THE DISCUSSION.
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The Society of Road Traction Engineers spent a very profitable evening, at its last meeting, on 23rd March, in discussing the paper, by Messrs. Percy Frost-Smith and W. A. Stevens, on " The development of petrobelectric systems, and their application to heavy road vehicles." The discussion, as will be seen from our report, raised several interesting points, and was of an extremely practical character. It was only fitting, perhaps, that Mr. Durtnall, who was joint-author of a paper read before a previous meeting of the Society on the petrol-electric system with which his name is associated, should open the discussion ; and, if his speech consisted rather of a reiteration of the points of the
Hart-Durtnall system, rather than a criticism of those discussed in the paper before the meeting, this was not unnatural. Col. Crompton, who is becoming a regular attendant at these meetings, contributed to the discussion a plea for the electric omnibus, which he believes is destined to occupy a position of much greater importance in the future, whilst Mr. Searle, of the London General Omnibus Company, after a somewhat short experience, has apparently given up the petrol-electric system, and is pinning his faith to the Clarkson steamers, which he stated had been working very satisfactorily on routes served by his company. The usual light refreshments were served.