Passenger-Vehicle Topics.
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The Attack on Sir Edward Henry.
We tender now in our columns congratulations, which the Editor has taken the trouble to do by personal call, to Sir Edward Henry, Chief Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis, upon his fortunate escape of last week, on the occasion of his being attacked and wounded by a misguided individual who fired no fewer than three bullets at his intended victim.
The fact that Sir Edward was so soon announced to be out of danger was, we know, received with the utmost pleasure by all who know his broadmindedness of action in regard to public-passenger services in the capital of the Empire.
Motor Ambulances.
. The Port of London's four accumulator-driven ambulances are now in service. They are located respectively at the Victoria and Albert, Surrey Commercial, London and West India Docks. They are usually available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., but that at the West Iedia Dock is available night and day. In addition to the driver, an attendant holding the first-aid certificate of the St. John Ambulance Associa, tion accompanies each vehicle when called. The maintenance cost is estimated at 24000 a year. London's Motorbuses.
The total number of licensed rnotorbuses plying for hire on the London streets on the 1st day of December was 2527. This shows an increase for the month of 231 motorbuses. • The] English Daintier Co.'s ?Success in Europe.
The Vienna Corporation is on the point of concluding a contract with an English company for providing the city with autobus lines. By way of a beginning, 160 buses are to be put on. A telegram speaks of 'roomy vehicles, propelled by means of sleeve-valve engines.
We understand that a fleet of Daimlers is soon to leave Coventry for Munich. These machines are to be internally heated. More Motorbuses for Cambridge.
Cambridge Town Council has licensed six more motorbuses, on the application of the Ortona Motor Co., Ltd. There was some opposition, on the ground that the local cabmen could not earn a living as It was.
A New Registration._
Motor Mudsplash Preventer Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of £2000 in Li shares, by C. Doubble, 14, Serjeant's Inn, E.C., to adopt an agreement with C. H. Nichols for the acquisition of a licence for an invention relating to a mudsplash preventer for motorcars and other vehicles. First directors : F. Sale, A. Sanders and S. A. Lamplough.
Rough on the Horses.
In a discussion at the last meeting of the Llandudno U.D.C., member, in supporting a motion for the granting of additional motorbus facilities, remarked that " visitors to Llandudno should not be obliged to put up any longer with the rickety, rackety, wiggering, waggling, bumping, thumping, old horse-drawn buses." Horses appear to be catching it all round.
A Possible Irish Situation in Dublin.
Dublin City Council is giving evidences of a possible move to oppose the local tramcars, which are owned by a joint-stock company, by the introduction, of motorbuses. A recommendation to that end has been made by the Trades Council of the city. It would be an unusual state of affairs to find a municipality fighting its electric-traction concessionnaires by means of independent motorbuses—a very different case to London's.
The Projected Strike.
If London taxi-drivers strike, we hope that the owners will keep them out for a month or two. The men should not strike : they should combine with the owners to press for an increase in the initial fare, but such combination is, we fear, unlikely. As we have already pointed out, the owners have nothing at their disposal from which to make concessions. The men still enjoy reasonable average " tips," and they take all the legal " extras ; " they will simply impair their position and earnings by any action such as that which is stated to be contemplated. The strength of the owner-driver will be increased. Wanton Damage.
In the Wandsworth County Court, last week, the London General Omnibus Co, sued a Mr. John Nolan, builder and decorator, Chelverton Road, Putney High Street, for the recovery of 2es., the value of damage done by him to two of the. company's omnibuses, on two occasions in July and August last. It appears that Mr. Nolan, who alleged that he could neither sleep nor work because of the noises caused by the motorbuses in the road in which he lived, threw bricks through the windows of motorbuses. Mr. Nolan had already been fined 1,5 and a 6s costs for an offence of the kind.
It was submitted for the defendant that he had suffered personal injury—that he worked at home, and that there were times when he could not hear conversation in his own house. He eourtterclaimed in respect of this. It was also alleged that the vehicles simply killed time by running in Chelverton Road, because they were not allowed to remain in Putney High Street. Judge Harington said he had come to the conclusion that the defendant had not suffered any damage peculiar to himself. The case resolved itself into one of annoyance. He could not set a monetary value upon that, and it was a ease where the defendant had not suffered any annoyance which had not been common to other residents in the road, He would, therefore, fail on his counterclaim, and judgment must be entered in favour of the company on the claim for damn gee.