Marking Time.
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People are asking questions about to-day's position of London's motorbus undertakings, and we feel that no more apt reply can be found than to say that proprietors are "marking time." The undue haste of tyos naturally produced a fit of indigestion, in that operating companies were unable to provide either organisation or personnel in keeping with actual requirements, and the police next stepped into the picture with ruthless hand when liberty of license had been abused beyond the limits of public endurance. The feverish eagerness of most owners to push out the vehicles at all costs, has been followed by disillusionment for those well-meaning but unqualified gentlemen who entered the lists as competitors for a share of passenger transport in the Metropolis, whilst others "whose domain is finance " (sic) have been forced to admit their under-estimation of the difficulties which beset the traffic problem. Some few have lined their pockets it is true, but we doubt very much if these opportunists have gained in reputation or have created any lasting friendships by their actions : a tTansient period of apparent victory must not be confused with the issues of a sustained campaign.
It is equally ridiculous that far-reaching inferences should be drawn from the results of ill-managed and insignificant companies, several of which class have "gone under" during the last few months, and whose practical failure is being attributed to the action of the police. As a matter of fact, the police would have been false to the duties which are entrusted to them did they stand idly by and, in response either to pleas for sympathy or specious excuses, allow obviously hopeless combinations of noisy vehicles and inefficient supervision to drag on their weary course to inevitable disaster at the daily cost of the public convenience. Police action is not the cause, but rather the effect, as the determining factor, once a motorbus is licensed to go into corn
mission, is the condition in which its owners maintain it. We protest, therefore, against the wholly absurd reports which have been circulated by some of the smaller companies that have now reached the end of their tether, and -whose promoters are looking for an explanation to provide an appearance of justification for voluntary liquidation. Let them, rather, explain why they were ever brought into existence, or, at least, why they proceeded to allotment on a miserably insufficient subscribed capital, in preference to their making this attack on the police as a last resort.
The shame of these useless promotions, whose glamour has been a short-lived one, cannot help but affect the larger and older companies prejudicially, and it is for that reason we are constrained to make a statement about the latter classes of undertaking. Nobody can deny that the more influential companies have been, and are still, passing through a period of serious change and rapid evolution. The boast of the purely motorbus directors, that they had no "dead " capital "on their backs " in the shape of obsolete rollingstock and equipment has, in at least one case, counted for precisely nothing, since the very men who used that argument are now in charge of a balance-sheet which discloses over ,350,0oo of paper capital. It has, thus, soon come about that the really large groups are very much on a par with one another as to financial responsibility qua useful plant, and all of them are face to face with the question of the future. Experience, in the shape of improvements to chassis, has been, in some cases, added to capital account, in that the cost of alterations so charged have nearly balanced the provision for depreciation, but it must be obvious that this course cannot be taken for more than two years at the most. On the other hand, experience, in respect e *centralised repair organisation, is saving huge amounts weekly, and has already given promise of a total effective improvement which, having regard both to maintenance and earnings, is not unlikely to reach as much as id. per vehiclemile, as a marginal difference between operating costs and revenue, in the year's accounts. With such possibilities before them, who can blame the proprietors if they have paused in placing large orders? Makers of chassis are, no doubt, very disappointed, but they realise the real occasion for this policy of concentration and steady organisation. They know there has been too much play given to personal considerations in regard to the management of London's motorbuses, and they are, at heart, though discouraged by the lack of London orders that has been their experience during the past six months, conscious that " stage number one " is nearly over. There are a few more managers and directors to undergo rude awakenings as to the degree of close attention that is demanded if motorbus operation is to be successful ; there are a few out-of-date and obstructive officials to be pensioned or retired ; there will have to be a reversion to many of the id. stages which obtained until the motorbus appeared ; and there is the action of Straker and Squire versus the London General Omnibus Company to be decided—as it should be during the next few weeks. Let London interests in the motor omnibus world have another few months to consider their position and their prospects, and to be apprised of the exact intentions of the
police in regard to seating capacity, and London business cannot help but improve. It should receive a much-needed fillip when the first annual report of the Great Eastern London Motor Omnibus Company is published, for those in charge of this undertaking, which has been conducted throughout upon sound lines, have no intention of burying their figures. Pending that revival, trade must be sought in the provinces and abroad, in which connection many of our readers can help members of the motor industry by arranging to send a copy of our " All-World Motorbus Special Issue" to friends in the Colonies, India, or any foreign country where railway and tramway services may be supplemented. Although, as announced, we ourselves intend to mail 3,000 extra copies, the co-operation of subscribers and other supporters, in order that no likely opening shall be left untried, will be esteemed.
