The Wheels of Industry.
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"The wheel Of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier
The use of a two-fuel carburetter may be the only way to " carry on." The eleventh article in our series will be found on page 444. It refers to the Thornycroft device.
Proposals and Purchases by Local Authorities.
The Surbiton U.D.C. is going into relative costs for the removal of house-refuse by horse-drawn and mechanical vehieles.
The Highways Committee of the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has deferred further consideration of municipal motors until after the war.
The Tramways Department of the Birkenhead Town Council has purchased a Daimler tower wagon, at 2820, from the Mersey Motor Co., Ltd.
The Metropolitan Asylums Board has agreed to purchase alight tractor and three six-ton trailers, for use in connection with the cartage of coal and other goods to Leavesden Asylum.
The Borough Electrical Engineer of Eaatbourne has reported favourably upon the economy that Las been effected in coal-haulage, between the railway and [leetricity works, with a steam wagon.
• The Borough Engineer, Town Hall, Salford, wants tenders for a five-ton steam-wagon and trailer. The Health Department of the same Corporation has recently purchased four motor ambulances, at a cost of 21150.
East Yorks. Transport.
We gather that the Hull Motor
Transport td., of 52, Paragon Street, Hull, Co.,bas now instituted a daily motor service between Hull and the villages of Hessle, Ferriby, Welton, Elloughton, and Brough.
Recent Registrations.
H. W. Nash and Co., Ltd. (210,000, with its registered office at 52, Bedford Street, -Cardiff, to take over the business of Na.sh's Autocars, Ltd.
Hercules Motor Meta Co., Ltd. (22500), with its registered aloe at 025, Latimer Road, Notting Hill. W., to carry on the business of engineers and motor body-makers.
Arthur Ellis and Co., Ltd. (22000), with its office at 201, Caxton House, Westminster, S.W., to carry on business as engineers and manufacturers of motor vehicles.
M.I.Mech.E., 31.Inst.A.E., the wellknown and successful consulting gas engineer.
HeldOver.
The exceptional amount of space which we have decided to devote this week to the case of compressed coal-gas, and also to the typical. uses of commercial motors by London gas companies, necessitates our holding over until next week several important articles, and some interesting " Opinions from Others." The latter include one on the imported-vehicle position in relation to British industry. The A.S.C., M.T., Fund.
We shall publish an additional list of cash receipts, to the end of July, in our next issue. It will be necessary, a little more than a month hence, to begin making _purchases against the coming wmter, so quickly does the third winter of our war approach. Whilst we hope, in common with millions of others the world over, that the end of hostilities may be hastened, we feel sure that the A.S.C., M.T., will riot be able to come home from overseas, in any event, this year.
Petrol Shortage.
Users find themselves obliged to adapt consumption and class of fuel to war conditions. Th5re is no appeal against the decisions of the Petrol Control Committee, We have for many weeks past prepared users for the present state ot affairs, and urged them to keep in touch with two-fuel-carburetter makers. Paraffin will carry them on for some months to come, in conjunction with the petrol which they can obtain. There is no doubt that combination between users is desirable, in order to avoid duplicate running, and co-operation of this class is strongly recommended by us wherever possible. (See pages 442 and 443.) Licences to commercial users are to be for four months, instead of three months. A specimen licence is reproduced on page 442. Users will do well to us'e lubri eating oil freely when consuming paraffin as a fuel.
The L.G.O.C. has notified the reduction of services on, or in some cases to the abandonment of, particular routes or portions of routes. , Users of individual services will no doubt be on the qui vive.
Gazette.
Creditors of the Defoe Motor
Haulage Ltd., are required, on or before ,Co.,he 14th prox., to send full particulars of their claims or debts to Mr. F. Rowley, 34, Gresham Street, London, E. C., the
• liquidator.
The members of the Twickenham Motor Co., Ltd., will meet, on the 31st inst., at the offices of the liquidator, Messrs. Popploton, Appleby, and Hawkins, 4, Charterhouse Square, E.C., to consider the liquidator's report.
Mr. A. L. White, of 16a, Market Place, Grantham, has been appointed liquidator of the Westgate Motor Co., Ltd., and Mr. C. Hamer, of 88, Rannoch Road, Fulham Palace Road, S.W., has been appointed liquidator of the SouthWestern Motor Works, Ltd. Both liquidations are voluntary.
The following companies, at the expiration of three months from the 30th ult., will be struck off the register of joint stock companies, and the companies will be dissolved, unless cause is shown to the contrary : — Auto-Taxicabs, Ltd. British and Continental Motor Co., Ltd. ; British Excelsior Motors, Ltd. Cygnus Motors, Ltd.; • Dent dotors, Ltd. ; Dover Naval Supply and Transport Co., Ltd. ; Express Motorcab Co., Ltd. ; Motor Coach Syndicate, Ltd. Lancashirp Taxicab Co., Ltd. ; Metropolitan Autocab Co., Ltd. ; Pomona Haulage Co., Ltd. ; Victoria Motor Tyre Manfg. Co.,
Ltd.
Insurance Agents Wanted.
The managing director of the Car and General Insurance Corporation, Ltd., 83, Pall Mall, London, S.W. (and with upwards of 30 branch offices), is desirous to receive applications from gentlemen who can influence and secure commercial-motor insurances, fire risks, employers' liability business, or other accident and casualty
assurances. Letters should be addressed to Mr. Frederick Thoresby, as above, and marked " Personal." Benz Co.'s Increased Dividends.
