Speed Achievements in the Recent French Trials.
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We pointed out in our several reports at the time that speed was regarded as the first element by drivers in the recent French commercial motor trials. That this view was a correct one is borne out by the fact that an cs:cenied French correspondent has abstracted an advance classification of the competing vehicles according to the official times recorded by MM. Longuemare, Lumet and Sautin, of the A.C.F. "TIlE COMMERCIAL MOTOR' is the only journal either in France or England, which is placed in a position to indicate the classification of the vehicles on this basis, although such grouping cannot be extended to the goods vehicles which carried upwards of 2,000 kilos. by reason of the fact that, for one reason or another, certain times of arrival are wanting. The particulars are at least interesting, however, because they testify to the regular running of certain of the competing vehicles, and they serve as a prelude to the official classification by the Commission des Concours
which will shortly be issued. This classification will be based upon coefficients of the fuel consumption, weights and average speeds.
In the section for public service vehicles and motor omnibuses, the total distance which was covered, in accordance with the ultimate route selected, was 875.600 kilometres (554 miles). It is not surprising to find that the two De Dietrich vehicles (Nos. 41 and 42), which were fitted with pneumatic tyres, and each of which carried a load approximately equal to seven passengers with baggage—on the basis of too kilos. for each person with luggage—occupied but slightly over 22 hours in covering the whole distance. The actual running time of the first machine proved to be 22hrs. ismins., whilst that of the second one was only r2mins. more, which yields an average speed throughout in excess of 24 miles an hour for each vehicle! To call a machine of this type a motor omnibus is to strain the meaning of the words as we understand them in Great Britain. The largest omnibuses which completed the trial officially, viz., the Mors (No. 53) and the Eugene Brillie (No. 54), occupied 44hrs. 3omins. and 47hrs. 28mins., respectively, which yields an average speed throughout of 12.2 miles per hour for the Mors and of ix.3 miles per hour for the Brillie. In the lighter goods classification, we find that the three Contal motor-tricycle carriers varied between 37hrs. 17mins. and 53hrs. 4mins. for the same distance as the motor omnibuses, these smaller machines being sent over the same roads. The highest average maintained in this class was, accordingly, 14.6 miles per hour.
In passing to the section for the lighter goods vehicles, we find the order in the class for vehicles carrying from 500 to ,000 kilos, to be as follows :—Aries (No. 23), 23hrs.7_mins. ; Clement (No. 30), 27hrs. 4Smins.; Gillet-Forest (No. 4), 32hrs. 29mins. ; and De Dion-I3outon (No. 6). 36hrs.
These times are tor the shorter aggregate distance of 592 kilometres (36S miles), this being the revised and official distance for the goods vehicles, but it should be mentioned that the De Dion-Bouton van carried a load nearly 300 kilos. in excess of those taken by the other three machines, which probably accounts for the fact that its average speed was barely in excess of ro miles an hour compared with 15.5 miles an hour by the Aries. In the classification for loads between 1,5oo and 2,900 kilos., the De Dietrich (No. 2) took lohrs. 55mins., the Gladiator (No. 29) 44hrs. 'min., and the Latin avant train (No. /o) 49hrs. 29mins. The respective loads carried were 1,498, 1,813 and 1,642 kilos., so that these records indicate a great similarity of performance on the part of the three vehicles. The results have been published for the military wagon section, in which the loads were required to be from i,000 to 1,200 kilos. in a maximum total weight of 3,200 kilos. The Delahaye (No. 91) is awarded first place with 1,6°6 marks ; the De Dion-Bouton (No. 84) secures second place with 1,585 marks ; and the Gillet-Forest (No. 83) is allotted third place. with 1,498 marks. Practically the whole of the other military vehicles are given some award.