DIESEL ENGINES AND SIX-WHEELERS DISCUSSED AT THE I.A.E. DINNER.
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T)REDICTIONS regarding the use of Diesel and semi
Diesel engines and the rigid six-wheeler were features of the speeches at the annual dinner of the Itistitutioh of Automobile Engineers at the Connaught Rooms last Wednesday. Air Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker, in proposing the toast of the I.A.E., referred to what their members had done in designing aeroplane engines, which led this year's president, Mr. H. Kerr Thomas, in his reply, to say that he had not rub-bed into the members as well as he might have done: "What are we doing with Diesel and semi-Diesel engines compared with other nations?" We were often the first inventors in the field, but did not make use of our inventions until some other nation had done so. It was time we bestirred ourselves and tried to do something which was original, for, if we were content to be always following we should find ourselves also ran!" Mr. George W. Watson, a past president, ventured to predict that the Diesel principle will be developed not only• for road transport but for aeronautical purposes and that its future development for these purposes would be as great as, if not greater than has been the case for sea-going vessels. With regard to the six-wheeler, he said that Col. Moore-Brabazon should be interested in them, because they showed the way to a reduction of axle weights and of road wear, whilst at the same time permitting increased payloads. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport Might use the influence of his Department to make it worth the while of makers to build and users to employ the rigid six-wheeler because of its commercial possibilities and of Its enormous military usefulness in case of emergency. Major-General Davies would confer a lienefit upon the service and upon civilians by encouraging this method of transport.