Benz and Co., of Mannheim, has declared a dividend of is per cent. for 1915 as coMpared with 12 per cent. in 1914. It was proposed that the company should take over the works of the Rheinische Automobile Gesellschaft A.G. for the sum of 14 million marks.
German Daimler Co.'s Profits for 1915.
The Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft of Stuttgart made a. clear profit of 6,600,000 marks &ring 1915. During that period the company has been entirely on Governrnent work. As was recently reported in this journal, more ground has been purclia.seo fr....the building of aeroplane shops and coachbuilding works.
Vickers's Goods in Scotland.
We learn that Mr. Maurice Chapman, . of 75, St. George's Place, Glasgow, has been appointed agent for Vickers, Ltd., for that company's stampings and longings for
the motor trade' forgings general, and tool and alloy steels, for the whole of Scotland. Mr. Maurice Chapman trades as Messrs. Maurice Chapman and Co., as a steel and engineering agent and merchant.
Chars..a-bancs Replace Taxis in
Paris.
Owing to the shortage of taxicabs in Paris, the police authorities have licensed a. number of motor charsh-bancs and wago-nettes which will start from the leading railroad termini and run over selected routes. These vehicles will carry passengers with hand baggage, but not heavy luggage. Unlike the motorbuses they will have no fixed stopping-places, but will set down passengers at any Point. •
"Motor Cycling Manual."
The fourth edition of this instructive publication is now on sale. The manual has been entirely revised and brought up-to-date, and it will be found, as is the case with previous editions, to be a most authoritative and informative booklet dealing with the construction and working principle of
motorcycles, It contains much matter of direct interest to the technical man, whilst to assist the lay. reader the text is simply explained, and by the inclusion of a number of clear line and half-tone illustrations it should be easily understood. The manual can be obtained from Temple Press Ltd., 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, E.C., at the price of Is. 6d. net. Many drivers of parcelcars should benefit by studying its pages.
Automobile Standardization in America.
The Society of Automobile Engineers of America. is probably the most active body of its kind. Practical results of its labours are evinced by nearly every branch of the automobile industry in the States, but perhaps the most outstanding example is that of standardization of parts and specifications for materials.
At the present time the standard list covers 67 subjects, and, as showing the suitability of the settled dimensions, it should be pointed out that no fewer than-70 different firms have adopted these standards to a greater or less degree. They are no less interesting from the point of view of their scope. If standardization has been advisable, as well as feasible, no effort has been spared to come to an agfeemerit as to suitable dimensions. Specifications for metals of all kinds received early attention, and in addition to the various alloys of steel. generally in, use, attention has been devoted to such subjects as white metal, bearing metal, and the bronzes, as well as aluminium alloys. Furthermore, standard heat treatments which were necessary for these various metals have also been laid down. A standard form as a basis for engine tests is the last item on the long list of standards.
A Reducing Valve and Expansion Chamber for Use With Compressed Coal-gas.
The following description, and the illustration which we reproduce on this page, are taken from our issue of 29th April, 1909. They concern an apparatus which is designed to serve the combined purpose. of a reducing valve and receiver for compressed gas, on abling it to be used on an engine which is primarily designed to run on petrol. It is the subject of a patent belonging to Messrs. Pearce and Climpson, of 106, Ashburnham Road, Hastings, and operates as follows :—Compressed coal gas is admitted from a steel cylinder through the jet (A), and impinges on a conical baffle-plate (B), which splits up the single stream of gas into a number of finer streams ; these fine streams pass througn a series of holes near the edge ot the baffle-plate. The gas must then traverse a thick layer (C) of steel parings which are held in place between two plates of perforated sheet metal ; after being. further broken up by means of sneets of wire gauze g:I) it enters the expanding chamber or receiver (E). The objects of these baffles are-to secure the gradual reauction of the pressure of the gas as it leaves the cylinder, and to ensure the steady flow at a low pressure from the expansion chamber into the engine
cylinders. As the gas issues from the nozzle (11), the requisite quantity of air for combustion is admitted through ports; the amount of the opening of these ports may be regulated by means of a sleeve (G). A representative of TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR attended a test of this apparatus, and was able to report that the engine ran satisfactorily ; the products of combustion emerging from the exhaust were cleaner than ia usual when petrol is in use ; they were also free from perceptible odour.
The Repair of Army Motor Vehicles.
Certain machine engineering circles in Germany and Austria have applied to their Governments for permission to undertake the repair of army motor vehicles. Many large firms are at present idle, and in this manner continuous work would ho assured.
Spencer-Moulton Catalogue.
George Spencer Moulton and Co., Ltd., which company's works are the Kingston Mills, Bradfordon-Avon, Wilts., has published a unique catalogue (list 101) of solidrubber band-tires for all classes of commercial-vehicles. The feature of the catalogue is a series of "cutouts" which show the exact sizes of the sections. We reproduce the smallest (both sides) of the twelve profile-sections ; the particulars on these cards are made -clear from our reproduction. The addition of American sizes to the list is a noteworthy point, as it should assist users who have American machines. It will be observed that the depth of the tire from the base is also given in each ease, and we may state that the depths of SpencerMoulton tires are generous. This company's tire department has its head office at 239, Dean sgate, Manchester, under the care of Mr. Leo Swain, and that gentleman will answer any inquiries that may be addressed to him. The catalogue, for which it is evident _Mr. Swain is responsible, contains useful hints, and much additional informa tion to which we have not the space to refer immediately. The holes in the cards, as reproducec,. are to keep the cards in place. They are not found in the tires.