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
. New Year Wishes.
We take this opportunity, although a few days early in respect of some recipients of the issue, to wish our readers in all parts a happy and prosperous New Year, and may the year prove to bring an acceptable and conclusive peace to the Empire.
Proceedings of Local Authorities.
The engineer to the Borough of Lewisham has been called upon to report to his council concerning the purchase of one or more motorsweepers.
Westminster City Council has appointed Councillor W. Barton, J.P., as its representative for the ensuing year on the Commercial Motor Users Association.
The Reading Corporation has decided to purchase three doubledeck motorbuses, at an estimated cost of £3150, for use in connection with its tramways undertaking.
Ilford Connell, having appealed to theLocal Government Board asking it to assist the Council in its efforts to obtain the necessary consent from the Minister of Munitions for the purchase of a motor chassis for mechanical traction, has received a reply stating that the President of the Board does not feel that he can properly intervene.
It has been . freely stated, amongst members of the Llandudno U.D.C. and of the Conway U.D.C., that the test case, in respect of the C.M.U.A. appeal against the decision of the Conway magistrates, convicting drivers in the employ of the Llandudno Motor and Garage Co.,. Ltd., who were using "motor spirit" on a date in September last, and imposing fines on the company, under the Order of the 18th August, will be heard about the middle of January.
Yorkshire Wagon Souvenir.
We have received an interesting little souvenir, in gilding metal, from the Yorkshire Commercial Motor Co., of Pepper Road, Hunslet, Leeds, in thelform of a reduced facsimile reproduction, as a badge (with clasp pin), of one of that company's well-known steam wagons. Any driver of a Yorkshire wagon who has not got one of these badges is asked to make an application to the company, when one will be sent by return of post. There is an interesting play on words upon the scroll which forms part of the device, as will be recognized when we state that it reads as follows :—" The Yorkshire" Leeds.
c36 M.T., A.S.C. Fund.
It will be found, by reference to page 385, that we publish the certificate of the Auditors to the Fund, Messrs. E. Bishop and Co., chartered accountants, 106, Jermyn Street, S.W., upon the accounts for the year which ended on the 30th September last. For purposes of comparison, we publish side by side the accounts for the first period of the Fund, ended the 30th September, 1915. The original accounts for 1915-1916, with the certificate of the Auditors at foot, have been lodged with the L.C.C., under tilAterms of the War Charities Act, Halley's Trading.
The directors of the Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., of Yoker, Glasgow, announce that the profits for the period ended 30th September last amount to .227,746, after writing off 26597 for depreciation, charging 27855 for income tax, and making adequate provision for liabilities under the Munitions of War and Finance Acts. The dividend for the year is increased by 5 per cent. actual, with a bonus of is. per share added, both free of income tax, making 15 per cent, in all, whilst the carry-forward is 215,796, compared with &800 brought M. The annual meeting was held at the Directors' Room, Merchants House, 7, West George Street, Glasgow, yesterday (Wednesday), the 27th inst., at 12 noon, when it was decided to capitalize part of the reserve fund by distributing an amount of 235,000 (being a portion of the amount at present at the credit of the reserve fund) among the shareholders of the company, by the allotment as fullypaid shares of 35,000 shares of 21 each, ranking for dividend from 1st October, 1916, the new shares to be issued to the present shareholders in the proportion of one share to every three shares stand
ing in their names on the night of the '27th inst.
Mechanical Aids to Agriculture.
Mr. David Weighton, secretary of the Arbroath Analytical Association and Farmers Club, has been authorized to organize a local demonstration of agrimotors, if the Board of Agriculture, in eonjunction. with certain Scottish Food Committees, does not arrange one at an early date, Inst. A.E.
Col. R. E. Crompton, C.B., will read a paper entitled "Notes on Screw Gauges" before the Institution of Automobile Engineers, in the hall of the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, W. C., on Wednesday, the lath January, at 8 p.m. Cards of invitation to the meeting may be obtained on application to the Secretary of the Institution, 28, Victoria Street, S.W.
Gazette.
A winding-up order has been made in the case of. the Market Harborough and District Traction Co., Ltd., of 68, High Street, Market Harborough.
Creditors of the J. E. Thomas Auto-Coachbuilding Co., Ltd. (in voluntary liquidation), are required to send their claims, on or before 31st January, to the liquidator, -Mr. E. H. Hawkins, 4, Charterhouse Square, E.C.
