News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches: our regular weekly circulation exceeds 8,000 copies, exclusive of any extra mailings of special issues.
Much interest was evinced at the en_ ;-ineering section of the Royal Institute )f Public Health Congress, at Douglas, n the paper on " Street cleansing in re ation to the growth of motor traffic " see pages 436 and 437).
An Appreciation..
This journal was on sale at Lincoln, roth in the City and the Show-yard, )efore 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday afterloon of last week. The Lincolnshire Tcho referred as follows to our 7age report of last week, and to the act of its early appearance :— " The Commercial Motor has done i smart piece of journalistic work. ['his week's issue was out on Wediesday with a full and completely ilustrated. account of the motor and ractor exhibits of the show."
R.A.C. Trials. Yet another Straker-Squire vehicle as been entered for this competition, n addition to the throe entries which ve reported last week. This fourth
• ehicle is entered in class D, for a Dad of 4o cwt. Additional entries, to i'llesday last, bring the total number f vehicles to the encouraging aggrerate of 24. The fresh ones, over and bove those already reported in this aurnal, are :—The Darracq-Serpollet )mnibus Company, Limited, which as entered six vehicles in three classes. 'hese are a 2o-25h.p. lorry, and a 205h.p. van, in class C; a 3o-4oh.p. lorry, nd a 3o-4oh.p. char-a-banes, in class ) ; and an omnibus, and a lorry, both tted with an engine of 3o-4oh.p., in lass E.
It will be observed that we have inhided the provisional route for the :ials in our diary, and this early notication should prove of great interest many of our readers. It is gratify-tg to know that the Club has decided a form local committees at the towns aroug-h which the vehicles will pass uring the trials, and every indication
oints to thorough organisation. A 2h.p. Star car has been purchased by le Club, and it is now being turned a useful account in connection with le survey of the roads over which the chides will pass. We strongly urge pon manufacturers of vans, lorries, 7agons and tractors that they should nter for these trials forthwith.
We are advised, as we go to press, by Ir. E. A. Jarmain, manager of the 'orkshire Patent Steam Wagon Cornany, that a standard steam wagon of -tat make will be entered for the L.A.C. Trials. We anticipate a very nnsiderable addition to the steam,agon entries, before the 13th instant, nd we shall be very much surprised if ll the leading makers do not take part.
Motors v. Horse Cabs.
Replying to a question in the House of Commons on Monday last, Mr. Gladstone, the Home Secretary, said that, in 1906, th-ere were 53 motorcabs and 10,792 horse-cabs licensed in London, whilst, up to the end of May in this year, there were 2S4 motorcabs compared with 10,251 of the horsedrawn vehicles. Local Authorities and Motor Ambulances.
When the Public/ Health Bill, which has been introduced by Mr. J. W. Wilson (Worcestershire), was before a standing committee -of the House of Commons on Monday, Mr. John 'Burns moved the insertion of a clause enabling a local authority to provide and maintain an ambulance for use in any case. of accident, together with suitable attendants, and means of traction ; and to allow the ambulance to be used by any other local authority or person subject to such terms and conditions as may be ,agreed upon. He explained that this clause would enable local authorities to provide motor ambulances without a special Act of Parliament. The insertion of the clause was agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be -reported to the House for third reading.
The City Ambulance.
The electric ambulance of the City of London Corporation, which was supplied by the Electromobile Company, Limited, of Curzon Street, W., is generally " called " several times a day, and it performs its errands of mercy with satisfaction to the Police Committee and the Hospital Authorities. The promptitude with which this vehicle is able to reach different parts of the City, in response to a signal from any one of the so call-posts, is the subject of general admiration. The illustration given below is a reproduction of a photograph taken on the scene of an accident in Fleet Street on Monday afternoon last. This unique picture shows the motor ambulance actually engaged on its work in the City—ready to carry the injured lad to the nearest hospital, at a speed which cannot be approached by a horsed conveyance.
R.A.S.E. 1908 Show.
The Royal Show, which closed on Saturday last, was the anticipated success. The total paying admissions, exclusive of season and other ticketholders, were 133,006, compared with 119,143 for the previous year's show at Derby. It must be remembered, however, that there were two half-crown days at Lincoln, the show there having been opened a day earlier in the week than usual. Newcastle-on-Tyne has been chosen for next year's show.
