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EPOCH-MARKING RALLY

8th May 1942, Page 26
8th May 1942
Page 26
Page 27
Page 26, 8th May 1942 — EPOCH-MARKING RALLY
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f PRODUCER-GAS FORCES

Two Events of Major Importance in A Motion by the Duke of Montrose as Proposed by Lord Leathers, was was Held by the Newly Formed Mob for the Duke's Motion ta )roducer-gas World Occurred Last Week. onvert 50,000 Vehicles Instead of io,000 col to; and a Well-attended Conference roducer Gas Association at which Support sdged Without Qualification

AS a result of inaction on the part of the Government in connection with the use of producer gas as an alternative to imported liquid fuel, the Diike of Montrose, in the House of Lords, on April 28, moved a resolution that a scheme for converting 50,000 vehicles to run on producer-gas (plant not specified) should be prepared and put into force so soon as possible. This led Lord Leathers to state that it had been decided to require the equipment of 10,000 commercial vehicles with the improved Government plant. The Duke challenged a division and the Government was defeated, 20 peers out of 39 voting in favour of his motion.

On the following day a conference was held of the newly formed Mobile Producer Gas Association, at which six companies associated with the manufacture of proprietary gas plants were represented. This association is giving strong support to the Duke of Montrose's proposal, and its members are fully agreed upon the need for co-operation among themselves and are unanimously determined to work together wholeheartedly with the Nation's welfare foremost in their minds, Essential Civil Transport Using 6,000,000 Tons of Petrol The Duke, having referred in the upper House to the loss of further oilfields in the East and having stressed the seriousness of the present situation and the urgent need for the adoption of measures to provide an alternative source • of power to petrol, said there were five to six million tons of petrol being used annually in this country, apart from what was required by the Services. This quantity was essential for keeping our road transport running.

He held the view that at least 10 per, cent, of it must be saved, and that to do so would involve converting a minimum of 50,000 vehicles; nothing less would be any satisfaction. In this way 500,000 tons of petrol would be conserved or released for direct war purposes. It was not worth while going in for a scheme affecting only 10,000 vehicles.

In 1939, he continued, the report of the committee under Sir Harold Hartley appeared, recommending the conversion of 10,000 vehicles, and the Government producer was brought forward. This, His Grace inferred, was based upon the designs of the various proprietary plants then available, and he described it as "a kind of engineering haggis." Even the London Passenger Transport Board could not make it work. The Tilling company, on its part, putting no trust in the Government plant, designed its own. He did not think there were more than 100 of the Government producers on the roads to-day. It had been "an absolute flop" and something better was wanted.

Important Companies Featuring in Duke's 50,000 Scheme If Lord Leathers was unable to produce a scheme with a new and successful plant, there were others whb could. The British Coal Utilization Research Council, Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., and Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., would combine. They had already spent thousands of pounds on preparations for a scheme. If he (the Duke) were asked whether he would support a resuscitation of the Government producer or a much larger scheme from three concerns of the highest standing and most scientific equipment in the country, 'he would take the scheme of the practical men who understood what they were doing. He was confident that it would be a success.

Supporting the Duke of Montrose, Lord Gainford spoke. In his speech he paid tribute to the scientists who had solved the problems presented by applying producer-gas to road transport and gave as his opinion that it was lamentable that now, when we were in danger of losing the petrol we required for our aeroplanes and other services, we should hesitate to adopt a system by which a large quantity of petrol might be saved.

His next point was to take exception to the withdrawal of 50,000 of the best men from the coal-mining industry. There were large fields of coal which 'could be developed and collieries in Wales which were not allowed to be opened.

A24 He understood that 5,000 men were to be released from the Army to the mines, but the number ought to be 35,000. Corroboration of the Duke's words was given by Lord Teviot, another supporter of the motion. Well-known haulage concerns, to his knowledge; had found the Government producer useless, whilst plants of the type recommended in the new scheme were running to-day, after hundreds of thousands of miles, as satisfactorily as on the day they were delivered.

He begged that all who might be thinking " Well, we have made rather a hash of it " would admit now that the crisis was too serious for holding back. He appealed to those interested in the supply of petrol to this country.

