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.
Fordson Tractor Price.
In the House of C0811110118 last week, Sir F. Flannery asked the President of the Board of Agriculture if his attention has been called to complaints from farmers as to the price of 250 charged for the Fordson tractor ; and whether he can state the amount of profit obtained on each tractor by the Government at the selling price above named?
Mr. Prothero: The answer to the first 'part of the question is in the affirmative. The price at which Fordson tractors purchased on behalf of the Government are offered for resale to farmers is one which only covers the costa actually incurred.
Birmingham-made Bosch Sparking Plugs.
An intimation was recently made to the effect that a Birmingham firm of motor accessories manufacturers had been granted a licence to manufacture Bosch sparking plugs and that they were prepared to invest a large sum of money in this venture. As these references were non-committal some confusion has arisen.
it being supposed in some quarters that the firm referred to was the Sphinx Manufacturing Co. This company state that they have no interest or sympathy whatever with these proposals and that they headily disagree with the policy and principle of assisting German manufacturers (to however slight degree) tokeep their name warm by paying them royalties for the production of sparking plugs for which no merits can be proved other than are possessed by high-grade plugs of British design.
Petrol Restrictions. Further Concession.
The Automobile Association is informed by the Petrol Controller that the concession recently announced, permit. lug petrol licence-holders, on and after 1st December, to use their vehicles of any type for all purposes within a radius of 30 miles of the place of residence or
B24 business of such licence-holders, will apply to motorists who do not hold current petrol licences. Petrol properly obtained and stored under old licences can be used in accordance with the new arrangements, but in those cases where petral has not been obtained under licence, it will be necessary to inform the Petrol Control Department how the fuel was obtained. Ii the information given is satisfactory, the Controller will issue a special permit authorizing such unlicensed petrol to be consumed.
Timber Traffic and Road Damage.
In answer to a question in the House of Commons last week, put by Sir Francis Blake, concerning the damage which has been caused to the roads by haulage of timber and other materials, and what steps are being taken to assist the various road authorities to meet the expenses thereby entailed upon them, Mr. Macpherson stated that a Joint Roads Committee has been appointed by the Army Council to deal with all ques tions of damage to roads arising out of 'haulage of timber used for national purposes, and the policy to be adopted in assisting highway authorities 18 now under consideration by the Committee in conjunction with the 'Treasury.
Christmas Deliveries.
The General Committee of the Commercial Motor Users Association (Inc.) has notified the President of the Board of Trade that it will be impossible to distribute the promised increased supplies of Christmas goods (e.g., provisions, poultry, green and dried fruits) unless considerably more petrol is allowed as from the 1st prox.
The Association has urged upon the Board of Trade that each December petrol-voucher for commercial motors should entitle the holder on payment for the petrol to double the volume now indicated thereon.
Paris Taxis.
More taxicabs are to be put into service in Paris at once. For a long time the number of licences has been limited to 6081, which is. about 25 per cent, less than the pre-war figure. Horse-drawn cabs number 60 per cent. lees than in 1914) owing to the number of horses lost in the war and the difficulties of procuring fodder. The need for cabs has increased enormously, for Paris is packed with visitors and soldiers to such an extent that it is often a difficult matter to get rooms at the central hotels. At such railroad stations as P . L. 31. , St. La 7.1 t e, Nord and Orleans it is necessary to engage in a battle royal to secure a taxicab. For a tip of 2 francs youths offer to run to the surrounding boulevards to secure a cab. When they have captured a vehicle and brought it into the station yard more often than not instead of going to the person who has sent for it the driver picks up the passenger who will pay the biggest tip. And these tips run as high as 5 to 6 francs. Although it is illegal to operate except by the taximeter, it is quite a common practice at night time for drivers to bargain with their prospective customers. At the Quai d'Orsay a driver asked 15 francs to carry our Paris correspondent to St. Lazare—legal fare about 2 francs: When he asked him if he was not ashamed to ask such a price he replied,. " Vous comprenez, since I was at .Verdun I have no shame ; only a colossal cheek.". He got Isis /5 francs.
Surplus Government Lorries.
Yesterday (Wednesday) the second consignment of Government motor vebicIes wassold byauction at Aldridges, St. Martin's Lane, London, without reserve, by order of the Surplus Government Property Disposal Board, 17 touring cars and chassis, 10 lorries, were offered for sale. They included three 3-ton Karriers, one 3-ton Lacre, one 34-ton Lacre, one 30cwt. Wolseley, one 30-cwt. Napier, and three Swiss Saurers.
