Answers to Queries.
Page 20
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Men for R.N.A.S. Transport.
[4275] (Difficulty).—You should apply to -the Recruiting Staff Officer, R.N. Recruiting Office, 6, Washington ierrace, Southampton.
Rigid Containers for Compressed Gas.i [4276] (Designer).—The difficulty about rigid containers at present is the supply of the-material. Even
with an " priority certificate, ittakes several months to obtain delivery of a steel bottle or other steercontainer.
Can He Run a Char-a-bancs on Coal-gas?
[4277] (Garage).—There is at present nothing fo prevent you using your char-it-banes for carrying pleasure parties, provided you use coal-gas, and not of course any spirit. We suggest your perusing the article on the char-h-banes which runs from Eastbourne to London, which appeared in our issue of the 7th June.
Where to Get Cylinders for Coal-gas.
[4278) (General Engineer).—You cannot buy cylinders at present, -without an " A " certificate, and you can then only get them in about threelmonths. The Steel Barrel Co., Ltd., of Uxbridge, ssupply certain types of welded cylinders, whilst steel bottles can be obtained from the British Oxygen Co. Ltd., EIverton Street, 8.W.1.
Should He Volunteer Under the National Service Scheme?
[4279] (Newington).—We think that you are doing extremely .useful work in a munition fsctory. The reference in THE COISIMEROIAL MOTOR N. -638 was to existing employees in the transport trades, with a view to taking them out of that trade for more urgent national work, such as work in munition, factories. You are apparently already in work of that class, and there appears to be no necessity for you to seek employmentunder the National Service scheme.
Haw Can He Get PetroUto Transport Munitions.
[4280] (Watford).—Concerning your difficulty in obtaining petrol, you certainly could not expect to obtain any help by a personal call at the Ministry of Munitions, as in the present–Stress of work, it is always better to have It document. A formal letter should be written, in the first instance, to the local Board of Munitions Control at Watford, or for the County of Herts., setting forth your position, and asking them for so much extra petrol a month—you stating the quantity. The Ministry of Munitions will not deal direct with individual users, but only through its local boards.
Wants a Log-book.
[4281] (Patentees).—We do not publish a log book, nor are we aware of one which we-could recommend to you. Generally, our experience shows that each individual firm finds that its own special requirements call for different heads, and as a rule each user prefers to make up his own log-book. As a guide to you, however, we have posted one of our standard cost sheets, which will no doubt assist you to some extent in deciding upon the separate departments of that log-book. With regard to this cost sheet you will of course understand that the figures for costs are based on pre-war prices. If you are desirous of comparing them at any time it would be necessary now to add 40 per cent. to the petrol wagon costs, and 30 per cent. for those of steamers. We are sending you a copy of our issue of the 15th February, in which, in the course of an article,. we deal. with the method of 'keeping records adopted by the Rapid Motor Co. This particular example may interest you.
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Adaptation of -a Riker Chassis for .Road or Rail Work.
[4282] (Railway Engincer.)—The "Hiker" chassis is better known on this side of the Atlantic as the " Locomobile." The sales are in the handa of Messrs. Gaston, Williams and Wiginore, Ltd., International Buildings, Kingsway, W.C. 2.
No Petrol for a Food Producer's Newly-purchased Lorry.
[4283] (Merchant).—You should apply at once to the Food Control Department, Grosvenor House' Upper Grosvenor Street, S.W. 1, of which Board a Air. Burton is secretary, asking, in, the interests of fond product,ion, for whatever petrol that you want Rate of Pay for London Steam-wagon Drivers.
[4284] (Driver).—The rate of pay is ob/igatory on employers in the London area, but we would point out the following provision with regard to hours "A six days week of '72 hours. No day more than 14 hours-14 hours not to be deemed,the, limit where a man is sent upon a journey occupying more than 14 hours, but the extra time beyond 14 hours shall be counted in the number of hours worked per week. Rest of 9 hours after 14 hours." If you do not work a 72-hour week you will only be entitled to draw a smaller sum than 50s., the reduction being at the rate of 8-1d. an hour for each -hour below 72.
Require a Copy of American War Department Motor Vehicle Specification.
E4285] (Ironworks.—Specifications of motor vehicles for the U.S.A. War Department can be obtained by written apnlication to the Motor Transport Board of the War Department, care of the QuartermasterGeneral, Washington. Alternatively, no doubt, you will be able to get one from the Society of Automotive Engineers, 29, West 39th Street, New York, or by purchasing a copy of the 19th April issue of "ho Automobile," an American journal issued in New York. the publishers being the Class Journal Co., 231241, West 39th Street, New York, the price being 5d. per copy, and about the same amount for postage.
Change from Petrol to Steam.
• [4286] (Owner-driver).—The difficulty with steam lorries at present is to get delivery. There are several makes practically-of equal excellence. The billowing makers might be addressed :—Alley and MacLellan, Ltd., Sentinel Works, Shrewsbury ; Fodens, Ltd., Sandbach; Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., Leiston ;
• Leylands Motors (1914), Ltd__, Leyland, Lanes.' Mann's Patent Steam Cart and -Wagon Co., Ltd., Hunslet, Leeds' Robey and Co., Ltd., Lincoln ; W. Tasker and Sons, Ltd., Andover ; Yorkshire Commercial. Motor Co., Ltd., Leeds. It is certainly not advisable to carry more than five tons on the wagon, and four on the trailer. With some makes of wagon it is necessary to reduce the weight on the wagon to 4 tons or even 4 tons, in order not to exceed the maximum weight of 8 tons on the back axle, which is allowed by law at present. We have no book bearing on the calculations which you mention. Under present conditions, for a rubbertired wagon and trailer, we recommend you to take no work which will not yield at least 2s. per mile run, reckoning light and. loaded mileage together, or 24 per day. If you charge by the hour, you ought to get 10s. an hour, with a maximum of five miles of running in any hour, or the margins will not be satisfactory. Of course, in haulage work, as you know, reasonable waiting must be allowed at terminal points, to take up and deliver loads, and it is only if such delays art abnormal and if the possible running per day falls below, say, 40 miles, -that a time charge is -expedient.