Correspondence.
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Th.' Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Leiters should be. on oie side of the paper only, and type-written by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for the views exPressed is accepted.
An Important Repeat Order.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
[818] Sir :—We note in your issue of 7th instant, in your " News and Comments" column (page 299), you mention, under the heading " An Important Repeat Order," the fact that a firm of users had placed, after six months' satisfactory use of a motorvan, a repeat order for a similar vehicle. Whilst in no way belittling the performance which secured this repeat order, we cannot quite see anything " important" in it. if every repeat order which was given after six months' use was chronicled in your paper as "important," your readers would, we feel sure, get quite weary of reading about them, as we, as manufacturers, could supply you with dozens of such cases amongst our own customers, and no doubt other motorvan manufacturers can say the same.
We consider that any modern motorvan can give satisfaction for at least six months, but, to satisfy the users, they must be capable of giving satisfaction for at least six years. It is often in the second and succeeding years of a motorvan's life that the highest-class design, material, and workmanship really tells, and the repeat orders that we feel especially proud of are those which we get as a result of vehicles supplied years ago, amongst which we may mention repeat orders received from Mr. Wm. Milne, of Glasgow, the largest ice manufacturer and cold-storage proprietor in Scotland : nearly three years ago, we supplied Mr. Wm. Milne with a three-ton van ; he placed a repeat order with us 12 months thereafter; and last month, as a result of the continual satisfactory running over close upon three years, he placed a further repeat order for two vans with us. An interesting point in connection with the first van we supplied to Mr. Milne is that it was the very first motor vehicle which we made; it has now run over 45,000 miles, and is running, as its owners affirm, better than ever. We doubt if any other motor manufacturer can say the same.—Yours faithfully, HALLEY'S INDUSTRIAL MOTORS, LTD., GEO. H. HALLEY, Managing Director.
Yoker.
[The reason for the use of the word" important" lies in the fact that the Dundee firm did not have a satisfactory experience with ita firet purchase: it was. in consequence, ready to condemn meters generally, and the harm done threatened to prove serious locally. We still regard the conversion of Messrs. Couttie as oue of itniiortrunee, whilst in general agreement with Mr.
Swedish7Restrictions.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
[819} Sir :—We enclose you herewith a photograph of the 35h.p. Saurer we have recently supplied to a firm of brewers in Sweden. We were astonished to find, when presenting it in Gothenberg for inspection by the authorities, that with the size of tires fitted (twin 4-inch on the back) we were not allowed to use the vehicle for carrying more than two tons, although it is a four-ton vehicle. Our representative in Gothenberghas been in communication with the nti(hori ties in Stockholm, and he is doing his utmost to get the la changed before the Parliamentary reading on January as it is seriously handicapping an otherwise very fine prt pect of business. We may say this is the fourth vehicle different sorts we have up to now supplied in the neighbot hood of Gothenberg-. We also enclose a photograph of one of the 2oh. " Orion " chassis, which, some years ago, were well knov on the London streets. We may mention that we have sc three of these, and in each case they are giving entire sat' faction.—Yours faithfully, MARTIN'S. Bow Bridge, E. We reproduce the photographs. So far as Swedish restrictions arc e corned, we explained these in our issue oi the drd January, 1907. Brid are weak and roads narrow, lint more disabilities exist than appear to necessary.---E
Concerning Motorcabs.
The Editor, "The COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
[82o3 Sir :—I see, as I rather expected would be the cat that my remarks on the question of cylinders have not be allowed to pass unnoticed. I must, however, say that I c hardly agree with Mr. Geoffry Wallace that I made "; unjustifiable attack" on the four-cylindered cab. I w speaking of cab service in general, and I still contend, spite of Mr. Wallace's theories, that, in practice, the tAN cylinder engine is the most satisfactory, from a commerei point of view, and that it is the only point of view frc which cab buyers must investigate the question. I agr with the arguments of Mr. NVallace, so far as they go paper, and I also agree that there is a point of limit for t use of a two-cylinder vehicle, on the grounds he sugges; but I contend that that limit is not reached in any power quired by a motorcab, unless it is to be used in a most c ceptionally trying district. I do not agree with Mr. Walla that a four-cylindered engine makes a lighter car. Do n forget that what we are discussing Comes to about fin, or on the bore, which makes really very little difference in t weight of a two-cylinder engine, and compared with ti the weight of the additional two cylinders and attach parts will be very much greater, and will—following Ti W's. other argument—approximately be no greater than, indeed so great as, the additional metal needed to be added the transmission when a slight enlargement of bore made, whilst, instead of getting the whole of the add weight in the engine, we get it spread over the car, so th; with the two-cylindered engine, weight distribution is ben secured.
