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News and Comment.

26th October 1911
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Page 12, 26th October 1911 — News and Comment.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

This _journal is known to possess the influence, the men, the standing and the leading circulation. It is exclusively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses throughout the World.

The War Office has recently ordered Leyland ambulances, and Leyland, Hanford and " Commer Car " lorries.

The first annual report of the Road Board discloses nothing new which is of interest to owners of commercial motors.

Illustrations and particulars of Garrett's smart three-tonner will be found on pages 151-156, together with a summary of performance.

We this week (pages 158 and 159) publish some information about the Belsize extensions, to the inspection of which we made reference last week.

When America goes in for properly-organized trials of heavy motor vehicles, if she does so at an; future date, we shall deal with them fully.

A C.M.U.A. defence ease is reported on page 167. The police evidence tumbled down before the scientific record of the speedometer fitted to one of Lever Bros.' vans.

A rgylls, Ltd., of Alexandria, N.B., has taken over as a branch its previous agency (including repair works) at Jameson Street and Walliker Street, Anlaby Road,

Mr. Henry Sturmey (Page 153) further discusses the value of the engine. as a brake, whilst our " Opinions from Others" pages bear additional evidence of interest in the subject of low petrol consumptions.

The police notice on this page merits imitation all over the country. It is another proof of C.M.U. A. influence, and is the outcome of conferences between Sir Edward Henry and the leading spirits in that representative association.

Malta Prepared to Try Again.

Our correspondent at Malta writes :—" The country is simply crying for motors of all sorts, as, barring a small line of railway eight miles long, there is no other means of going about, and this line does not carry any goods—only passengers. The only means of transporting goods is by carts drawn by mules, and this is a very slow way, especially as the country is so hilly that going is slow, whilst coming down is slower owing to the primitive system of brakes used. In some cases, when a cart is too heavily loaded, a large block of stone is tied on to the back of the cart and subject of further attention at our hands, on pages 157 and 158. The boiler is the feature of novelty, whilst the frame is reinforced .

No Compulsion to Use Rubber Tires on Steamers.

Our denial of the 12th inst. (page 141 ante) is confirmed by the following letter from the Local Government Board to the C.M.U.A., which is conclusive :—" I am directed by the Local Government Board to state, in reply to your letter of the 10th inst., that no such Act as that referred to in your letter has been passed, nor are the Board aware of any intention to propose legislation on the subject at the present time."

Messrs. James Robertson, of Catford, SE., the marmalade and jam makers, have dune so well with " Commer Car" No. 1 that they are extremely keen to see delivery of No. 2. This is due as we write.

Good Bookings in Sheffield.

Thornycroft's agent in the north of England, Mr. C. Pemberton Wooler, of 2, Park Place, Leeds, one day last week secured three separate orders from different firms in Sheffield—John Walsh, Ltd., Cole Bros., Ltd., and Tuckwood's Stores, Ltd.

Manchester and R.I.A.

A meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Centre of the Roads Improvement Astociation will be held at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on Tuesday next, the 31st inst., at five o'clock. Mr. W. E. Rowcliffe, of 37, Cross Street, Manchester, is the hon. sec.

Harrods and Albions.

Six more Albion chassis have been ordered by Harrods, Ltd., of Brompthn Road, S.W., and this brings up that company's total of Albion-built chassis to 49. The order was placed through the Albion Co.'s London branch, 21-22, Tipper Rathbone Place, Oxford Street, W.

To Indicate Unrolled Metal.

The surveyor to the Finchley U.D.C., Mr. C. J. Jenkins, has invited the Roads Improvement Association to examine a special type of lamp, which is portable and shows a diamond-shaped red area with white surround. Col. Crompton and Mr. H. Percy Bouluois have been appointed for the purpose.

American Engineers.

A party of 30 odd U.S.A. motor engineers will sail from New York by the R.M.S. " Mauretania " on the 1st prox. England will claim most of their attention, but shorter visits to France and Germany are fixed. Mr. H. Kerr-Thomas, now assistant manager of the PierceArrow Co., of Buffalo, will be one of the party.

New Registration.

Grampian Engineering and Motor Co., Ltd.. with an authorized capital of £8,000 in Et shares, and with its office at Causewayhead. Stirling, to acquire the business carried on by a company of the same name at Ca,usewayhead. Stirling. First Giirectors : R. H. Barnwell, A. S. Barnwell, J. Simpson; and W. B. MaHardy. Registered in Edinburgh.

Sunday sailings of the Woodside (Liverpool-Birkenhead, and vice versa) ferry-boats for vehicles will cease after Sunday next. Small motor vehicles can use the passenger ferry-boats.

Leyland Amenities.

The relations between the Spurrier family and their staff and employees have always been of the happiest description, and at no works is there better esprit de corps. This feeling again found expression, on the lath inst., as we heard immediately afterwards, on the occasion of the third annual ball. This, like its predecessors, was organized by a committee of the workmen. The ball-room was a spacious one, and necessarily so. We reproduce photographs on page 109. The area available measured 100 yds. by 20 ,yds. ; the decorations and "the floor" were highly creditable to the responsible parties. Mr. Arthur Spurrier, in a speech, spoke of an institute and athletic club in the near future.

Westminster's New Order.

The Highways Committee of Westminster City Council has received tenders from: Clayton and Co. (Huddersfield), Ltd. ; Commercial Cars. Ltd. ; Leyland Motors, Ltd. : and John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd. These are for the supply and maintenance of four motor wagons and tenders. Before obtaining tenders, the committee instructed the City Comptroller to report as to the comparative cost to the Council of horse haulage and motor haulage, taking for the purpose the actual cost and circumstances up to the latest date at which they were available, and he had reported to the effect that, so far as motors had been used, they had only cost on the average two thirds as much as similar work performed by horses.