Christmas Number of "Blighty,"
We hope that many of our readers will at once purchase from the nearest bookstall or.newsagent the Christmas Number of "Blighty." This is priced at 6d., but 3d. out of each purchase amount will be of direct benefit be sending comforts to our fighting forces in the trenches. The issue itself is most entertaining, and the present is an exceptional opportunity for members of the general public to see this widely-renowned service journal of the war.
"Chariots of War I Have Driven."
One of our "Despatches " contributors opens in this issue a short series of artfides to which he has asked us to give the title "Chariots of War I Have Driven." We comply, and in doing so we have overlooked the non-grammatical construction. We are concerned with the general interest of the text of the article, and it is, of course, obvious that our contributor records his personal impressions only. He appears to do so in attractive fashion. Article No. 1 deals with a Packard lorry. Sheik° Ball Bearings.
The parent company of the Skefko Ball Bearing Co., Ltd., of Luton, the Aktiebolaget Svenska Kullagerfabriken, of Sweden, has attained its tenth birthday this month. The staff, in 1906, including all branches, numbered only fifteen, whereas the parent company, at the present time, inclusive of its branches in various parts of the world, employs approximately 9000 people. The inventor of the Skefko double-row self-aligning bearing, and the founder of the parent company, Mr. Sven Wingquiet, attained his fortieth year on the 10th inst. He must view with pleasure the progress which has rewarded his extended labours.
F.I.A.T. Motors.
The energies of F.I.A.T. Metors, Ltd., are now wholly concentrated on war work, and the company accordingly finds that London showrooms are unnecessary. This decision is also in part due to the effects of the Order under the Defence of the Realm Act which concerns the prohibition of imports. The lease of the company's premises at 37 and 38, Long Acre, W.C., having now expired, the company has removed its head office, for the remainder of the war, to 5, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, W. Any correspondence which relates to repairs and spare parts should be addressed to the works at Wembley, Middlesex.
The A.B.C. lrifrctor Carburetter.
A new carburetter has been patented by Mr. G. E. Bradshaw, of A.B.C. Motors, Ltd., Walton-onThames, which has several novel features. In a simple form of carburetter, given a certain size choke and corresponding choke tube, the correct mixture will be supplied with one speed of the. engine. If the load on the engine is lessened so that the speed increases, suction on the jet
also increases; and a mixture too rich in petrol is supplied.
Generally, in order that a rich mixture may be obtainable for starting purposes, some arrangement is provided whereby a strong suction on the jet is available with the throttle nearly closed and at low engine speeds.
In the. A.B.C. carburetter, twe
choke tubes are fitted, one situated inside the other in such a manner that the outer choke induces air into the inner choke tube. Increased speed of the engine, therefore, whilst intensifying the suction in the inlet pipe, causes additional air to flow through the inner choke tube and increases the pressure on the. jet instead of, as is usual, decreasing it. The tendency, therefore, in these circumstances is for a less proportion of petrol to air to be. carried into the engine, instead of a greater proportion.
A rich mixture for easy starting is obtained by carrying a slow-running tube from the side of the inner choke tube to a point near to the throttle.
The actual size of the jet is con
trolled by a needle This has a primary adjustment in the form of a knurled head, whereby the carburetter may be tuned to suit any engine. Thereafter a limited movement is possible by means of a small lever which may be coupled up to a dashboard control. This lever only needs occasional manipulation, from its presence the reader must not infer that the carburetter is not an automatic one. The lever provides for a comparatively weak mixture for all positions of the throttle, a comparatively rich mixture for all its positions, or of medium strength. according to its setting. Spare-part Bureau.
We find, on loeking through our register of transactions in connection with out Spare-part Bureau for the past quarter, that its free services to supporters of this journal continue to be highly appreciated. There is no doubt that numbers of users must have been considerably incommoded had they not been able to avail themselves of this means of access to parties who, being holders of old and obso lete stocks, were desirous to be brought into touch with those who wanted to secure such supplies. We trust that, during the year 1917, or for so much of that year as we decide to continue this facility for our readers, this free war-time service will be equally as valuable as it has been so far.
Modern Lighting Sets.
There was an accident near Worcester, on the 27th ult., when a lorry owned by the Bowring Petroleum Co., Ltd., and carrying Mex
motor spirit, fell over the bridge at Bransford into 16 ft. of water. The vehicle was practically submerged for several hours. The suitability of the design, workmanship and installation of the C.A.V. lighting set was shown by the fact that it was found to be both intact and in perfect working order after the vehicle was " retrieved." It has not required any attention since, which is further testimony. The information comes from Mr. Charles A. Mott, the Birmingham and Midland manager of the Bowring Petroleum Co., Ltd.