In regard to the shorter life of tires of which he writ this is one of the arguments used by the advocates of si cylindered engines in the pleasure-car world, as agair fours and lesser numbers, hut in practice I have never 3 been able to find any reliable information which would le me to believe that there is anything in it ; if there is, I fan it is, for all practical purposes, a negligeable quantity. T method of driving and weight carried will have a far g-real
ect on tires than the very slightly higher and less freent explosive impulse of the two-cylinder engine. And. en, it is an admitted fact that, the greater the number of linders, the higher is the petrol consumption in proportion, that, with four cylinders as compared with two, more trol is being consumed, and consumed all ,the time, and at is a constant, positive, and not merely a theoretical am n upon the finances.
In regard to your Kent correspondent, the district he sntions, is, of course, not an easy one and, as he says, it is ubtful whether some two-cylindered cabs would be equal the hills with a full load, unless geared very low. This stement, however, is no argument for four cylinders as 'ainst two, although it is an argument for larger cylinders an those employed. I contend that, for anything under b.h.p., it is a mistake to use more than two-cylinders, and, stated in my article, the experience of users already points this end, and no amount of argument will explain away e fact that there are twice the number of working parts— d smaller working parts at that—in the four-cylindered gine than in that with two cylinders. There are twice as my chances of derangement and trouble, and twice as any parts to renew in case of damage and wear, as well as ice the engine attention required to be given to the hide, and, when it comes to a question of gearing, I ntend that gearing, whatever the engine power, should be ar where cab work is concerned. It is the pace that kills, d if the cab can do the pace you may trust the driver to
that it does it, so that moderately low gearing is not ly no drawback but a highly desirable thing.
That the matter of power is not one of number but size of tinder is not understood by the majority of cab, or, indeed, commercial-vehicle buyers, as is proved by an incident sich occurred recently. I was talking to the manager of a -ge establishment already using a number of twolindered vans of a certain well-known and satisfactory ake. He informed me that his firm was just putting on me vehicles of another make, and I enquired with surprise hether the others were not satisfactory? His reply was at they were perfectly satisfactory, but that they were "not Lite fast enough." His firm wanted another two miles an iur, or thereabouts, and, he added, the vehicles in question old not do this, but that, " as there was now it fourlindered engine to be had," they had decided to adopt it I
When all is said and done, however, the whole subject of otorcabs has to be looked at commercially. There are no eories or fancy ideas to be considered, and the entire ques m resolves itself into what will last longest and cost least run and maintain, and I contend that this end is only to be :hieved by adopting the simplest possible forms of construe sn, and the fewest possible details in the same, and, as ated in my last, experience is already showing that this is
,.—Yours, etc., IIENRV STURMEY. Coven try. Steam-wagon Performances in Devonshire.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
[821] Sir :—I notice, in your issue of the 17th instant, a letter lrom W. Rowse, Town Roller Mills, Okehampton, in which he seems to be rather fiery. He says my statements are absurd. In the first place, I might say I made a little error in saying three months which, by looking back, find was nearly four. I also said I was taking Its tons per week; but this is really 130 tons per week. I may tell you, now, that my permanent work is clay hauling, and that I have with my wagon, as well as with horses and carts, to carry 224cwt. for the ton, i.e., to allow for water and shrinkage, so I have to carry about 24 tons per day for nothing. It is a great shame, but all have to do it, or are not wanted.
Your correspondent makes me laugh, also, when he says
2,000 tons cannot be loaded and unloaded if I worked night and day. Apart from my permanent work, I have done other work after what I call my day's work is done. Perhaps it will interest him to know that many a day I have left work at 2.30 p.m., after commencing at 6.30 a.m.; and after having dune my journeys amounting to 224 tons. There is, of course, no stopping for breakfast or dinner; it's go on till I have finished. I have two men, to load and unload, always with me, and very often I help myself, whilst back in the longer days I was carrying 28 tons per day. You see, I am only on a short journey of about four miles each way, from the workings to the cellars. I may say that, when the longer days arrive again, I shall be carrying 562 tons per week.
Next about the coke. All I use in fine dry weather is one ton per week. Of course, anyone would know that on bad roads, during " stuggy " and bad weather, one would use more; but I only put it at good running road conditions. Then, he finishes up by remarking about putting a spanner to a nut. Any right-minded driver or owner would know that a spanner is bound to be used often in cases such as tightening up glands, etc., iii the daily routine, but that is not what I mean, and I say again, as my subject was the best make of wagon, that up to the present, since receiv
ing my Sentinel at the end of July last, I have never had to Use a spanner on a nut, or to commence ripping to pieces for trouble, and I think that speaks well for the make of wagon in question.
should very much like Mr. Rowse to come and give me a visit, and see the work she is doing. I think he would fifunidlythis very different from general carrying.—Yours faithF. C. WREYFORD.
Newton Abbot.
[We are glad that our correspondent, whose initials were erroneously quoted "FOB.," has come forward to detail the consumption and haulage figures which he gave in the letter published by us on the 25th November last. At the outset, his claim to have been travelling 170 miles and to have been hauling an average of 113 tons each week seemed to be excessive We also direct attention to a further 'letter on this subject which apix,ars iii the Drivers' and Mechanics' columns on the next page ; this is one of a number we have received on this subjeet—En.1