The lowest tender was that of Clayton and Co., Ltd.. but was excluded on the ground that it was for shain-driven motors. The mostfavourable tenders were those of Leyland Motors, Ltd., and John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., both of which companies quoted 2580 per wagon if four wagons were purchased. Thornyeroft's maintenance charge, however, was higher. averaging £65 per wagon per annum, for 10 years, against £59 15s. by Leyland Motors. A most-important consideration in the cost of a petrol motor, the minutes of the committee proceed, is the fuel consumption, and, finding on reference to the monthly returns of petrol used that the Council's No. 8 Thornycroft wagon, purchased in 1908, had a smaller consumption per mile than the Leyland Nos. 10 to 16, purchased in 1910, they had instructed the City

Comptroller to report which of the two tenders now under consideration would be the cheaper, if the estimated cost of petrol during 10 years use of motors (calculated on the average consumption and mileage of the wagons of each maker already possessed by the Council) were added.

Acting on these instructions, the Comptroller reported that, on the above basis, the tender of Thornycroft and Co. was substantially less than that of Leyland Motors, and the Council's experience of Thornycroft motors was entirely satisfactory. Under these circumstances, the committee recommended that the tender of John I. Thornyeroft and Co., Ltd., for the supply and maintenance for 10 years of four petrol motor wagons, exclusive of rubber tires and rims, subject to all the wagons being delivered within six months of the date of the Council's official order, be accepted.

Waring's Subsidized Fleet.

The enterprise of Waring and Gillow, Ltd., is a matter of household knowledge, and the company's reputation for progressiveness is well sustained by Mr. T. E. Harrison, chief of the company's Works Department. Mr. T. E. Harrison, amongst his manifold duties, has been largely responsible for the Waring and Gillow fleet of " Cornmer Cars," and we are glad to be able to announce the acceptance by the War Office, under its new registration, of this attractive roadmotor i plant. The Transport Reserve s admittedly of great importance to this country, and the example which has been set by Waring and Gillow, Ltd., and which we understand is being taken by other large owners in the Metropolitan area, cannot fail to be of good effect, although we should be sorry to see individual owners in any way prejudiced. Sister vehicles will unquestionably he registered, no .matter whether they are part of large fleets, or in the hands of proprietors whose business does not call for such an amount of rollingstock. There is no doubt that the principle of groups of sister vehicles is now thoroughly recognized by the War Office.

We reproduce a photograph of one of the early registrations in the Waring and Gillow fleet, which has a unique record to its credit in respect of trips all over the country. A map of England, with the indication of the extent of these trips, has already appeared in our pages. Visits to these far-separated centres has given to the drivers a considerable knowledge of the roads in many counties; which should prove to be an asset of value to the military authorities, provided their arrangements go so far, as we think they should, as to secure the adherence of the drivers, as well as an equal call upon the vehicles. Seine of Waring's employees, it may be remarked in this connection, have been drawn from the Army Service Corps, which adds to the efficiency of the initial fleet, but nothing of permanent value will be achieved unless effective steps are taken to get together a corps of mechanics and drivers. In this connection, we might refer back to the series of articles in our issues of the 21st and 28th i April, and the 5th May, 1910.

There are many aspects of military transport which will continue to attract our interest and that of owners throughout the country, and we shall be glad to chronicle further examples of progress by the War Office in their efforts to approach Germany's total of nearly 700 subsidized vehicles. Tire Section of S.M.M.T.

The first meeting of this section was held at the offices of the Society, on Monday, 16th October, at 3 p.m., when the following members of the Society, being manufacturers of or concessionnaires for motor fires were represented, viz. : G. W. Beldam Tyre Syndicate, Ltd. ; Wood Milne, Ltd. ; G. Spencer Moulton and Co., Ltd. ; David Moseley arid Sons, Ltd. ; Peter Union Tyre Co. ; Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co.. Ltd. ; Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd. ; Midland Rubber Co.. Ltd. ; East London Rubber Co. ; Etablissements Hutchinson ; Oylers. Ltd. B. F. Goodrich Co., Ltd. : North British Rubber Co., Ltd. ; Gaulois Tyres (1909), Ltd. ; Self Sealing Rubber Co., Ltd. ; J. W. and T. Connolly, Ltd. ; Continental Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain). Ltd. ; Commercial Tyre Co.. Ltd. : .T. Ile Fernier; Kempshall

Tyre Co. of Europe, Ltd. ; Palmer Tyre, Ltd. ; and Shrewsbury and ( 'halliner Tyre Co., Ltd.

A committee of the section was appointed, and the matters which might be brought before that committee at its first meeting were considered. Amongst these were the exhibition question as regards the Tire Section, the carriage of tires by rail, the question of the number of different sizes of tires, and the standardizat ion of rime Worked a Revolution.

The commercial motor has worked a revolution in the bleaching trade of Lancashire, and it is impossible to estimate the saving of tune and money compared with horses or rail, the former being generally used for drawing loads from the bleachworks 10, 12 or 20 miles away from Manchester warehouses, until the motor came along with its efficiency. We were much struck by the great change that a few years have wrought in Bury Road, Manchester, in the course of a recent visit. Soon, the publichouse sign, with its half hint to the driver, will be no more. We refer to " Water for horses."

Awards for Hans Renold.

Hans Renold, Ltd., has been awarded two Grand Prix for its display in the cycle and motor section at the International Exhibition at Turin. These are the highest possible awards in the two classes which include chains for cycles, motorcycles, motorcars, and motor vehicles for commercial and public use. In addition, the company has been awarded two Grand Prix for its display in the engineering section in the classes which include apparatus for the transmission of power, etc. These successes are a confirmation of similar awards given to Hans Renold, Ltd., last year at the Brussels International Exhibition.


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