News and Comment.
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This journal is extensively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses.
The Budget.
A late paragraph about the provision of money for road maintenas we will be found on page 230. The steam wagon again escapes, arid also benzole, so far.
Alldays' Capital.
We learn that the Andays and Onions Pnuematic Engineering Co., -Ltd., of Birmingham, has decided, in order to meet the growing demands upon its manufacturing resources, to increase its capital of 1125,000 to £275,000, by the creation of 100,000 " B " preference shares of El each, and 50,000 more ordinary shares of El each.
Recent Albion Sales.
Messrs. Boots, the cash chemists, have ordered a 16 h.p. 25-ewt. Albion, the Patent Steam Carpet Beating Co., Ltd., of York Road, Lcndon, N., a 16 h.p., 40-cwt. A:bion (bringing its fleet of this make up to 12 vehicles), Boardmans Ltd., of Stratford, a 32 h.p., four-ton Albion (bringing its fleet of this make up to five vehicles). and Hampton end Sons, Ltd., of Pall Mall East, two 16 h.p., 20-cwt. Albions.
C.M.U.A. Parade.
The Editor of THE COMMERCIAL IlkIoroa, as honorary treasurer of the Commercial Motor Users As-ociation, has received additional subscriptions for the forthcoming parade, in sums varying from one g.iiitea upwards, and he will be pleased to receive any further subs.eriptions for the same purpose front owners who are desirous to help forward this scheme for the encouragement of good driving. We hope to publish the complete list of subscriptions next week.
Battery Vehicles.
Our invitation to manufacturers oti importers of battery vehicles. to furnish us with certified "all in " costs for this type of commercial motor, has now been rewarded with a promised response. This comes from Edison Accumulators, Ltd. We are now sending a direct invitation to Mr. Conway Jenkins (1.R.A.M, electric vehicles) 'and Mr.. P. Mossay (Lloyd electric vehicles).
The Surveyor to the Heston and: Ida worth U.D.C. has estimated. that a two-ton Edison electric motor vehicle, with an unladen weight. of 3 tons 4 cwt. 2 qr., which he considers can be loaded with safety up to 2 tons 14 cwt., will cost only zr;23 a year -for electrical
energy, and £20 a year for repairs. The Surveyor and Engineer to the Barnes U.D.C., who has just made an estimate for another electric motor of slightly-larger capacity, places the annual charge for electrical energy at £32, and that for the maintenance of the battery alone at In. All these estimates are 'per annum," and those for Barnes concern Tudor batteries.
" Caterpillar " Machines.
We are asked to state that the word "caterpillar " should not be applied to traction engines or like machines other than those which are made by the Holt Manufacturing Co., of Stockton, Cal., U.S.A. The word " caterpillar " is that company's registered trademark in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, for this class of tractor.
We have ourselves in the past frequently applied the word " caterpillar " to the chain-track tractors that are made and sold by Riehard Hornsby and Sons, Ltd., of Grantham. but we evidently must notdo this in future. We may add that the Hornsby Co. always refers to its own machine of this type as the ".Hornsby chain-track tractor." To Carry Shell Spirit.
The proprietors of Shell motor spirit are to be congratulated on their forward policy in regard to motor delivery. It is now morn than two years ago since the British Petroleum Co., Ltd., called on the Editor of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR for an expert report in regard to the likely economies that would be effected by the use cf motors in certain cases. We were not concerned, in that report, with the claims of one particular motor against another, but with the broad problem of the savings to be efiected according to a variety of delivery radii.
The whole costs of transport by horse-drawn vehicles or by horsecum-rail methods were placed at our disposal by the British Petroleum Co., in order that our report might be based upon realized costs over a long period.
Following the delivery of our report, tentative steps were taken by these purchasers, to the extent of their ordering some five petroldriven vehicles, and we have now much pleasure in recording the fact that the company has, for delivery or on order, upwards of 150 v!-. Indies, all driven by petrol engines, and divided between the following makes : Albion ; Alldays ; Austin ; Commercar ; Daimler ; Dennis ; Halley ; Hallford ; Karrier ; Leyland ; Milnes-Daimler ; Napier ; Pagefield ; Star ; Straker-Squ ire ; Thornycroft ; Tilling ; and White. The load capacities range from ton to 5 tons, and a proportion thefleet is fitted with the tank bodies to carry petrol in bulk. The Leyland Flotation.