An Experiment.
A committee of users and manufacturers has been actively engaged, for some weeks past, over the preliminary arrangements for a meet of commercial motors in the provinces. Reading was selected as the first town to be visited, and Monday week, the 17th instant, has been chosen for the meet, procession, and Luncheon. We have referred to the project on several previous occasions, and it will be recognised that a programme of the nature that is set forth on page 341 of this issue may or may not be worthy of repetition elsewhere. Ocular demonstration is the most direct form of appeal, and this is furnished by the plan of the intended proceedings, whilst the Mayor of Reading, who is himself a large tradesman, has thrown himself into the reception scheme with real heartiness. The writer has, as Chairman of the committee for the holding of these meets, had the advantage of hearing various interesting arguments for and against a multiplication of the opportunities for testing this method of extending interest in commercial motoring, whilst, as Editor of this journal, he has been informed of views which indicate that some makers regard the basic idea of the scheme as a foolish one. Differences of opinion on such a matter are most natural. • We agree that this latest effort to bring the utility vehicle under the notice of likely users is in the nature of an experiment, but we maintain that it is one that merits proper trial. The meet at Reading is to be held under the auspices of the Commercial Motor Users' Association, and a second one— to be held at Maidstone on the 27th July—is under con
sideration. Existing users in the Reading district have been invited to lend their vehicles from service, so that the functions of the day should serve to bring together a representative gathering of business men. In that the fixture has commended itself to the Executive Committee of the Users' Association, which has nominated six representatives to the committee of management, and that it is assured of practical support from at least the dozen makers who have already intimated their intention of sending vans, lorries or public-service vehicles., we feel that the experiment will be a thorough one. This desirable end will be facilitated by
the facts that the Hon. Secretary for the meet, Mr. Leo Harris, 'Will circulate an outline of the proceedings to some hundreds of important traders and others in the Reading district, and that the event will come under the favourable notice of the local Press.
The R.A.C. Demonstration Trial.
Less than fourteen weeks from to-day the i,000-mile de-. monstration trial of the R.A.C. is to begin, and there is no. question that an early announcement as to the appointment of a specific organiser should be made. The Secretary of the Club, Mr. J. W. Orde, has now finished with the Tourist Trophy Tests in the Isle of Man, and the Club Committee will have to reassure the Trade without delay : either the Club Secretary must be relieved of practically every other. duty for the next four months, or it is an imperative necessity that another responsible and competent man be appointed forthwith. We intimated, a fortnight ago, that the services of Mr. E. A. Greathed might be available, and we hope this may prove to be the case, as he acquitted himself very creditably in all the preliminaries for the trials that were announced for teoe. Entries for this year's trials are increasing in number slowly, but at least twenty makers. are, to our certain knowledge, holding back their forms. until they see evidence of real and earnest action by the R.A.C. We trust the Club Committee will not make the fatal mistake of setting the pace for their officials in rela tion to the present state of the entry : it should, contrariwise, create immediate confidence as to its intentions in regard to the trials by showing that the work of organisation has been duly and soundly initiated, and that belief will date from the resolution which appoints the organiser and the judges. We refrain from setting out the large number of points that remain to be settled, but we cannot refrain from again asserting that the volume of work which has to, be taken in hand cannot be properly appreciated if any more time is lost. The formation of local committees, and the conclusion of arrangements for storage and other accommodation on the line of route, will tax the energies of any man who may essay to complete them in three months.