What is a Vulcanist ?
Some confusion has arisen from time to time owing to the lack of a single unambiguous word to describe the operator of a vulcanizing plant. Only recently the authorities received a. cable from a base in the Far East asking for a number of "Harvey-Frost vulcanizers" to be sent out, when, contrary to natural expectatient investigation proved that. it," was not machines that N‘ere wanted but men to operate them. To. prevent_ so far as possible a .recurrence of such errors Messrs. Harvey Frost and Co. have decided to adopt the word " vulcanist " to designate an accredited operator of an H.F. vulcanizing plant, that is to say, an operator, man or woman, who has passed the practical tests set by the company and has been granted an 11.F. certificate.
Roads of the Future.
Dealing with the problem of roads, a subcommittee of the Reconstruction Comm:ttee, appointed to report on the housing question, makes the following proposals :— 'With the distribution of population resulting from the density of building recommended above, carriageways and footways narrower in width than usually adopted in urban areas will be adequate, and should be used for roads not required to carry through traffic.
Great, care should be taken to secure economy and convenience in the lay-out plan
(1) By providing direct routes of easy gradient for main thoroughfares. i2) By planning the minor roads mainly to afford the best building frontages and so as not to attract through traffic. • (3) By distributing the different types
of houses on roads which afford the best, aspect for each type.
(4) By avoiding unnecessary waste of frontage and road junctions. Minor roads should be constructed in a less costly manner than thoroughfares. economies being effected in the following lines :— (i) by reducing the width of carriageways and paved surfaces on footways. (ii) By adopting a thickness and character of construction appropriate to the anticipated traffic.
(iii) By the use of suitable clinker from refuse destructors, when available, either as rubble for foundations or in the form of a layer of concrete where expedient.
(iv) By adopting lighter or less costly, or by omitting curbing and channelling.
The Handbook on Road Transport issued by the R.T.B. and giving information concerning the constAution and functions of the Board, with two maps of England, Wales and Scotland, can be purchased for 2s. from H.M. Stationery Office and through any bookseller.
Christmas Guests.
A considerable number of overseas troops will be on leave this coming Christmas and unable to mingle with their own folk at home. Mr. P. Saylor, managing director of the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Lid., in a letter, asks us to make an appeal to our readers on behalf of the Rotary Club of London to open their homes to one or preferably two of these men. Any of our readers who can help this most deserving appeal should write to Mr. Saylor, 162, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.C.
Trade Exhibitions.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has decided to organize forthwith a full series of exhibitions. The annual touring car exhibition will be held at Olympia in November, 1919. This, as usual, will include, in addition to motor vehicles, a full &splay of tyres and accessories and components. The series of international aero exhibitions, which was commenced by the society in 1909, will be forthwith resumed. The pioneer work of the society in this respect proved of great national value in 1914. It is confidently anticipated there will now not be that lack of public interest in aircraft which caused these.exhibitions to prove a serions financial loss which was only borne in view of their national importance. The next commercial vehicle exhibition is also nely to attract greater attention than those prior to the war, in view of the important part which motor transport must play in reconstruction. Alao, there is likely to be combined with this exhibition a display of motor tractors, and possibly other forms of agricultural motor. Another branch of the motor industry represented in the society is the marine. Motor boats, and engines, propellers, etc., therefore, are likely to attract interest.
Bates Motor Works, Ltd., agricultural engineers, of Maldon,. Essex, inform us that they have designed a hitch enabling the Ferguson plough to be used with the Fordson tractor, and that they are now in a position to supply these ploughs complete with hitch. Full particulars and address of the nearest agent will be forwarded to any interested farmer.
Transport Organization.
The Select Committee on Transport has just issued its second report, in which the question of the organization of railways, canals and transport by road are considered. No very definite proposals are laid down, but it is asserted that the organization of the transport agencies of the country, and particularly of the railways, cannot be allowed to return to their previous position. • With regard to road transport, the Committee does net consider that it is generally susceptible of being organized to an extent comparable with that which may be reached in connection with transport by railways and canals, but it believes that there is much useful work that can he done. The educational saork of the Road Transport Board is regarded as valuable, and it is hoped that some of the ffuits of that work can be repaid by the promotion of voluntary co-operation between users and owners-of road transport.