This matter, he considered, was probably the most serious before the country to-day.

Lord Ailwyn, after making a reference to plausible and specious arguments advanced by vested interests, hoped that the Minister of War Transport had guarded himself against 'the snares of obstructive and destructive influences." In concluding his speech, he said that a bold scheme of the nature of that under consideration was bound to succeed, because the whole country would be behind it.

Stating that he did not believe in the vested-interest theory, but thought the reluctance of the British race to move out of a rut was the real reason for the Government's hesitation to face up to this proposal, Lord Phillimore suggested that it might be better for private concerns to take in hand the business of producing apparatus, but the Government might well grant facilities. He also urged the development here of charcoal production, Viscount Ridley, who voted., subsequently against the motion, said that the conversion of 50,000 vehicles would involve a consumption annually of 1,000.000 tons of coal, whilst making the plant would cost £5,000,000. A ton of petrol was about the equivalent of 2i tons of coal. A difficulty in the past had been not the shortage of coal but of the special fuels required. The Government producer did work satisfactorily on such fuels, but there would not be enough for a quarter of 50,000. In its latest form, moreover, the Emergency producer was even better.

He, too, had little faith in the vested-interest theory, but thought the difficulty was that too many Departments were concerned. An independent company could not start manufacturing on a big scale; the system of allocations and priorities prohibited that. The Government had given little encouragement and it was time a very clear and definite pronouncement of policy was forthcoming. Agreeing with this view, Lord Davies said the Ministry of War Transport should be primarily responsible for all questions in connection with producer gas. Until one Department took over tfig direction and control of the whole matter no progress would be made. The Minister then began his reply. Any large-scale extension of the number of producer-gas vehicles, said Lord Leathers, would entail diversion of industrial effort, loss of efficiency in road services, and transference of solid-firl supplies from existing uses. A heavy responsibility, therefore, rested on the Goverment. With regard to the 10,000 vehicles recommended for conversion by means of the Emergency producer, he stressed that the improved model, upon the design of which much development work had been clone, was the oneintended. It was not necessarily proposed to stop at the total quoted, but it represented an immediate objective. In the Duke's scheme, high-temperature coke was proposed as fuel, but it.had to be activated by the addition of an alkali, and, for this, extensive plants would have to be erected. '

It was a mistake to say that to aim at 10,000 vehicles Was only to nibble at the problem; fuel availability and productive capacity must be related to rate of progress. He assured the House that his Department intended to push the project forward with all possible speed.

Expressing disappointment at the Minister's reply, Lord Sempill made a valuable contribution to the debate He referred to the apparent secrecy that had been maintained about the improvements effected to the Government producer and said that he believed to be correct figures earlier quoted of 1,000 that had been made and of 100 that were in service, He. personally, knew of 40 that were lying idle in one place. In contrast, and not counting the Emergency units that were in use, he estimated that there were 1,500 proprietary plants on the roads and that they had covered a total mileage of 15,000,000.

He referred to the new Association and, to instance the scope of the concerns supporting it, said that one of them had converted 57 different makes of vehicle. Between them they were now in a position to mann faature 120 units a week, although, through material shortage, only 25 were being made at the moment. On the other hand, the output could easily be increased (in about four months) to 500 per week. Proper account had not been taken of the experience of the users. It had in part been transferred through the agency of the I.C.I., B.C.U.R.A., and Vauxhall organizations into the design figuring in the Duke's scheme. The B.C.U.R.A. unit could use 1.t, coke, h.t. coke activated, or anthracite activated. Activation consisted of impregnating the solids with sodium chloride.

Then the Duke of Montrose spoke again. Nothing, he said, was known about the improved Government producer to the public or the industry./ If Lord Leathers had given an assurance that part of the 10,000 orders would be allocated to better-known forms of producer, then he would have withdrawn his motion. As it was, Lord Leathers had specifically stated that all would be the Government units. This evoked a statement from the Minister that such a large number could be produced quickly only by mass production, therefore they must all be of the same design. The making of other plants would be permitted, but they would have to take second place. He denied, also that the improved model was unknown; it had had a greater mileage test than any of the others. The Duke then requested that manufacturers of other producers should have equality in allocation of materials with the makers of the 10,000, because it seemed to him evident that if the Government unit could not stand on its own legs in open competition, something was wrong with it. Lord Leathers interjected that whilst he would have liked to have seen the B.C.U.R.A. become a real success and ultimately eclipse the Emergency, the Technical Corn-mittee had been unable to recommend it.

