Out and Home, "The Extractor."
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Bills generally come in with appalling swiftness, whether it be for food or raiment, and it was novel for me to hear a complaint up in the country that a petrol firm is quite slack in sending invoices, supplies for two and three weeks occurring without the rendering (.tf any account. This is certainly unbusinesslike, and should be remedied.
About this time last year, I was taking, with two other jaded individuals, a week's motor tour for health and holiday, and, when in one particular district, we were much impressed by the fact that nearly all the horse chars-à-bancs and other public-service vehicles belonged to the same person. A penetrating sidelight was thrown on this during the last week. In the course of a most interesting talk with a leading maker of motor chars-2i-banes, it transpired that the contract for the repairing of the roads in the district in question—and over zoo miles of roads too—is in the hands of a private individual. He has a comprehensive business, supplies edibles, and owns public vehicles moved by horses, steam, and petrol ; if any opposition comes along which threatens to touch him up Somewhat, he quickly paralyses it by closing up certain roads for repair, and he practically has the power to
close up any road in his territory, at any time, and for any reasonable (sic) period. Ile was served with a police summons, not long ago, for exceeding the speed limit or something, by a zealous member of the constabulary new to the neighbourhood ; but, when the inspector had occasion to drive to a neighbouring town (railways are scarce there), he found the direct road closed, and he had to go twenty miles round, and over precipitous hills, he went to our all-powerful road contractor, piepared to arrange an armistice. The summons was torn up, and the road was opened again. I have not heard of anything so Gilbertian for quite a good while.
One friend of mine, who claims to be an observer of both events and incidents, haying heard that I was fond of reading, remarked acidly : " Yes, fond of reading advertisements in his own paper—page ads. for preference."
am willing to own that this class of literature has its own special and peculiar fascination for me, but it is not only the stately page that appeals to me. T was much interested, the other day, to have passed on to me, at the office, a letter from a successful contributor to the drivers' page, and, in acknowledging a postal order for ten
shillings, he went on to add : "About two years ago, I obtained a good situation through an advertisement in your situations wanted' column ; since then, I am pleased to say, I have been in constant employment."
It is commonly said, and the idea must have been busily promulgated by Lancastrians themselves, that " What Lancashire thinks to-day, England will think to-morrow." This came to my mind last week, when, being down in Manchester, I saw the new fleet of Charron motorcabs and, painted -on the panels, the words " 2s. per hour." That has a very alluring look. I discovered, on enquiry, that these prices only refer to the City of Manchester, and only if hired for at least half a day. Still, it is a very .good lead, because my experience of the London taxicab is that, even taking one for several hours to make ordinary business calls, the cost works out at 5s. per hour, which, for the ordinary business man, is prohibitive, except on quite special occasions. So, lead on Lancashire, and may London follow suit quickly, as you persist in saying England does. Maybe, when the demand for London taxicabs is relatively less, we shall have the chance? The supply is insufficient at the moment. Fire-engine Renewals.
At the last meeting of Twickenham District Council, the Works Committee submitted the following quotations received for the supply of new boiler and fittings for its steam fire-engine :— Merry weather and Sons, Limited, .,129 3s. using present fittings; ditto L'157 3s., using new fittings; Messrs.
Shand Mason and Company, £98, using present fittings; ditto (accepted) '133, using new fittings. The tender of Messrs. Shand Mason and Company was also accepted for the supply of one 21-foot length of leather suction hose, of 41 inches internal diameter, fitted with male and female gun-metal screw couplings, at .4'4 19s.
Cut-steel Gears.
A list of prices at which it is prepared to supply machine-cut spur gears of any shape has just been issued by Acer, Limited, of Grosvenor Road, Hanwell, London, W. The prices given
are for gears which are made from special steel, case-hardened, bored and turned to pattern or drawing, holes drilled in flange, and the teeth properly " backed-off" or chamfered to order.
Loewe's Pamphlet "F."
Ludw. Loewe and Company, Limited, of Farringdon Road, London, E.C., has just issued a new pamphlet " F " which deals with circular milling machines and cutters. The many illustrations which this publication contains show various applications of milling machines for rapidly reducing to approximately accurate and required sizes parts of varying shape, and the
company will be pleased to send a copy of the pamphlet to any motor manufacturer wishing to be well informed in this important branch of machine-shop practice,