r OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
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• The Editor invites -correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
Steam Vehicle Developments.
The Editor, TIER COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,726] Sir,—I, have read Mr. Thomas Clarkson's letter in your issue of April 13th, and in spiteof his soft impeachment as to my versatility, I cannot' help but deprecafe the introduction of 'personalities. „ That in .a ,method which is usually only resorted to when oneevannot disprove another's argement.
Mr. Clarkson's dissertation on the relation between science and practice is beside the point;
but, even so, it,is rather inconsistent for him to say that "Science, should, ever be the Handmaid of Practice," and then to criticize me for adopting this
method. It should be fairly obvious that I have
only introduced scientific facts and formulae to support my contention that the "circulation" fir a
thimble tube is defective, and surelythat is a scientific question, and not one which can be settled by the "rule of thumb."
With regard to his statement that a horizontal heating surface has double the efficiency of a ver tical one he hase only told half the story, and perhaps he has no-objection to my telling the other half. The reason of the greater efficiency of a heri
• zontal surface is because the heated water and the steam. can freely leave the surface and -rise in the vertical direction, which isthe natural—I nearly said scientific—direction of flow of heated liquids and gases.
How does a. horizontal thimble tube appear when viewed from this standpoint? Practically7speaking, half of its heating-surface is vertical, and a quarter of it is upside. down.
Mr. -Clarkson seeras boggled over the difference between " ebullition " and "circulation." Granted that " ebullition " is "the action of boiling," this does not fully .explain the function of a steam boiler. "The action of boiling" occurs in -all steam boilers, but some are more efficient than others
because the, "circulation" is better, for, as staked in my'previous letter, "the efficiency of any boiler is chiefly .governed by the. circulation promoted.". In all my successful designs of steam boilers the circulation of the water is always in-one direction, and the currents are never reversed.
. I am extremely sorry if my criticism of thimble tubes has touched Mr. Clarkson on a tender spot, as that was not my intention; but, even taking that C16 into consideration, I cannot help b-ut feel sorry that a man in his position has had to resort to personal abuse.—Yours faithfully, T. A. JONI'S.
The Wages Award in the Carting Industry.
The Editor, 'NE .COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,7271.Sir,—My attention has been directed to the leading article in your publication of the 13th inst., in', connection with the recent award of the Industrial Court, wherein you state that :- "With regard to the increase itself, it is in teresting, to reflect that the workers would have fared equally well if the negotiations with the employers ha.d been pursued. The employers were prepared to offer an increase of 4s. per week to adults and to youths doing the work of adults, thus bringing the war bonus up to the level of that paid to railway workers. But the representatives of the men said they would discuss nceother figure than 10s., hence the breakdown of the negotiations and the need for referring the matter to the Industrial Court."
Thisstatement is so contrary to the fact that I would ask that you give publication to this communication'in your next issue.
At no stage of the negotiations was, an offer of 45. or any other amount made, or a compromise of any description suggested or discussed by the employers with the mon s representatives. Our opposition to any further increase was based entirely on the grounds that a very large number of firms are not observing the conditions which the federated employers haveaccepted, the effect of
which is so serious to our havethat, unless the position alters, they will have to decide 'whether theye will continue to 'conform to the findings of the Joint Industrial Council and the awards of the Court of Arbitration or go back to the conditions under which the non-fedeeated firms are working. We did not on any occasion: discuss the merits of the claim and were strongly opposed to arbitration, and only consented to this course on the most urgent representation of .a Minister of the Government.— Yours faithfully,
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF COMMERCIAL ROAD TRANSPORT ASSOCIATIONS AND FEDERATIONS.
IL P. BAILEY, Secretary.