India and the Colonies.
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Markets for Immediate Business.
In considering the possible outlets for trade the home market is not the only one wherein the manufacturer is compelled to confine his energies. Although the demands for commercial vehicles will be ever increasing for several decades within the United kingdom, our brethren beyond the seas are already concerning themselves with modern systems for passenger and goods carrying. Outside our own country there are no prejudices to overcome, no vested interests to block progress, and no antiquated laws to check development. Brutish engineering firms during the nineteenth century have, by the merits of their productions, proved their ability to more than hold their own in spite of the fiercest competition from foreign rivals, and we have no possible doubt that motor vehicle makers will equally uphold the splendid reputation for quality which the older engineering branches have established. The object of the present issue of this journal, and particularly the supplement which goes out with several thousands of numbers, is to promote further the good relations between Colonial buyers and English makers by making known throughout the world the immense forward strides the latter have taken in the motor industry. Many of our makers may not be able to obtain access to information as to Indian and Colonial requirements, and it is our pleasing duty on this and the next page to shortly summarise a mass of facts and data which we have been at considerable pains to collect, and thus enable them to become acquainted with what is needed
India.
The field for business in our eastern dependency is immense. The general idea in England is that India is only a possible buyer of cheap goods, but such a notion is erroneous. True, the country numbers millions who but live from hand to mouth; but their needs, however moderate when taken unit by unit, total into a great sum when considered in the mass. Although the mileage of Indian railways runs into large figures it is essential to remember that the rail only connects certain of the towns on what may be treated as main routes and beyond the districts thus served, haulage by road is the only means by which the merchant can get into touch with the buyer and deliver the goods required. India, as compared with some of our colonies, stands in an enviable position with respect to its road system. Owing to the energy of the East Indian Company in the first half of the nineteenth century and the Indian Government in the latter half, good road making has received the attention it deserved, with the result that India can boast of thousands of miles of roads which are unexcelled either as to surface or gradients in any European country. Military exigencies were of course primarily responsible for the great trunk roads which spread throughout the three Presidencies, and we have to thank the foresight of the present administrators for continuing that policy when strategical reasons ceased to cause the urgent need for imperial purposes. Both steam and internal combustion engines can be used ; as regards the former, the fire boxes must be adapted to suit the requirements of the particular district for which ordered because of the variations in the fuel used. Except in the remote portions of the country, water supply presents no particular difficulties, and thousands of the natives have a smattering of steam knowledge derived from their coming in contact with the numberless engines used everywhere for trade purposes. Liquid fuel for steam raising should have a large future in India because of the proximity of the Sumatra and Borneo oil fields and the supply which comes down in comparatively moderate quantities from Assam. internal combustion engines have hitherto been somewhat handicapped by reason of the restrictions applying to the carriage and storage of petrol and the high price compared with what is paid in Great Britain. With increased demand there is already a cheapening of the price. But we believe for Indian use paraffin will be the fuel of the future, and as there are many reliable paraffin carburetters now in use and improvements are almost daily being made in their working, the objections which have hitherto been raised against paraffin must now disappear. Paraffin can be delivered and sold at a very cheap rate in India, and this should tell in its favour. The climate must not be forgotten in any machines for this market when fitted with internal combustion engines. It has been proved that pleasure cars which render good accounts of themselves in Europe are subject to overheating troubles out here, but this is simply the result of inadequate water cooling arrangements. To give the best results nearly double the radiating surface and water capacity must be provided, and it may be taken for granted that fan cooling is a necessity. Although the roads are splendidly engineered as to gradients, the hills in places are miles long, and the slow pace at which a heavily-laden vehicle would be able to mount them would tell against efficient results unless ample water tanks are fitted. One paint must not be overlooked when taking the Indian roads as a whole, and that is the strength of some of the bridges or of the facilities for crossing rivers where bridges do not exist. Calcutta is an example; a " floating bridge" exists here in which the total weight is limited to one ton on each wheel carried across and where indents are sent to England to fill, it would be desirable to make sure of bridge possibilities. Of course, on all the trunk roads which were built to carry heavy artillery, these disabilities do not exist. Elsewhere the bridges are being altered to suit modern conditions, as the Indian Government is fully alive to the necessity of promoting inter-communication throughout the vast dominion it controls.
Canada.
This is by far the largest of the British possessions, being nearly twice the size of India, and 30 times the size of Great Britain.
