News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring It has the largest and best circulation.
A further trade reduction of id. per gallon in the price of spirit takes effect effect from yesterday (Wednesday).
The last Court of Common Council of the City of London received a most favourable report about the working of the City's electric ambulance service.
An Australian subscriber, in a letter which is published on page 19o, directs attention to certain aspects of commercial motoring in the neighbourhood of Melbourne, some of which have already been reported by us, from other sources.
A Capital Re-arrangement.
Mr. Eric W. Goslett, the manager of Berna Motors, Limited, of 3, Lombard Street, E.C., advises us that our Berlin correspondent's reference (last week) to the liquidation of the Berna Works, of Olten, is simply in connection with the re-arrangement of the company's capital. It has been found necessary to en_ larg2 the works, in order to turn out the cars for which orders are in hand.
Motor Traffic in Kensington.
A conference took place, between the legal advisers of the Commercial Motor Users' Association, a partner of the firm of Messrs. Wild and Robbins, Mr. W. G. Lobjoit, and Mr. E. Shrapnel! Smith, on Thursday of last week, in regard to the action of the Kensington Borough Council in its endeavours to stop heavy motor traffic in any part of the Royal Borough. The whole circumstances of the case of Messrs. Wild and Robbins having been considered, it was decided not to fight an action in this case, but to fight the next action which may be raised by the Borough in question. Misguided members of the Kensington Borough Council appear to think that they have only to make enough fuss for owners of heavy vehicles to withdraw them, but they will find the contrary to be the case, and that to their discomfiture hereafter.
A Rochdale Census.
Mr. Leonard Barry, the chief consta'ble of Rochdale, took a census of heavy motor traffic through that county borough, during the whole of last month. The average was 18.88 motors per day, exclusive of Sundays, when none were observed to be travelling. Of the total of 472 machines, 251 were laden with trailers attached, 135 were laden without trailers, 44 were unladen with trailers, and 42 were unladen without trailers. This volume of motor traffic is reported to be more than treble the total of three years ago. A Challenge.
Makers who fancy their cab chassis are challenged to a competition tour from Land's End to John o' Groats. This chance will be afforded by the syndicate to which we have to refer in our next paragraph.
Motorcab Sales.
The managing director of R.M.C. Syndicate, Ltd., of tog, Victoria Street, Westminster, invites, in our advertisement pages, the attention of agents to the matter of rnotorcab sales, and this branch certainly looks promising, especially at this time of the year. We understand that several influential provincial agents have already taken up the representation of this syndicate, and have arranged for the establishment of local cornpanies to run numbers of these excellent cabs, of which a full description was given in our issue of the 25th July last.
R.A.C. Trials.
It is expected that the awards will be announced next week. An " operating " engineer discusses a few points which appeal to him (pages 191-192).
Corrections.
Mr. Orde has notified five corrections in the provisional records for the road tests, but we find, on comparison, that the scoring-sheets, as published in last week's issue of this journal, are accurate, except in respect of the Thames delivery van (A5), for which the depert trouble is now given as 841 minutes, instead of the 831 minutes published by us. Our readers will recollect' our warnings that no disclosed figures can be regarded as indicative of the destination of the various awards.
We reproduce, below, a photographic group of some of the judges, after a hard day's work, at Dalston, on Thursday last.
More Appreciations.
At the last meeting of the Commereial Vehicle Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Mr. H. G. Burford in the Chair, it waS resolved to put on record that the trials had been carried out most satisfactorily in every respect. At the same meeting, Mr. F. C. Bonsor, of the Darracq-Serpollet Omnibus Company, Limited, was added to the Committee.
Final Inspections.
There was great activity on Monday and Tuesday of last week, at the Shrub.. land Road (Dalston) depot of the Vanguard Motorbus Company, where the so trials vehicles were stored for ex amination by the judges. Vehicles were to be seen in all conditions, varying from a bare frame, with all the parts scattered about it, to the simpk removal of inspection covers. So tardy were some of the makers in getting their vehicles dissembled, that it was found necessary to work very late on Tuesday evening, in order to be ready for the judges early on the Wednesday. The task which the judges have been called upon to perform is no light one, as the condition of some of the vehicles, especially in Class E, is so nearly perfect that only the closest examinatioa and consideration of both design and material in addition, will reveal which is the best. The judges spent the Wednesday and Thursday in real, hard work, and the appearance of some of these gentlemen, on the second evening, immediately suggested the necessity for a bath. Friday morning, again, saw some of the judges at work in the depot, in order that a few remaining points, which had been left over from the previous day, might be settled, but . at 4.45 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, so expeditiously had the huge volume of judging work been done, an army of mechanics was admitted to the depot, and, in a very short time the building assumed the busy appearance of an enormous erecting shop. The accompanying illustration, which shows Mr. D. McN. Sharp at the wheel, is of a Halley demonstration van which that gentleman took round with him during the R.A.C. Trials, as announced and illustrated by us in recent issues. Sheffield City Council's latest purchase is a 4oh.p., Argyll fire-escape, combined with a tender for the conveyance of twelve men.
Rubber-tired Steam Wagons.
The Highways Committee of the Westminster City Council has reported very favourably about the Peter Union and Hartridge solid-rubber tires, which have been fitted to some of its heavy steam wagons. It appears that these tires are costing the Council only one penny per mile, and they certainly render the working of the heavy vehicles practically noiseless.
C.M. Users.
The Executive Committee of the Commercial Motor Users' Association, at its last meeting, enrolled 23 new members for that body. Other particulars of the proceedings will be found on page 187, and it should be noted that the annual subscription of one guinea, which, if paid at the present time, carries any new member to the end of 1908, includes the annual subscription to "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
About This Journal.
A trader in Tabaquite, Trinidad, has addressed an enquiry to one of our regular advertisers as follows : " Kindly send me your catalogues and price list.
. . . Those built in wagon styles would serve my purpose, for loads of from one ton upwards. It was in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR' that I saw your advertisement." Our correspondence pages, this week, contain another piece of testimony from an Australian subscriber, who writes " TOE COM_ MERCIAL MOTOR has a considerable circulation throughout the Colonies, including the agricultural classes."
A London Exhibition.
The Franco-British Exhibition of 1908, which, amongst other distinguished patronage, has His Grace the Duke of Argyll, K.T., as Honorary President, and the Right Hon. the Earl of Derby, K.G., as President, pro_ mises to be one of real business interest, and not merely an amusement show. We anticipate that many who are associated with the motor industry will derive much benefit from a visit to this exhibition, although, of course, it falls under the ban of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders so far as bond-signers are concerned. The exhibition will certainly be a representative one in all branches of science, arts, and industries, and it will remain open from May to October next. The Commissioner-General is Mr. Imre Kiralfy, and the general offices are at 56, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.