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Watchmakers' Speedometers. Prophets Without Honour. IF You See It In "C.M."—
fly"The Extractor."
About Gordon Smith.
Some celebrated man or municipality, I cannot think for the moment which, has acquired or adopted the motto "Advance with courage," and it seems to me this specially applies to the subject of our caricature this week. The progress made in a few years, mostly with speed indicators, has been astonishing. S. Smith and Son, Ltd., of the Strand, was amongst the first makers, if not actually the pioneer of speedometer manufacture. It dates mostly to the time when Gordon Smith, fresh from college and a training amongst the watchmakers of Switzerland, came into the Strand business.
This was already a gigantic watch-making concern with a great reputation, and amongst them they perceived the possibilities ot the motor business ; it was left to Gordon Smith then to develop it, and with the aid of his brother, Reginald Smith, who has graduated in the Daimler works at Coventry, they have advanced so far as to be turning out e00 speedometers a week. The next speciality to be tackled was the Goldenlyte acetylene lamp, then the electric-lighting set. The latest development, which promises to be the biggest thing of all, is the Smith carburetter, concerning which ntore will be found in next week's issue.
I have had an early view of the new premises in Great Portland Street, W.; these are to be devoted entirely to motor work, and here is the reason for the " advance with courage" comparison.
Gordon Smith possesses a great social side, and amongst his hobbies he is fond of motoring, golf, and hunting. Ffe brings the same buoyant enthusiasm into these sports that helps him so much in his business. In addition, he is very fond of coursing, and one of his greyhounds ran for the last Waterloo Cup. The father, Mr. Samuel Smith, still controls the business, and Gordon Smith acknowledges with great filial pride the wisdom of his counsel and the ripeness of his judgment.. Motor-spirit Movement.
It is not possible always to happen in at the right moment, and last week I found one of my solid-tire friends in a carping mood. I think an order had just been postponed, lost or gone before, so, when I appeared on the horizon, the mission of motor papers in the selection of news interesting to users came in for, what shall I say, severe animadversion. I tried to state the newspaper side of the ease, but the torrent roared along ; it was useless to try and stem it, and then, during a lull, he turned to me saying, "if your papers now were to try and do something to stop this corner in petrol you would be doing usefut work," and then, when my still small voice could make itself heard, I let go the sluice gateshow in all our papers and particularly in " The Motor" we had gone bald-headed for the petrol combine. In consequence of our efforts were we not the only Press representatives present and gave the only reports when the King visited the Birchenwood benzole plant? Have we not made benzole te.sts, tests which are infinitely useful and informative ? Is not the Editor the only member of the Press' on the Petrol Substitutes Joint Committee i And is our camp:aign not proceeding more heartily than ever ? Then he remembered, and, before I realized it, the subject had changed to the Insurance Act and Lloyd George.
Of Interest to Users.
Another and similar instance of query as to what the Editor should usefully publish as news that will interest the user of vehicles. My friend-of more years than I care to think about—queried the necessity for us to publish news of the prices at which various firms had tendered to a municipality for certain vehicles or supplies, as it may have been. Some of the prices were-shall I say—not so high as they might have been, and he thought there was no use in publishing the fact. I, of course, pleaded that we were the newspaper of the industry, and that such things were interesting to the large proportion of our readers. But no, he would not agree, and we went on to talk of these municipal
sales generally. After some discussion, "I don't know what's come over so-and-so. I see," said he, "they actually quoted the
Corporation X for two complete chassis. I never heard of such a price." " How did you find that out ? " I ventured to query.
" Saw it in the C.M., of course." "Then it is of interest to some of you readers," was my final shot, and I left my good acquaintance, wondering. There are-, of course, bound to be details which should not be usefully published.