short of sufficient capital, let me say that, out of seventeen vans and lorries we have let out on hire, four were sold outright in a very short time, when the hirers found out their usefulness and economy. It is on the latter account where the would-be purchaser can be convinced that the seller scores, but it is impossible to convince the purchaser until he has tried the vehicle, and it is only by some such method as I have attempted to describe that headway will in future be made.—Yours faithfully, M. ARTIILIRS,
Manager, Arthurs and Co.
2, First Avenue, Mortlake, S.W.,