Lincoln's Fame and Wealth.
The scheme of decorations at Lincoln was, in many respects, of the style that one usually. sees on such occasions, but the unique designs for two arches deserve special mention : one was surmounted by a model of a thrashing machine, and bore the words " Lincoln's fame ;" the other was surmounted by a model of a portable engine, and bore the words " Lincoln's wealth."
More Illustrations.
We are able to reproduce in this issue a number of illustrations which it was not possible to include last week. A pleasing feature of the street traffic was the admirable manner in which it was kept moving in a circle, to and from the Show-yard, and we cannot but acknowledge the consideration of the Chief Constable of Lincoln, Mr. Coleman, for the way in which the inspectors and constables on duty exercised their discretion in respect of motors.
Agents Wanted.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, of Glasgow, is desirous of appointing agents in all parts .of Great Britain and the Colonies where the company is not represented already. Having regard to the large range of goods and publicservice vehicles which are now being manufactured at the Yoker works, we do not doubt that many individuals, firms and companies will elect to enter into negotiations.
Albion Extensions.
Frequent expressions of regret have been heard that the Albion Motor Car Company, Limited, of Scotstoun, Glasgow, has not been able to meet the ever-increasing demand for its commercial vehicles, both for goods and passenger purposes. The inability of the works in question to give sufficiently early delivery has, as a matter of fact, and to our knowledge, resulted in the placing of orders elsewhere, and it is probably this circumstance which has influenced the directors in making a start upon an increase in the size of the works which will probably add to the output by somethinglike so per cent. The general appreciation of the Albion r6h.p. van is such that repeat orders continue to reach the makers, and not a few of its customers own fleets of these vehicles varying in autoher from six upwards, anti each machine of which averages nearly 6o miles per day in service. The Lacre Motor Car Company, Limited, of r-s, Poland Street, W., holds the sole agency for Albion vehicles in England and Wales.
Argyll Motors.
Two illustrations on this page concern Argyll Motors, Limited. One is from a photograph of Mr. A. Morris Thomson, A.M.1.Mech.E., who has been appointed general manager in succession to the late Mr. Alexander Govan. Mr. Thomson has been associated with the company since its early
days, and was unquestionably, Mr. Govan's right-hand man. His apprenticeship was served with Messrs. AV. B. Thomson and Company, of Lily bank Foundry, Dundee, whilst his technical education has been a very thorough one. Mr. Thomson, who has not yet completed his 3oth year, has travelled widely, and his experience of workshop practice extends to
the United States and Canada, whils his literary ability is not inconsider able. The other photograph illustrate. the manner in which the Argyll Corn pany conveyed its good wishes to al competitors in the recent Scotch Reli ability Trials for pleasure cars, and i shows that not even the increasing output of utility vehicles at Alexandri: can in any way diminish the corn patty's interest in touring-car events Two Argyll cars, in fact, obtained non. stop records in last week's Scottist Agricultural Organisation.
The annual meeting of the Agricuf rural Organisation Society took place al Lincoln, on the 27th ultimo, under the chairmanship of Mr. R. A. Yerburgh the president. The reports showed E. gratifying increase in the number o. subscribers, healthy returns from tin various allied associations, and a caslbalance, at the 3ist December last, ol ...."222. This Society continues to do ex. cellent work, under the able secretaryship of Mr. J. Nugent tiarris, who wit be glad to supply further informatior on application to Dacre House, Dacre Street, S.W.
Spare Wheels.
At the meeting of Westminster City Council on Thursday, the .27th June. the Highways Committee reported thal it had purchased a spare front whee, and back wheel for one of its motor. vans, at a cost of £2, from the Lanca. shire Steam Motor Co., Ltd., in ordet to obviate the necessity of the van' lying idle during repairs to the wheels. The Lancashire Steam Motor Co., in letter, pointed out that, although the re-tiring of the wheels would only take one day, the railway company wouk take six days to carry them, during which time the van would remain idle unless spare wheels were purchased a: a stand-by.
