Opinions from Others.
Page 15
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters 6hould be on one sLe of the paper only and 6,pectvritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is, reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
Particulars of Agrimotors Wanted.
Ths Editor, THE COMMERCIAL Mown-L.
[1446] Sits—Some time -ago in one of the numbers oE your excellent weekly there was a description of a meeting in Scotland for tests of motor ploughs, tractors, etc., but I am sorry to say that I have mislaid the number. If I remember rightly there was a very neat little Motor plough called the "Little Giant:" of three furrows, and which practically steered itself, and did the best work in the trials as a plough only. My brother-in-law, Mr. Nibaldo Sanlmeza, who has an agricultural farm in the centre of Chile in Curio!), is anxious to purchase two or three motor ploughs for next season, and I should feel obliged by your asking the .makers of the above-mentioned plough or any others who sell light, cheap motor ploughs to send us catalogues and price lists to the address given below. It would be much better that the catalogues be in Spanish, for although many of the Chilians speak or understand English, when it comes to studying catalogues, they prefer to have them in their own Ian gu age.—You re faithfully, J. L. DUNCAN. Casilla a3, Punta Arenas, Chile.
The trials at Stirling took place in October, 1015. The motor plough to which our correspondent refers is the 'Kyles, to the maker of which we have communicated his request. We anticipate his brother-in-law will also receive, as the result of our publishing the letter, additional particulars from other makers of agrimotors.—En.; Motor Transport Organization at the Front.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
D447] Sir,---In your columns and in those of many other papers,-much is said of the wonderful organization of the transport in the field. Undoubtedly good as it is, it could, I think, be further improved. By improvement I refer to the waste of petrol, oil, etc., also and particularly to the waste runningssof vehicles on trips made without tangible results, 1.e., vehicles sent out which in many cases do not pick up loads, or, if so, are sent miles out of their way to dispose of them, time lost by waiting at rail-heads and dumps, and by the employment of too many vehicles on the same job.
First I will touch on the waste of petrol, oil, etc. The present system is for each man to draw the cans of petrol, often too much, and to tip it into the tank with or without a, funnel, with the result that the roadway has part of it. When drawing oil, the procedure is similar, and at least 10 per cent. is spilt on the floor as there are no adequate means of preventing it. To eliminate this waste I would suggest that use should be made of any of the good portable tank fillers now on the market. Each car would then have a. correct register of both petrol and oil with little or no loss. I am sure columns of reasonable size could make a pertable filler such as I suggest, and carry it as part of their equipment.
As regards waste running of vehicles I have often seen dozens of cars go out and stand by until they are sent back. Things like this are bound to happen on some occasions, and I do not for a moment imply that 0.C.s of units are to blame, but similar precautions to those mentioned could be made in many ways.
During the recent hard frost many engines and radiators have been irreparably damaged owing to lack of a system to cope with the weather. • The usual antidote is the glycerine "dope," which is ineffective with more than 14 degrees of frost. Other ways are to start up at alternate hours, or, as has been done on many imits, to leave the engine running all night.
This expensive method could be eliminated by having radiators emptied whilst the engine is running in order to dry up water in pockets, etc., and to put the water into large tanks fitted with fire grates. By adding to this a few extra pails of water to allow for evaporation, enough water would be left for each car to have four :gallons to start up with, completing with cold. The guard could keep the fire going during the night.
Probably all these suggestions have been thought out by greater minds than the. writer's, but if so it is a pity they have not been adopted, thereby saving thousands -of pounds without taking into account the reduction of the number of lorries out of action.
Being a keen reader of your journal, I -thought my suggestions would interest someone in authority as your paper -seems to get everywhere. I leave had it abroad, in civil lifeand quite regularly in France.—
Yours faithfully, " M. T. DRIVER."
[These references to waste can hardly be of general application. The elimination of any justification for them is certainly expected by tho commercial-motor user—E.] The Restriction of Petrol and Substitutes.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1448] Sir,—With reference to the new order restrictp iug the use of petrol substitutes, it would be interesting to know whether the Petrol Contra]. Committee also prohibits the use of any substitute of purely British origin, ortaof a substitute made from the residue of any substance, whether imported or not, which is essential to any other trade, such residue being of no further use for the original purpose. The question of tonnage cannot apply in such cases. The motorist, especially the commercial-motor owner, has indeed fallen on evil times. It is almost a touch of the grotesque to think that if a driver goes into an oil-store for some paraffin to put into his tank, he must have his petrol licence marked. I suppose that this is what the new order amounts to. We know that it is now necessary to reserve a certain amount of tonnage for food supplies, and rightly so, but the fact must not be lost sight of that after such supplies reach this country adequate provision must be made for their transportation to various parts. It is quite obvious now that the railway companies cannot cope with the transport question, so much of their rolling stock having gone. The motor lorry has proved itself to be the quickest a,nd best means of transport, and yet the powers that be seem to make no effort to ensure anything like an adequate supply of fuel for
such purpoees. First, we were told that the restriction of petrol was
necessary for military and other reasons ; now we are informed that we cannot have substitutes except under licenc, because of tonnage. What will we be told next? If it is absolutely necessary to restrict the use of substitutes it cannot surely be necessary to restrict them to such an extent as the new order implies. Why cannot additional liceisces be issued for the purchase of substitutes, the use of which would supplement the allowances of petrol now allowed? If this were done it would give the trade a chance to keep moving, and thus enable it to do its share of the necessary transport work of the country.
It is high time that the commercial-vehicle owner woke up and made his demands and requirements felt. No other trading class has been so hard hit as this Oases, and now is the time to call a halt, now is the time to face the situation before it becomes worse.— Your s faithfully, HAULAGE. Newcastle-on-Tyne.
[The Mansion of paraffin is the serious point. Exclusion of home products may be secured. Bee, also, our references on page 65.—ED.J [The Mansion of paraffin is the serious point. Exclusion of home products may be secured. Bee, also, our references on page 65.—ED.J