Prospects for New Home Models.
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The Problem of Delivery Dates and Delivery Prices.
By The Editor.
It has not been permitted, in the three cases concerning which details of intentions have been communicated to us, to deal in print with the terms upon which certain manufacturers of old standing in branches of traction engineering other than commercial-motor construction are advancing their preparations to enter the newer field of output to meet immediate and prospective transport demands. We have knowledge, at the moment of writing, of seven individual cases in which atteation is being closely devoted to the completion of programmes for the early manufacture in Great Britain of three-ton models in particular. Not all of these newcomers have yet disclosed their plans even to us.
We successively directed attention ourselves, in different issues of this journal during the months of August and September last, to the far-reaching effects of war demands upon manufacturers of commercial motors in all countries which had theretofore catered for that branch of motoring. We foresaw at the very outset the huge requirements of France and Russia, over and above the avowed requirements of our own War Department. Belgium and Japan came into the market later, and so added to the pressure.
Military Subvention Obtuseness and Treasury Niggardliness.
British manufacturers, who for varying numbers of years have concentrated their efforts and energies upon the production of commercial motors, now find themselves in an admittedly awkward position. The War Office is largely to blame, and behind it the Treasury, seeing that not a shadow of response was vouchsafed to repeated calls for financial assistance in order to put the leading British makers in a fair position to deal with military requirements, and so to provide against contingencies or eventualities. We urged, for example, when the subsidy terms were wider discussion in the year 1911, an official cash grant of several thousands of pounds to each of, say, six British manufacturers, in order to help them to get promptly on to the right lines. We had, at a much earlier date, to wit in our issue of the 22nd September, 1910, under the title of "Chaotic Mechanical Transport for the British Army," advanced proposals, some of which were adopted, but many of which were unfortunately ignored, 11,r a reasonable measure of standaodization.
British manufacturers got no financialtielp from the officials at the War Office and the Treasury, at the stage when real assistance was in fact imperative, and they naturally became half-hearted and slack of interest, especially when reasonable degrees of latitude as to design—which were tardily introduced and sanctioned afterwards—were flatly withheld. There was no money in it for the manufacturer, and he viewed the subvention dictation scheme with distaste, speaking generally.
Little improvement had been brought about by the beginning of August last, and the War Office had to fall back upon impressment methods.
The Situation of the Older Makers.
To-day, some 15 of our principal manufacturers are giving of their best to the military authorities, and quite rightly so in the circumstances. dontemporaneously, there is a shortage of some 3000 vehicles from the ranks of ownership. Not a few of the established manufacturers of vehicles with load capaci e14 ties ranging between 2 tons and 5 tons have now individually on their books orders from commercial buyers, chiefly to replace impressed machines, which in several instances to our knowledge aggregate between 200 and 300 chassis per maker. Customers are loyal always to the cause of commercial motoring, as we freshly emphasized last week, and with a few exceptions to the make of their choice. We see no reason to imagine that any such buyer has anything to gain by defection from one maker to another, or from one country to another. He will be best served by letting his orders rest where they are. Any attempt to change and chop about involves the risk of disappointment in the alleged new source of equally-good supply, conjointly with the undoubted loss of rotational position at the factory which has already got the instructions on its books. It will, we are convinced, pay all purchasers and would-be purchasers to be absolutely definite with their orders, but we also commend to them the equity of their agreeing to any suitable and reasonable ascertained increase of price, according to the position that may have developed itself, due to the war and war consequencea when delivery does take place. We, in fact, go so far as to recommend manufacturers at large to include in their terms of contract a moderate protective clause of the character which we indicate. In case of dispute, there might be arbitration, in its simplest and least expensive form, by reference to some person therein specified.
In Drawing Office, Pattern. Shop and Foundry.
We look forward with much pleasure to the promised opportunities of inspecting the new models which are in hand, with a view to their description in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. The new models will not be ready simultaneously, and they will find a receptive market awaiting them. That market, none the less, will not be an unconditional one, and the newcomers whom we have in mind will make no greater mistake than if they imagine that orders will freely flow to them. They will have to pass through the usual period of introduction and establishment, and to mark time while they acquire the indispensable asset of testimony from satisfied users. This stumblingblock to rapid progress is no longer denied, we find, by our friends from the United States of America, despite an inclination in their earlier clays to scoff at our remarks as to its determining influence.
The newcomer who is working to a certain extent in conjunction with British makers who have proved their positions in the industry, or who is availing himself of help from designers of known experience and ability, will come to the front before the others. There is room for all.
The Challenge to Established Makers.
We are confident that the older manufacturers will keep well ahead of the newcomers, and that their lead will not be lost to them. We hold optimistic views about the recovery of trade when the war is over, and we have already given direct expression to our own plan of action in regard to the 2000 odd chassis which may come back from the war when hostilities are concluded. We shall spare ourselves no effort to cultivate the opinion, both throughout the industry and in the official circles affected, that the proper course is to utilize such returned transport vehicles for the permanent equipment of the Territorial Army. That
Prospects for New Home Models—con.
branch of our military forces has hitherto been virtually without transport, unless by reason of personal expenditure on the part of patriotic officers. It practically remains without transport to-day, other than in the eases of units which are on the point of despatch to join the Expeditionary Force in France or Belgium. There may not be, and we seriously believe there will not be, any generaI supply of motor transport either to Kitchener's Army •or the Territorial Army in Great Britain. That statement is no idle one, but is based upon observation and information. Hence, when the Army returns, next year, the year after, or even a year later, there will still be scope for an insistent and effective demand by all parties concerned that the excess transport shall .:or, be put up to auction, but that it shall be retained in the service of the country to add to the effectiveness of the Territorial Army of the day, Much of it, of course' will no doubt be retained for the use of the Regular Army. Repaired vehicles, back in England from France, will find like use earlier. We hopo that our anticipation may prove to be correct. They are the outcome of much conversation and consideration. So far as they affect the user, their import is to enforce ou oft-repeated advice, that he should not delay ordering. He is, in our opinion, more likely to get the form of relief for which he is looking from manufacturers whose names are already accepted and approved, than from any of the newcomers who are talking about what they intend to do. These newcomers, most certainly, pan i passu with delevopments which will originate in America, can in any circumstances look forward only to a share of the businesa, if they are ready, by March next, to deliver 200 three-tonners a week. It is one thing to be ready, but another to sell. New commercial orders to anything like that extent will not be forthcoming.
It is we are well .satisfied from advices from our own correspondents in the Colonies and Overseas Dominions, that the American manufacturer is just now being afforded the greatest scope. He will get ahead, for example in Australia, much more rapidly than he can hope to do in the United Kingdom. Home buyers should adhere to a fixed policy of waiting for the good chassis that they know, whilst not oblivious to the offers of trials and service tests upon which the new makers will largely be forced to base their sales campaign when they have completed their own shop and road tests with the first machines which they in due course will complete. The larger models from the works Of existing makers of smaller commer cial types will deservedly make first claim and receive first attention.