News and Comment.
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This journal in exclusively read by the principals of many wealthy commercial houses, by the heads of important Government and Colonial Departments, and by numerous officers of Local Authorities. It has a certified and genuine circulation.
This issue was sent to press in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Mr. H. F. L. Orcutt, on Friday last, retired from the managing directorship of Clayton and Shuttleworth, Ltd.
The only illustrated show report of the week will be found on pages 325 forward. Foster's new tractor is described and illustrated on pages 315 to 317. The article on page 314 should also be read carefully.
The quick sale of motor spirit becomes of more and more importance in London, hence the value of an installation such as that—for the ready supply to " callers " and other distribution purposes— by the Mex people. See pages 318 and 319.
Germany Smarting.
As might have been expected, German makers, who had to see a Swiss firm take 50 per cent, of the gold medals awarded in the recent industrial trials, are not at all satisfied at the decision of the executive committee in disallowing the Ca4.,Ygenau protest against Saurer's use of different grades of fuel. A special commission has been formed.
The Swedish Trials.
The judges have announced that all the competitors except two—the Swedish Tidaholm wagon and the French ambulance ear—have been awarded first prizes. A second prize is awarded to the Tidaholm, and an extra prize, for speed and silent running, to the ambulance car. It is understood that the Gaggenau Company secured the lowest fuel consumption, but we await the final report.
Manchester's 1910 Show.
On Thursday last, the Council of the S.M.M.T. declined to recognise proposals for the 14th annual exhibition of the Manchester and District Motor Trades Association. A joint deputation of that association and the local agents' section attended, its members being Messrs. Sidney Norris, T. Garner, F. Bullock, R. H. Carlisle, Leo Swain, and Ellis Green (Secretary). Local traders are considerably upset at the intimation that the Society will not recognise Manchester as worthy of the same distinction that is granted to Edinburgh, and they intend to go ahead upon their own lines, in which matter we think they are doing the right thing. We should be sorry to conclude that London has failed to appreciate the necessities of an important industrial and commercial centre like Manchester, which is without its equal in the United Kingdom. County Fire Brigades'.
Yet another response to our suggestion that modern developments of firebrigade plant permit the formation of county fire brigades. One of the Forfarshire district committees is now dismissing the propriety of procuring a motor fire-engine for the service of the burghs of Kinghorn, Burntisland, Dysart, Leslie. Markinch. Loehgelly and Cowdenbeath. This step has been taken at the instance of the Fire Brigade Committee of the Kirkcaldy Town Council.
Fleet Street Widening.
The widening scheme for Fleet Street, which the Corporation of the City of London decided, some months ago, to complete without further delay, subject to the possibility of cooperation with the London County Council, has now been definitely adopted. The Council's goodwill in the matter has been ensured by the favourable recommendation of its Improvements Committee, and a report on the subject will shortly be presented to the Council. This long-delayed improvement to one of the mostimportant thoroughfares in the Metropolis will bring welcome relief to a large number of road users. The estimated cost of these further operations is £500,000. A Perennial "Experiment.",i The conveyance of fruit and vegetables to Covent Garden, from Wor
thing, is still being reported in some daily papers as an experiment. It is about time this business entered upon the commercial stage, if it is ever going to do so, because there have, to our knowledge, been scores of experiments in past years. Readers who are interested in the matter of " One day's work " may care to turn up an illustrated article in our previous series, entitled " From Market Garden to Covent Garden," which was published by us on the 3rd September, 1908.
" Homoil !'—a New Fuel.
The Homoil Trust, Ltd., with an authorised share capital of £150,000, is now before the public for subscription. The directors are : The Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, Chairman; Engineer Vice-Admiral Sir John Durston, K.C.B. ; John Oswald, Esq. (Director of the Wemvss Collieries, Ltd.); and A. E. Seaton, Esq., M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E. (Chairman, Belliss and Morcom Ltd.). Big claims are made for this luel, and fairly-big charges for the rights which are sold to the new company. In the absence of the opportunity to try it in practice, or to observe the working of the Toni-Griinewald carburetter. which is part and parcel of the undertaking, we prefer to defer either criticism or recommendation. The fact that a special carburetter requires to be used is an obvious difficulty, whilst the report of Messrs. Flannery, Baggalley and Johnson that only 8 per cent of " Tfomoil " is distilled at a temperature of 85 degrees Centigrade, indicates a serious disparity in comparison with motor spirit of ordinary gravity (.700 to .710), of which some 50 per cent. is distilled over at that temperature. It appears, too, according to the same report, that " two per eent., being of a soft and waxy character, and very dark brown in colour,'' remains behind as a residue at 137 degrees Centigrade. In view of the fact that ordinary tar benzol, of 0.878 gravity, is entirely distilled at 97 de-. grace Centigrade, and that the ordinary motor spirits to which we have referred are similarly entirely distilled at a temperature of 152 degrees Centigrade, it would have been interesting to know how high the retort temperature has to be carried before this obstinate two per cent. vaporises! Tn view of the interests at stake, we shell, for the guidance of our readers, look for early advices upon these important points.
Mr. D. Hetherington, solicitor, of Kirkcaldy, N.B., has been appointed liquidator of the Fife Motor Transit Co., Ltd.
Excess-speed Alarm.
We have received from Crompton and Co., Ltd., of Salisbury House, London Wall, E.C., a circular in regard to the Hounsfield patent excessspeed alarm, but we have no space to quote particulars. it is to cost 60s. net, exclusive of transmission gear.
London Ambulances.
A discussion is taking place, between committees of the Metropolitan Asylums Board and the L.C.C., as to who shall undertake the supply of a motor-ambulance service for London. The experience of the Ambulance Committee of the M.A.B. certainly fits it for the necessary functions, and its members are prepared to accept the responsibility in question. Incidentally, we learn that this committee will continue to use Prates motor spirit, pending further enquiry into the question of some British-made spirit: the annual consumption runs into a value slightly in excess of £1,000.
London Road Maintenance.
Sir John W. Beim, M.P., has framed a question, for the purpose of addressing it to the President of the Local Government Board, in which he entirely " begs the question " on the subject of expenditure upon the maintenance and cleansing of roads in London, the cost of which he states largely to have increased since the advent of motor omnibuses and other 7:mtor traffic. We await the return.