The Council also decided, on the recommendation of the Highways Committee, to purchase a pair of. tires and driving wheels, for E,86 ins., from the Peter Union Tyre Co., Ltd., and to extend the trial of the Hartridge tires upon the same terms as at present, viz., rd. per mile run, so as to make the total period of trial of the Hartridge tires one year.
New York's Motorcabs.
Our announcement, a fortnight ago, of the registration of the New York' Motorcab Company, Limited, was soon followed by the issue of the prospectus, but we doubt if its terms have proved as alluring to the public as the promoters might wish. New Yorkers prefer ft travel upon their five-cent tramcars, as regards their persons, and to send their luggage by one of the numerous express companies, which predilections have, so far at least, prevented any satisfactory results for owners of hansom or four-wheelers in New York. Whether the new motorcabs will change the nature and habits of resi. dents and visitors in the American capital remains to be seen, but we think the difficulties are such as to render any comparisons with the results obtained with self-propelled cabs in Berlin, Paris, or London inadmissible.
The Rover Niotorcab.
The makers of this year's Tourist Prophy winner are, as we announced ast week, about to put upon the narket a 12h.p. motorcab chassis. The tecessary drawings are at the point of !ompleticat, and it will, perhaps, increst our readers to know the salient "eatures of this latest intended addition o the public-service vehicles of the detropor.s. The chief point to be born? n mind, when building a motorcab :hassis, is the provision of strictly inter:hangeable parts, so as to avoid lecessity for laying-up the machine wen for a few extra hours. The Rover —ompany, Limited, has designed this new machine on the lines of the Tourist Trophy winner, with the engine, gears, and other parts made as complete units which can be taken out en or and replaced at very short notice. The engine is of the two-cylinder type, with mechanically-operated valves arranged at one side of the cylinders. The latter
are g7mm. diameter in the bore, and the piston has a stroke of ciomm. By a special arrangement of the cams, the engine may be used as an air-brake : when the brake pedal is depressed, the lift of both valves is at first diminished, and finally the ball which lies under the inlet-valve tappet comes on a circular portion of the cam-sleeve, and the inletvalve remains closed, by which time the ball under the exhaust-valve tappet is on that portion of the cam-sleeve that has two projections, so that the exhaust valve is opened when the piston is at the top of its stroke, and is closed again when the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke. A very interesting watercirculation pump is fitted to the engines of these chassis; it takes the form of a two-bladed propeller, enclosed in a neat, dome-like casing.
The clutch is another of the features which have been the subject of no little attention at the hands of the designers. It is of the all-metal, multiple-disc type and runs in a bath of oil. The heavy flywheel, combined with such .a clutch, should make the engine perfectly easy and elastic, relieving the transmission gears of all shocks. Three speeds forward and one speed on the reverse are provided by the chimge-speed gearbox, the top speed being 17 miles an hour with the engine running at its normal revolutions, but, with the en
gine accelerated to t,toor.p.m., a speed of 20 miles an hour can be attained. All the shafts run on ball-bearings, as also do the crankshaft and clutch gear. The top speed is a direct drive through.
In addition to the highly-efficient engine brake, there are two powerful fric tines brakes, one of which is operated by a pedal, whilst the other is manipulated by a side-lever.
The whole of the mechanism of the cab chassis is completely enclosed in a metal casing, from engine-front to the end of the gear-box. The engine-case is bolted securely to the clutch-case, which in turn is bolted to the gear-case. The Rover Company claims that in thus enclosing the working parts of the car, complete lubrication is obtained, and that there is none of the objectionable dropping of oil, and, what is more important still, no dust or grit can find its way into the bearings.
The three-point suspension system has been adopted for the chassis, on account of the satisfaction which this has given to all users of Rover pleasure vehicles. The rear part of the chassis is supported over two laminated springs, but the front part of the cab is different from that usually employed. A transverse spring is carried from one end to the other of the front axle, on the top of which a bracket is fitted, and through this bracket passes a strong, steel pin from the nose-piece on the engine casing. This bracket may, there_ fore, roll on the pin. It will thus be seen that, no matter what may be the camber or the inequalities of the road surface, the alignment of the mechanical parts of the construction is never disturbed, so that no part of the transmission is subjected to undue strains.