Out and Home.—By "The Extractor."
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Excellent accounts reach us of the results of the welding process by the Thernait Company, of Bow.
Still another new vehicle is just put on the market, the " Karrier Car," made by Clayton and Company (Huddersfield), Ltd., and of which an illustration appears on the page immediately preceding this one.
The " Snercold " safety device is a weird name; it is made up from the initial letters of the Safety Non-Explosive Reservoir Co., Ltd., and I am told the company has received orders for 200 to be fitted to the canary-coloured vehicles belonging to the Fiat Motor Cab Co., Ltd., Another company front the cycle side is now bidding seriously for business in commercial motors—The Star Engineering Company, of Wolverhampton. Within another week or so, one of our staff expects to report thoroughly on the newest " Star " model. This company has already captured a
share of Colonial orders for pleasure cars, partly because of special attentiro to colonial requirements for rough rieLd-, with deep ruts, and I predict a steadilyincreasing sale to the same quarters for the vans.
In many large Concerns, nowadays, there is what is known as a" publicity department,'' and the controlling genius of this section is generally a very " live 't individual. It happened that I had seen with my own eyes commercial vehicles made by the Royer Company, and so it followed, as naturally as night follows day, as naturally as woman followed man—and people do say has kept on following him ever sincethat I should bump up against my old friend R. L. Jefferson, F.R.G.S., the head of the publicity department of the Royer Company. Those who have graduated from the cycle side of the business will say involuntarily " Ha good old Jeff," for have they not thrilled with mingled horror and delight at his marvellous adventures with, and his merciful deliverances .from, wolves and what not in his adventurous cycle. rides across Russia, and did be not make Captain 13urnaby's famous ride to Khiva on horseback " pale its in{,Flectual fires " tune when he " praffled " over the self-same country on a bicycle. Has he not, TOO, since made amazing and undreamt-of journeys to Constantinople, all across virgin country on an 8h.p. Rover car. Enough ! Now that the Rever Cum
pany has entered the business-yell:de side, we shall soon hear about it, and we are sure to have something interesting, and practical placed before us.
Time slips by quickly, if one drops in for a chat with Mr. Albert E. Newton, the subject of our caricature this week. One has conversed on a multitude of topics; one has probably touched lightly on the Eucharistic Conference ;
the iniquities of the Government, Turkish Reform, Suffragettes, and aeroplanes have all had their turns, and he will probably have given one, in his inimitable manner, the latest bon mot. One wilt have shrieked with him over the newest club story as well, but the subject that will be uppermost in one's mind when one has left will be the viscosity of vacuum oil, because he imperceptibly will drift back to it, and, however eloquent he may and can be on innumerable topics, he really warms up and sparkles as lie preaches the gospel of St. Vacuum. He knows the how and the why of it too.
Someone who knows Newton thoroughly, has well said that his success has been attained because of his plan of " mapping out a course, criticising it from every standpoint, making sure it is right, and then sticking to it with unswerving tenacity." Ile joined the Vacuum Oil Company back in 1894, and ten years later was given the management Of the Automobile Lubricants Department, and I have -wrung from him the admission that since he took hold the sales have increased 30 times. I believe he was a founder member of the old Reading Automobile Club. I remember hint, many years ago, as hon. sec. of that club, when that energetic body called a meeting of Provincial clubs at the Inns of Court Hotel, and laid the foundation for a better understandingbetween the R.A.C., the Motor Union and the Provincial clubs, He remains a prominent and I should say valuable member of the various committees of the Motor Union, and also a member of the Motor Boat Club, and be has gone through the vicissitudes of the early forms of motoring— the motor-quad, the tricycle, the motorbicycle, and later the Panhard car; now, he uses up a portion of his spare time tuning up and driving his 4oh.p. F.J.A.T., and the remainder of his leisure is given over to the allurements of golf (I believe his handicap is 4), revolver shooting, and photography. So, it will be seen, Mr. Albert E. Newton is a strenuous person; he sets a rare example to his business subordinates, of commercial enthusiasm, and, what is also important, he is helpful to them. Mark Twain was once making an election speech, in favour of a friend, and, after some eulogies, he said t "As a neighbour, whose vegetable garden adjoins mine, I watch him." I think 1 might apply that to Newton, if he lived near me; but, anyhow, he is an attractive personality, 'fun of foie de vivre, and he invariably infuses a spirit of cheerfulness and hope.