Answers to Queries.
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Early Motorvan Issues.
[2431] (Records).—Amongst the earliest issues of this journal to be devoted as special numbers to "Costs and Perfortnance " data concerning motorvans are those for the 18th October 1908, and the 23rd May, 1907. Both are, of course, out of print. Another issue of the same class is that for the 24th February. 1910.
Automatic Roadside Water Supply.
[2432] (Leeds).—The apparatus was designed and got out by Messrs. Ham, Baker and Co., 13, Grosvenor Road, London, S.W. The system was not installed owing to difficulties with the police as to location : they feared obstruction, and would not help. The objection was a technical one, but it hindered completion of the project.
Bus v. Tram : Condensed Data.
12433] (Coventry).—We have had pleasure in sending to you direct copies (in French) of the Editor's papers before the International Road Congresses of Brussels (1910) and London (1913). We believe these will be of service to your friend in Carlsbad. They contain the general arguments, and certain statistical data in respect of capital outlay and working costs.
Licences for Chars-a-bancs.
[2434] (Mossley).—A char-k-bancs, whether it plies for hire or not, is a hackney carriage, unless you hire it out on jobs of at least three months duration. You have, therefore, to pay the ordinary hackney-carriage tax of 155.. and the additional carriage tax, under the Motor Car Act of 1896, of two guineas if the vehicle weighs two tons or less unladen, and of three guineas if it exceeds two tons unladen.
Alcohol Carburetters.
[2435] (Investigator). No special modern carburetters for use with alcohol appear to be made in Germany for automobiles ; this fuel, even in its cheaper form of potato spirit, has been abandoned there for propulsive purposes. The only maker in Germany who might, within our knowledge, be prepared to sell an alcohol carburetter is the firm of Messrs. Blanke and Rast, of Leipzig-Plagwitz.
Speedometers for Use upon Steel-tired Steamers Working on Granite Setts. [2436] (Contractors).—We refer you to S. S. Nevill, Ltd., 79a, Parkhurst Road, Holloway, London, N., in respect Of their "What Was When" recorder, and to Messrs. Leo Swain and Co., of 237, Deansgate, Man chester, in respect of the speedometer. When writing to them you will no doubt additionally make clear the fact that in your case the vibration is above the average, owing to the general use of your steamers on granite setts.
Value of a Brooklands Test.
[2437] (New Type).—We do not consider that low cost of upkeep would be demonstrated by a 10,000mile Brooklands trial. Such a test would be open to all kinds of criticism from rival makers. Experience has shown that it generally pays a newcomer in our branches of the industry to " buy " his first few customers, by selling at a ridiculously-low figure, with heavy guarantees, in order to get results and testimonials under working conditions. We should certainly not go to the expense of a Brooklands trial for the. above-mentioned reason—the facility with which it lends itself to destructive criticism by the scores of salesmen and others who would be in opposition to your model. An R.A.C. test for fuel consumption, over quite a reasonable distance of, say, 1000 miles. but on the highway, over give-and-take roads, would be much more to the point. The R.A.C. does conduct commercial-vehicle tests, and not the C.M.U.A.
e6 Taking their Employees a Trip.
[2438] (Brewers).—If you use a steam wagon there will be no trouble ; if you use a petrol vehicle, and you are observed by any Excise officer who takes note of the facts, you may imperil your petrol rebate on the vehicle for the rest of the year.
Are their Running Costs Normal ?
[2439] (Notts).—You should be able to test the normal character of your costs by comparison with our free sheet. It is merely a, matter of opening impersonal accounts or columns under the headings which are indicated, seeing that everything is properly booked, and then comparing them with the averages which are set out by us.
Points from History.
[2440] (History).—We can only suggest that you try to get access to some library where bound volumes of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR are to be seen. The Editor wrote a paper which briefly touched on the history in November, 1908, and certain issues published in the fall of 1907 contain historical summaries of the Liver. pool trials.
When a Dog is Killed.
[2441] (Owner).—It is settled law that the owner of a dog can recover damages for the loss of his dog caused through the negligent driving of a vehicle on the highway, but it is for the owner to prove that the driver of the vehicle could have avoided the dog by the exercise of ordinary and reasonable care. The driver of the vehicle is liable in damages, and, if he was driving the vehicle as a servant, his master also.
Annual Payment for a Towing-hook.
[24421 (Pontefract).—You have been wrongly advised re any payment for fitting a towing-hook on the machine. There is no such payment by anybody. When buying petrol, you should request the garage to give a certificate that the full duty of 3d. per gallon has been paid. You should then periodically fill in a form which will be supplied to you at any local Excise officer, in order to obtain the rebate. You cannot get the rebate in respect of spirit used for a char-hbanes, unless and when it stands or plies for hire.
Horse Insurance.
[2443] (Metropolis).—You are wrong in believing that the charges of insurance companies in respect of cover against death from accident or disease, in the case of horses, are very low. We have before us the rates for one of the principal offices doing this class of business, which is seldom, if ever, touched by the motorcar-insurance offices, and we find that for tradesmen's horses the rates are about five per cent. per annum on the value of the animals, whilst for heavy horses, used in carting or haulage, such as Clydesdales and Shires, the rates are 10 per cent. per annum on the value of the animals.
Are Paraffin Carburetters Satisfactory ?
[2444] (Paisley).—We are unable definitely to recommend any paraffin carburetter which we can promise you would perform consistently under all circumstances. There are several on offer at the present time which are giving results that appear to be satisfactory to their users, and these include the examples known as :—
The Winchester (Winchester Carburetter (Jo., Ltd., 11, Gresham Street, E.G.). The Stewart-Morris (Stewart-Precision Carbu retter (Jo, 199, Piccadilly, W.). The Bulks (C. Binks, Ltd., Phcenix Works, Eccles, Manchester). The Standard (Standard Petroleum Carburetter (Parent) Co., Ltd., 171, Queen Victoria Street.