" If we vote for your scheme," concluded the Duke,, " it means that private makes are excluded, because priority in materials will be given to the Government unit and to that alone. . . I feel I must•press this motion if private enterprise is to be excluded from equality with a Government producer."

Reverting now to. the event of the following day—the conference of the Mobile Producer Gas Association, let us see what were its reactions to the Lords' debate. Mr. Noel Jordan (Enness-Sentinel), chairman of the Association, early in his comments, referred to the fuel situation. This country, he said, was most bountifully endowed with coal, and, in point of fact there was plenty of suitable fuel for producer-gas plants. Besides those fuels that had been mentioned, there was medium-temperature coke, which could be employed. One plant which used to produce an excellent low-temperatutt fuel was now standing idle—a fact that he deplored. We surmise that he had in mind the prepared fuel called Suncole.

He assured his audience that the M.P.G.A. would back the Duke's scheme. Some 800,000 tons of fuel would be required. Activated coke could be made at many gasworks. Apart from the present serious need, the country must develop alternative fuels as a post-war measure.

Much Wider Scope of Proprietary Producers Mr. Slattery (B.V.P.), vice-chairman, pointed out .that the Emergency type limited the scope of progress, whereas the association could provide up-draught, down-draught, and •cross-draught types, or could produce the best corn'promise. Moreover, whilst the Emergency and B.C.U.R.A. producers were suitable only for engines of 24-44 litres, the M.P.G.A. could provide units for engines of 1-74 litres.

However, he considered the B.C.U.R.A. apparatus "a very commendable and comprehensive proposition." As the producer-gas industry had 1,500 vehicles running with 30,000,000 miles of experience and extensive manufacturing and installing facilities, he thought it surprising that such resources had not been used. Diversion of the war effort would nab be entailed in order to manufacture 1,000 units a month, and loss of efficiency in road services was improbable To his knowledge, goods and passenger services were being operated on producer gas to satisfactory regular schedules. The 13.C.U.R.A. stated that there was available surplus coke. The Lt. carbonization plant referred to was idle through lack of Government support. With anthracite, as well, an ample number of plants could be fuelled and the Association, therefore, refuted Lord Leathers's statement.

Prompted by a question relating to peat as a possible fuel, Mr. Morrison (Brush) said it was Wisfactory, provided the gas-cleaning system was modified, but the peat deposits available were too small to be of much use. To a question concerning the likelihood that, under the Minister's scheme, manufacturers would be prevented from building their own plants, Mr. Jordan said: "We will sink our own feelings to help the Nation all we know how and in any way." In connection with some comments, favourable and otherwise, on the attitude the Press had adopted to producer gas, a strong criticism was voiced of a technical paper which had recently published information relating to the schemes under discussion, "in distorted form."

House of Commons Likely to Take Notice of Lords' Vote Referring to the success of the Duke's motion, Mr. Chase (British Gazogenes) remarked that it was "the first time producer gas had ever been in the limelight in that way." It was a proof at welcome on a big scale. The Government was not compelled by the vote in the House of Lords to adopt the proposal, but the Commons would take notice of it. He thought the scheme for bringing into use 10,000 Emergency units would sound the death knell of producer gas. People who were interested in producer gas and their country owed a debt of gratitude to the Duke of Montrose. Finally, in explanation of a statement made earlier, Mr. Slattery said that 150,000,000 gallons of imported liquid fuel would be saved, because vehicles averaged a consumption rate of 10 m.p.g. and covered 30,000 miles a year, thus using 3,000 gallons a year. There were 50,000 vehicles. Other representatives of concerns belonging to the Association, Nvho were present, were Mr. Payne (H.M.L.) and Mr. Young (Dupuy).


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