The Wheels of Industry.
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This journal, dealing as it does with the "Chariots of War," no less than with the "Wheels of Industry," continues of national importance. Its interests embrace impartially the transport wagon and the parcelcar, the military tractor and the steam lorry.
Two Edison dust-vans have been ordered by Dover Town Council.
Recent Registrations.
Ribble Vale Motors, Ltd. (22000), with its office at the Bull's Head Hotel, Wilpshire, near Blackburn. J. and 'Vie. Jay, Ltd. (3000), with its office at the Lion Yard; Matilda street, Barnsbury, N., to carry on business as a motor carrier.
Gazette.
The following joint-stock companies will be struck off the register, as from the 17th November next, unless cause is shown to the contrary ;—A.D. Cab and Genet-al Motor Co., Ltd. ; Eagle Motor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.; litternational Speedometer Control Co., Ltd. ; Motor Waggons, Ltd. ; Provincial Road Car Co.; Ltd.
The liquidator of the Australian Motor Cab Co., Ltd., Mr. J. J. Sneddon, of Finsbury Pavement House, EC., will submit an account and report, to the shareholders, on the 15th inst.
" Hexhant Magistrates in Error."
-With regard to our report under the above heading, in last week's issue (page 541 ante), we have since been informed that the defendant, waived the defenee that his wagon only measured 7 ft. 6 ins, overall, and admitted a width of 8 ft. 1 in. The conviction, on this admission, was therefore not wrong in law, and the Hexham magistrates were not wrong. We none the less desire to impress upon our readers I he exemption, in Article IX of the Heavy Motor Car Order, from the usual maximum width of 7 ft. 2 ins., which is laid down in the Motor Car (Use and Construction) Order.
Smith's Stampings.
The directors of Thomas Smith's Stamping Works, Ltd., Coventry, have issued their report for the year ended the 31st July last. The annual meeting will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 2.15 p.m., at Coventry. There is a, profit, after providing for debenture interest, depreciation of plant, and all other outgoings, inclusive of directors' fees, of 232,990. The paid-up capi, tal of the company is 2100,000, in ordinary shares of 21 each, and the debenture issue has now been Practically extinguished. A dividend of 2s. per share, with a bonus of Is. per share, free of tax, is to be paid ; the goodwill account is reduced by 217,836. bringing it down to £20,000, and the carry forward is 23856—practically the same as a year ago. The company is evidently in an extremely prosperous way.
More Motor MailS, Contracts for the conveyance of mails by motor have recently been closed, by the Postmaster-General, with the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., Edinburgh, Messrs. F. W. Canham and Sons, Ipswich, and Mr. B. Harding, Gorse Hill, Swindon, Wilts.
Delivery Prospects for Users.
Not a few inquiries have reached us since we penned the paragraph, 'under the above heading, for oui issue of the 12th ult. (page 520, Vol. 21). In so far as we then carn. merited upon our earlier announce. gnent that W.D. requirements• foi vehicles under three tons were about to cease, it must, of course, he realized that this does not increase materially the prospects of relief for harassed users and intending users. Manufacturers of these smaller types will in some
cases have to accommodate their output so as to produce larger ve hicles, and in some cases they will have to transfer to the manufacture of other munitions of war.
So far as Ameidcan=buiIt vehicles are concerned, there are, of course, running orders which have yet to,be completed,• both for this country and our Allies. Furthermore; just as there is a, shortage of supply of motorcars to meet the demand in the United States, so there may shortly prove to be a comparable shortage in respect of the supply of commercial motors. Business vehicles promise to come into their own in America before very long.
It is obvious that W.D. requirements of additional heavy lorries will march with the sizes of our armies, and with the wastage in the fields of action. We have frequently drawn attention, during the past few months, to growing aceumulations of lorry-reserves in this country. We haVe no authority for the statement, but we are well satisfied, froth the facts of which we have knowledge, to draw the inference that demands from British manufacturers, at the hands of the military authorities of this country, may tend to ease off 'withintwo months from now. We are further hopeful that it may prove, when the time does come. that something in the nature of the scheme of:" six months supply by "three months (*Out at present rates," for which we contended in a considered article in our issue of the 15th July, will prove to have been acceptable, at least in principle.
Selected U.S.A. Parts.
We are Mformed that the F.W.D. chassis have embodied in them a Cotta gearbox; and not one made by the company itself. Brame°, Ltd., of Coventry, informs us that it is the British representative for this special gearbox, as well as for the Ross steering gear and the Wisconsin engine, all of them components used on the F.W.D.
Mileage Recorders.
The first step towards accurate knowledge . of working with any type of vehicle; be it a cycle carrier, a parcelcar. a motorva,n or a heavy lorry, is to fit a mileage recorder. It is only when one has a true record of distance that one can obtain a true divisor by the aid of which to Work out exact costs per mile run. We make further references to the importance of this point in articles on pages 2 and 4.
Early Ensign Deliveries.
In our last week's issue we inadvertently omitted the name of British Ensign Motors, Ltd., from a list of English makers of threetentiers who are in a position to
give reasonable delivery. As a Matter of fact, this company is at the present time able to supply a number of chassisof thiscapacity quickly. Cdinmunications should be addressed to the London office of the company at 118, 13rompton Road, S. W.
The Proved Value of Touch with the Front.
We take it, as revealed by our own postbag, that most of the manufacturers of the principal types of British commercial vehicles :which are being used on active service have received quite a number of commendatory letters from drivers of their machines. The Albion Motor Car Co. Ltd. has issued a little booklet called "News from the Front," in which extracts from a number of unsolicited letters from privates and N.C.O.s in the M.T., A.S.C., concerninF the behaviour of Albions on active service, are included.
Mechanical Power in Agriculture.
Many representative agriculturists attended a meeting, at the imperial Hotel, Inverness, on the 24th ult., in order to urge upon the Highland and Agricultural Society the desirability of organizing an early demonstration of motor ploughs in the area which is comprised by the Society's Inverness district It was reported that the secretary of the H. and A.S., Stirton, had expressed his hopefulness of arranging that a demonstration might so be arranged, following one which iS to take, place in the Perth district next month.
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