Transport Officers.
The, Local. Government Board has issued the following complete list of Road Transport Divisional Officers for England and Wales ;- Northern.—Northumberland, Mr. P. D. Hayes, 7, Saville Row, Newcastle-onTyne.
North-Eastern.—Yorkshire, Mr. R. Butterworth, Wesleyan School, Oxford Row, Leeds.
North-Western.—Laneashire, Cheshire, Cumberland, and Westmorland, Mr. R. C. Reynolds, 33, Fishergate Hill, Preston.
North Midland.—Derbyshire, Leice-stershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and RutIandshire, Mr.
G. Metcalfe, "Westminster Buildings, Parliament Street, Nottingham. Midland.—Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire. and Herefordshire, Lient.-Cot. Mille, 29, Newhall Street, Birmingham.
London and Home Counties.—Essex, Hertfordshire, -Middlesex, Sussex, Kent, Surrey, and London, Mr. H. J. Jewell, 5, Carlos Place, Grosvenor Square, W. 1. Eastern.—Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Isle of Ely, Huntingdon, Norfolk, East Suffolk, and West Suffolk, Major F. H. Freke Evans, D.S.O., 7, Brookside, Cambridge.
South Midland.—Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshre, Isle of Wiabt, Wiltshire, and Buckinghamshire, Loma E. G.
H. Evans, 18, Friar Street, Reading. South-Westerra—Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, Gloucestershire, and Somersetehire, Capt. A. M. Davis, Somerset Chambers, Corn Street, Bristol. Wales.—Anglesey, Carnarvon.shire, Merionethshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Breekonshire, Montgomery, Monmenthshire, Radnorshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Glamorgan, and Pembrokeshire, Capt. J. C. Higman, 8; Park Grove, Cardlf.
New Mercedes Company.
British Merckl6s Motor Co., Ltd. Private company, registered 13th November . with a capital of £50,000 shares (15,000 preference), to take over the business of the British Mercedes Motor Co., Ltd. (incorporated in 1914), to manufacture, build, sell, buy. let or hire motors of every description, coaches, tramcars, ships, airships and aeroplanes, etc. The first directors are :—W. Denis, J. T. Smith, F. Lents Oliver and Count Zborowski ica.n, of Ilr't ish origin).
Commercial Flying.
The report of the Civil Aerial. Transport Committee presented to the Air Council six months ago has now been presented to Parliament and will probably lie printed early in the new year. The Commatee have come to useful conclusions on the sovereignty of the air and on the ownership of the air by the individual landowner. With regard to commercial aviation the Committee have arrived at, six definite conclusions about aeroplanes as follow:----That for commercial success, speed is probably the most material factor. The speed needed depends very largely on the conditions of competing methods. Between large centres speeds of 100 miles per hour are desirable, lower speeds probably being found commercially practicable for linking places between which the railway service is slow or ,sea crossings introduce interruptions. That stages of about 500 miles would at present be about the nor mal limit. That it issdesirabIe to de, velop as speedily as possible the existing facilities for night flying, especially for the carriage of mg.0s. The development of land and air Srakes is regarded as desirable became oh the high landing Speed_ consequent on heavy loading.
P A conference on the Functions of Industrial Councils will be held under the auspices of the Industrial Reconstruction Council on Tuesday, aid December, at 6 p.m., in the hall of the Instaute of Journalists, 2 and 4, Tudor Street, E.G. 4. The subject will be introduced by Mr. E. McGegan of the Ministry of Labour, after which the disco.ssion will be open. No tickets are necessary.
French S.M.M,T.
