Passing Comments
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There are Some AR D is the war-time lot of Jobs the Railways CanI I the country carrier. We not Do know one in the South of England who has rendered useful service to his neighbourhood for many a year and is still in constant demand for work the railway cannot perform, yet his petrol ration has so dwindled that he may have to give up. Local authorities appreciated the need for his seririces, but his coupons now come from a distant office that knows little and cares less about local conditions. Incidentally, one of his tasks is the conveyance of the dead to the mortuary. Would the railway do this?
Will Vehicle Engines A CCORDING to Hickey, of be Driven by 1-1 the "Daily Express," Mercury? . . . . Madeline Fischback, a mining
engineer, United States, has prophesied that, in a few years, oil will have lost the important rank it holds to-day, and most engines will be driven on mercury instead of petrol. The idea of a mercury-driven engine is not, in itself, strikingly original, and plant has been operating in the United States in which electric power is generated by mercury-driven turbines. The advantage of employing mercury instead of water lies in the fact that, for equalipressures, the heat content of mercury is enormously greater than that of water, whilst the fact that the specific gravity of mercury itself is over 13 times that of water means that, for equal volumes of vapour, the liquid source from which this vapour is extracted need be far less in volume. Other advantages of a highly technical nature might also be quoted, but the problem of condensing a mercury exhaust is exceedingly difficult, yet it naust be done so effectively that, to render the exhaust reasonably safe, the mercury content must be less than 0.01 milligrammes per cubic metre. Reports seem to indicate that, in spite of claims to the contrary, exhaust losses of existing mercury turbines in the States are alarmingly high. There is, we feel, little chance. of Miss Fischback's prophecy being realized yet awhile.
Appreciation of TransQOME people might think port's Help to the that those who are blind Blind would find less difficulties in the black-out than would others. In some respects, this may be true as concerns the individual, but it has a disadvantage for the reason that people with normal sight suffer partially from the same disability at night. In this connection, Captain Ian Fraser, chairman of St. Dunstan's, has written to us, expressing high praise of the general kindness of officials and men of the various transport services which is extended at all times to the blind, who often have to move on unfamiliar ground when travelling by bus, taxicab, train, or even afoot. Captain Fraser asks us also to include in his thanks the police, who are traditionally their friends. The blind are faced with a difficult problem when they have to cross the roads in the dark and can barely be seen. AM drivers should bear this in mind. Sub-agents Cannot VVITH reference to the notes Work on All-round " on the Hauliers' National 5 per cent. . . . Traffic Pool which we pub
lished last week, Mr. F. C. G. Mills, Chairman of the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses, points out that, as originally arranged with the Road Haulage (Operations) Advisory Committee, the commission of 5 per cent. on gross haulage charges allowed to what are termed sub-agents was a minimum rate, which would not be an economic figure if and when a considerable proportion of a sub-agent's tonnage was derived from the Pool. It is estimated by the clearing houses that overhead and other charges would not be covered by such a small percentage, particularly as it is in relation to the Government rates, which are themselves by no means high. AN announcement has been made that the Government is endeavouring to find a suit. able substitute for those antifreezes which have been frozen from the general market. Recommendations and supplies would certainly be welcomed, provided that we do not have Any more of the common-salt variety. In this connection, our associated journal, "The Motor," refers to a substance, believed to have been methanol, • which poisoned hundreds of people in the U.S.A., because it was used as an offset to prohibition. although a deadly poison. What is required is something innocuous to inebriates, metals, rubber hose, not too volatile and yet capable of reducing the freezing point to reasonably safe degrees, although nothing practicable will stand really low temperatures.
What Can be Used to Prevent Engine Freezing