There are many industries in operation, in which commercial motors would prove an inestimable boon ; and if the English manufacturers are awake to their own interests, they will endeavour to take advantage of the openings offering there. A few motors have already been sent out for ploughing purposes, and appear to be giving satisfaction. We must not forget that we have a keen competitor to reckon with in the shape of the U.S.A., and the mere affixing of a postage stamp to a specification is not likely to bring trade when foreign firms send representatives. A great portion of the wealth of Canada is derived from agricultural sources, these forming the bases of many important industries such as milling, meat and fish canning, and the large co-operative creameries and cheese factories, also a large number of distilleries, breweries, and allied trades. These are only a few of the many which require some kind of traction. In fact, it is impossible to gauge the ultimate development of mechanical haulage in a country so rich in natural resources, and as yet but in its infancy. The main roads are good in all directions, consisting mostly of macadam, and, owing to being well " crowned," a feature so essential to a good surface, make splendid running for heavy vehicular traffic. Generally speaking, gradients are well engineered.
In the more remote districts the roads are what we should term tracks, in the sense that they have never been made but, owing to the stream of heavy transport wagons constantly passing over them, they have a perfectly hard surface, in which broad-tyred wheels will not sink to any appreciable depth. The period in which the roads are heavy-running is similarly to England, during the winter months. The duration of this bad season varies in different provinces and altitudes. With regard to fuel, coke is fairly abundant, and moderate in price, as nearly all townships have their gasworks ; paraffin, too, is cheap, and can be obtained all over the Dominion. Petroleum boring is being exploited in one or two provinces, notably in British Columbia, where the oil is expected to he produced commercially within a year. The important subject of water can only be generalised upon ; it varies according to the different geographical conditions of districts, but, on the whole, it is good, and to be found in abundance. The Canadian market needs cultivating by pushful representatives on the spot.
British Columbia.
British Columbia, Canada's most westerly province, is separated from the rest of the Dominion by the Rocky Mountains, and is the natural western outlet for exports to
the Orient. The industries of this province are varied, and embrace, amongst others, mining, terming-, fruit-growing, and salmon canning. In some parts the different trades have developed with great rapidity, as instanced by the town of Fernie, which only sprang into existence in 1898, and now keeps boo coke ovens regularly in work, the produce of which is used by the smelters in the district and. the supply of coal is practically inexhaustible. The C.P.R. runs from east to west across British Columbia, hut there are important districts off the line which are only connected with it by road. These roads are some of the best in Canada, and where, gradients occur are well engineered. We might mention the road from Ashcroft, a station on the C.P.R., to the important mining district of Cariboo, some 200 miles to the northward, the only means of transport being at present a hi-weekly coach service. This road, by the way, is interesting as having been made in the gold rush about 1858. It seems almost incredible that in these enlightened days one shoule have to rely upon the antiquated coach or wagon team as the only means of transport between the various townships along routes of this nature, especially when it is recollected that paraffin and coke can be had in all parts. We think that the trade in commercial vehicles ought to be good if carefully fostered, as although there are steep hills to be contended with in certain districts, yet English manufacturers have proved that it is possible to produce a vehicle which, if properly handled, will negotiate any road to be met with.
New South Wales.
New South Wales is about two and a half times the area of Great Britain and Ireland. In a country of this size there are immense probabilities of future development of transport. The railroad system is very complete in proportion per unit of population, having 24 miles of railway to each to,000 inhabitants, whereas Britain has 5.4 miles for the same number. But there are large areas in rural New South Wales whose population is only catered for through the agency of wagons with horse and bullock teams. The roads in the capital, Sydney, are excellent, very nearly all being wood pavement, a feature which is of great importance when it is remembered that there is an enormous tonnage of wood carted from the urban stations to the wharves. In the country districts the roads are, generally speaking, of a gravelly nature and ought to make good running for commercial motors with suitable tyres fitted. The country suffers from drought rather than excess of rain. Therefore in some cases the surface is rather too loose to be an ideal one. The Government is fully alive to the necessity for good roads as it has voted the sum of se-25,000 to be expended in carrying out survey work in the more remote districts, where there are almost unequalled agricultural possibilities, but which at present are only connected with civilisation by indifferent tracks. One of the most lucrative sources of revenue in New South Wales is the wool trade, which constitutes the staple export of the Colony ; this in 1903 was valued at ;68,544,135. The mining industry is also most important, and New South Wales exports an enormous quantity of coke and coal to other parts of the Continent. All products have to be transported to the nearest railway station by means of teams, and for their convenience public watering places have been established on all the main routes of the State, consisting of tanks, dams, wells, and artesian bores. These have done much towards the opening up of the country, making it possible for work to be done during the dry season.