We think that the directors oi Leyland Motors (1910, Ltd., are to h. congratulated in every way upon their recently-issued prospect-as. The company, which has so far had a nominal authorized capital of £50,000, will now have an authorized and issued capital of 2100,000, divided into 200,000 six per Cent. cumillative preference shares of 21 each, and 200,000 ordinary shares of 21 each. The proprietors of the old company take the whole of the ordinary shares, and 2100,000 in cash, for the sale of the undertaking. The profits for each of the past four years ended the 31st December have been : for 1910, £13,674; for 1911, 223,446 ; for 1912, £51,579; for 1913, £60,032. The net value of the property transferred is certified to be £196,776; hence, the goodwill of the company is valued at 2103,224. The proceeds of the flotation will provide another £100,000 of working capital. It is almost superfluous for its to write in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR concerning the excellence of Leyland manufacture or the thoroughness with which the company is managed. The names of the Messrs. Henry Spurrier (father and son) and of Mr. Arthur Spurner, in common with those of other gentlemen who are associated with them, are known and esteemed throughout the industry, and by a very large circle of customers in all parts of the world. We shall, therefore, content ourselves by saying that the prospectus is in every sense a clean one, and that there is obviously a guarantee behind these preference shares which is well ahead of the average in industrial companies of the first rank. Whilst we have been for some time aware of the intentions of the directors, and for nearly a fortnight of the essential details of the prospectus, we were bound by a promise of secrecy not to deal ‘‘ith them early. in print. Readers who may have desired to become shareholders will have found the opportunity in the wide advertisement of the prospectuses in the daily Press.
Mr. Henry Spurrier, 31111 r., and Mr. Arthur Spurrier undertake to serve the company for a miniamm period of seven years, whilst Mr. Henry Spurner naturally remains chairman of the concern, which he has in more ways than one "fathered " from its earliest beginnings in the year 1896.
It is in keeping with the general trend of events, that the company should find itself with a record total of orders upon its books at the present time. These and other circumstances account, no doubt, for the confidence with which it is stated in the prospectus that the directors—despite the fact that no underwriting commission has been paid—will not proceed to allotment unless the whole 200.000 preference shares are subscribed and allotted. This was a boldmove, having regard to possibilities which might have become realities.
Whilst we have no reason to think that the issue will be other than over subscribed, the old company will be just as well placed for carrying on and expanding its lousiness in any event, having regard to the resources of the Spurnez farudy. We learn that Messrs. Grapes and Riley, of which firm Mr. Hamilton Grapes is a member, and
which holds the sole concession for New Zealand for Albion vehicles, has sold a 15 h.p. 20-cwt. Albion to the Wellington Tramways and -Electric Lighting Department.
Notts Roads.
Another big scheme of road improvement, with the financial aid of the Road Board, concerns 114 miles of main roads in Nottinghamshire. The total cost of. reconstruction will be £129,404. The Road Board, from the proceeds of motor taxation, makes a grant of 249,000 and a, loan, free of interest of Z57,500, leaving only £22,904 to be provided by the Notts County Council. Tins authority has already reeonstrueted 63 miles of main road, so that, when the new scheme is completed, it will have dealt with 207 miles of such roads.
Midland Transport.
We wish every success to the amalgamation of the haulage businesses of Mr. T. A. Evertonunr., E of Droitwieh, and the Express Motor Transport Co., of Pershore. The combined concern is to be known as the Birmingham and Midland Counties Transport Co., Ltd., with its registered office at 6, Cherry Street, Birmingham. The authorized capital is £20,000. The Droitwich branch will be under the personal supervision of Mr. Everton, whilst the other branches, and particularly a large new depot in Birmingham, will be under the personal supervision of Messrs. 0. and G. E. D. Rails.
Furniture Removal Overseas.
One of the latest reports to hand concerning the successful Overseas use of a Commerear is from New Zealand. The photograph from which we have prepared the a,coompanying illustration depicts a twiner as it arrived at Searle's Garage, Oamarn, on the East Coast, from Pembroke, Lake Wanaka, some 200 miles distant inland. We are ad x ised that the journey took a little more than two days, and that not a single article of furniture or glassware was in any way damaged. It is interesting to observe the deer-heads on the top of the load ; Lakes Wanaka and Htzwea in Otago are deer country. Control of Drivers.
A Trades Union congress, at its meeting at Kirkcaldy on Saturday last, passed a resolution in favour of the securing of certificates of competency by persons in charge of road trains or other heavy motor traffic.
Budget Control.
Mr. Lloyd George's Budget speech, on Monday night last, contrary to anticipations, contained no detail references to the manner in which effect is to be given to certaM recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Local Taxation. Provision is to be made, for the time being at any rate, to defray the cost of grants in aid of main-road maintenance by increases of income-tax and supeetax, with which there is no necessity for us to deal here. It is now evident that any change in the licensing and taxation of trade and hackney motor vehicles will be the subject of separate legislation.