Society of French Motor Manufacturers and Concessionnaires, Ltd. Registered 14th November as a company limited by guarantee, with an unlimited number of members, each liable for 25 in the event of winding up. Objects as title. The directors are :—A. S. Mays Smith, director of Delaunay Belleviile Automobiles (England), Ltd., chairman and director of Messrs. Mossay and Co., chairman and director of the Enclosed Motor Co., Ltd., and manaeng director of Troy Trailer Construction Co.. Ltd. ; A. S. Forsyth, 20, Baronsmead Road, Barnet, N., manager of Renault, Ltd.; H. Ramoisy, 11, Kensington Mansions, Earl's Court, director of Vinot Cars, Ltd. Olympia Carriage Works, Ltd. and W. S. Jeal and Co., Ltd. ; H. Mc.,Hobson, 58, Park Street, W., director of H. M. Hobson, Hobson Mfg. Co., Ltd., Accuracy Works, Ltd. (of Belgium), and Bonee Pognon, Ltd.' L. D. Ledbitter, 10, Brompton Road, S.W. 1, director of Peugeot (England), Ltd. ; R. Orossby, 10, Ferry Road, Barnes, S.W., manager of Darracq Motor Engineering Co., Ltd. ; P. C. Middleton, Clifford House, South Norwood, director of Unic Motors, Ltd. Registered offices: 21, Pall Mall, W.
Transport by Electric Tractor.
The war, to a great extent, has afforded the electric vehicle the chance it required to fall into its rightful sphere of
operation. Its use has manifestly expanded during the past four years, with the result that this type of power-propelled unit is now to be seen employed on miscellaneous forms of transport. Those few British manufacturers which have • been in a position to produce this class of machine have experienced an ever.growing,and partially unfulfilled, demand for their strictly limited output. With, the early resumption to more normal times the career of the electric promises to live up to the most hopeful anticipations of it exponents.
One _form of employment to which the electric has been successfully put is illustrated on this page. Our illustration shows one of the latest types of Orwell, which are manufactured by Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd., of Ipswich, being used in conjunction with a trailer, which is arranged to.earry a 26 ft. box.
Besides the under-slung battery— which is the standard battery fitted to that, type of chasszs—there is .a Bin al I platform behind the driver's seat, which carries two additional batteries. These batteries, when hauling the trailer, are coupled in parallel, and have a capacity of 560 ampere-hours, which is sufficient to propel the vehicle on a give-and take road for a distance of about 60 miles.
The conveyance is capable of an average speed of about 10 miles per hour. The trailer is fitted with independent brakes which can be operated from the driver's seat.
The tractor can be easily Connected and disconnected with the trailer, and can then be easily transformed into a flat top lorry having a loading area of 6 ft. 6 ins. by 12 ft. This is certainly a novel form of employment for an electric vehicle and one wh:ch promises to become popular amongst users of this type of power. propelled vehicle.
A Magneto Point.
Referring to the expiration of a contract for the maintenance of a motor wagon, John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., have written to the Westminster City Council offering to continue the contract for another year at the same figure (288 per annum), providing that the existing low-tenaion magneto be replaced by a high-tension magneto, the former giving a great deal of trouble and expense which could be avoided. They offer the new magneto at 216 10s. and make no charge for fitting or wiring necessitated by the new installation. The Highways Committee expresses acquiescence with this proposal.
The Commissioner of Pelice asks lights to assist street London authorities to arrange, for flare traffic when fog Bedford T.C. has appointed a special committee to go into the matter of providing fire-engines and appliances. The East Cleveland (Yorks.) Brigade and St. John's Ambulance propose to raise 21000 to provide a motor ambulance.
Meat Transport.
Some of the London Food Committees are complaining about the unsatisfactory and insanitary manner in which butchers meat is conveyed through the streets in uncovered vans. It is felt that the present manner in which meat is transported through the streets constitutes a grave danger to public health, and representations are accordingly being made to the Local Government Hoard and the London Food Commissioner.
The third meeting of the session of the Institution of Automobile Engineers will be held on Wednesday, 4th December, at the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C. 2, when Mr. A. E. Bernman will read a paper on "Analyses of Some Engine Tests.'
Mr. William Taylor, general manager for Moore of Brightoo (1910), Ltd.; has been appointed director for Moore of Brighton (1910), Ltd., and Moore of Brighton (Garage), Ltd. -' He will eont:nue to act as general manager for both concerns.
A grand victory dance in aid of St. Dunstan's Hostel for soldiers and sailors blinded in the war will be held jointly by the staff of R. W. Coan and the Comptometer Club, on Wednesday, 11th December, at the Holborn Hall, Gray's Inn Road, London, W.C., commencing at six o'clock. Fancy, evening dress or uniform opVonal. Tickets are 3s. each, and may be obtained from the hon, secretaries and treasurers. Miss Higgins, 219, Goswell Road, E.C. 1, and Miss Jameson, Comptometer Club, Central House, Finsburr Square, E.C. 2.