Queensland.
Queensland may be roughly divided into three portions : the Northern, mostly devoted to sugar-cane culture, the chief industry of the State ; the Middle portion, where most of the collieries are found, and which yield a fair quality of coal; and the Southern and most fertile part, which is almost entirely agricultural and in a flourishing condition. All the principal thoroughfares in Brisbane, the capital, are wood-paved, the less important streets beinz macadamised; indeed, throughout the State the roads in the towns are very fair. In the Northern divisic the main roads are, speaking generally, gravelly, whilst thosi agricultural districts of the south are of loam. This, though forming a fertile soil, isby no means ideal for road making, as in the dry weather they are enveloped in dust, and, during the wet season, about December, tney become very heavy and sticky. We believe the leading agriculturists have troni time to time enquired as to whether a vehicle suitable for running over these roads, and carrying from three to four tons, has yet been designed. There is a want of vehicles to convey the farm produce, including wool, to Charleville, the terminus of the railway which runs to Brisbane, 483 miles distant. At present the only means of transport for wool, etc., is by wagons.
The price of petrol is almost prohibitive, as it is the monopoly ot a trust, and prices range from 5s. to es. per gallon, ,s‘viiilst the average price of petroleum is is. 3d. per gallon. Coke is obtainable, as most towns of any size have gas
works, though in some cases these are being supplanted • by electric light plants. Where necessary, the Government has sunk bore-holes for water, these yielding, in the neighbourhood of Charieville mentioned above, six to seven million gallons of water during the 24 hours, The number of artesian bores at present is en, and these are being rapidly increased.
South Australia.
The conditions in this Colony make for the provision of vehicles of a type differing somewhat from those in use in Great Britain. Distances are great, loads to be carried are heavy, and in some portions of the country supplies of water have to be carefully guarded. Wood is the principal fuel outside a radius of, say, ioo to 15o miles around the capital city. Adelaide should find an immediate outlet for motor omnibuses to supersede the old type of tramcars which run along the principal thoroughfares. Steam or internal combustion engines can be equally well employed here, as roads for a long way are excellent. " Up country," petrol or paraffin will, we believe, be the prevailing factor in heavy haulage work, solely because of the water difficulties. Paraffin is cheap, and, owing to the competition of two large companies, is obtainable in the remotest districts. In considering the possibilities of mechanical traction, it must be remembered that animals of all kinds are numerous, and horses, mules, camels, and oxen are used in turn. In the northern part of the territory camels are as plentiful as in Central Africa, and their use is essential, because in summer the brown earth becomes nearly as friable as sand. To be successful in its trade applications, a motor vehicle must be built to meet the Colonies' requirements, and it does not follow that a European type would be suitable. Frame must he higher, wheels of large diameter with great width of tyre, and above all else the water arrangement must be carefully adapted to the special needs existing here. Length of radiator must be increased and water tanks doubled. in size, and fan cooling seems a necessity. The market in this Colony will presently be a huge one, and other things being equal, British goods are always preferred.
Western Australia.
In Western Australia there appear to be potentialities for the employment of commercial motors in the future in certain trades. At present, districts not served by the railways have to rely either upon teams of horses, as in New South Wales, or upon the still more tedious and inefficient method of transportation by means of camels, which are used owing to their ability to support life on the sparse foliage to be found en route. Horse provender has to be largely imported. There are very few metalled roads in the State, yet horse drays traverse it in all directions, for, owing to the dryness of the climate, the " tracks " have served all purposes. Western Australia is thinly populated, except in the southwest corner, one-fourth of the total inhabitants living in the vicinity of Perth, the capital. The gold-fields form the most important feature of this south-west district, and have been greatly developed by the railway running from Perth. The chief difficulty in parts is the want of water, and most of the available supply is mineralised, but not sufficiently Lo be detrimental to the working of steam boilers, as it is used regularly in the locomotives on the railways. This want of water in the gold-fields has been overcome by the sinking of bore-holes by the Government, a plan which succeeds admirably. There are also collieries in the same part
of the State, this district being the industrial centre. Fruit farming is also making very rapid strides.