GRAPHITE IN LUBRICATION.
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By Col. David J. Smith, 141.Inst.A.E,
THE RECENT SESSION of the Empire Motor Fuels Committee held at Olympia did much to draw attention to the present unsatisfactory fuel position and the remedies for dealing with it.
There is, however, one very important matter which was entinely overlonied (or probably it is hardly fair .to oe.y this' as it did not come within the scope of the committee). I refer to the matter of lubricating oils. 'While attention has been largely focused'en liquidsfuels very little thought-appears to have been given to the lubricating oil position, which at the present time, is even more serious than that of fuel. Owners of motor vehicles will hardly need to be reminded of the extremely high prices-now beint charged for lubricating oils,' but'sprobablythey are not aware as to how much this is 'bound up withthe present demand for and shortage a liquid fuels. -Internal combustion engines can be constructed to run onsmenYidifferent types of fiu, both liquid and solid, but whatever fuel is used they must have lubrication, and it is time that some action • was ,taken to safeguard the supplies of lubricating oils.
The increasing and wasteful use of_ heavyO;i1 fuel on steam-driven ships has many times been criticised, and there is little doubt-but *hat this, among other uses, is having a very great effect on the , lubricating oil • position, as it must-,undoubtedly pay the oil companies much better to sell these heavy fuels in their relatively crude state.
c14 Another point is that the extending. practice of cracking the heavy fractions, in order to produce a greater yield of petrol, is also reducing the yield of lubricating oil very seriously and, quite apart from the question of price, it is undoubtedly of "the first importance to reduce the consumption of lubricating oil as much' as possible. Many engines are relatively wasteful in lubricating oil, and little can be done in altering them, but, in engines of new design, this matter should he very carefully considered. To attempt to economize in lubricating oil by simply reducing the lubrication of existing engines is to court certain and serious trouble, but much could be done to make the present lubricating oil go considerably further. than it now does.
Many years ago, in making experiments on the lubrica.ton of steam engines using • highly super-heated steam, I found that very remarkable results Could be achieved • by adding a certain quantity of graphite
to the lubricating oil. At that time graphite was almost unobtainable, and the addition of unsuitable graphite produced effects very similar to thatof emery or other abrasive-material, and I, th*efore, had ."to "abandon the matter. Some years later, however, graphite in a 8uitable form became available—I allude to Achesont deflocculated graphite. I proved, in actual practice in both steam and internal-combustion engines, that it is possible to save quite ar per cent, of the lubricating oil with safety, and that,
once the working parts have received a, coating of graphite lubrication can be reduced to a remarkable extent.
This matter is probably not ane which greatly interests the owner of one vehicle, but to those running large 'lumbers of vehicles any reduction in the consumption of lubricating oil would be a very iseportant matter? especially_ as there is every probability that the price will increase very largely in the near future. There will be no mystery about this increase; it will simply be due to the shortage of supplies.
I have recently been making further experiments with lubricating oil containing a certain proportion of graphite, and sold under the name of " Suepensol," and 'find it gives very remarkable results, It -is a great pity that the manufacturers of lubricating oils do not give this matter • consideration, and also that those firms which' are supplying oils similar to those mentioned -do not make them better known in theO-notor world. As a. matter of fact, I do not know whether Acbeson's graphite, suitable for adding to lubricating oils, is still on the market, but, in any case, I think the average owner would prefer to buy his lubricating oil with the correct proportion added, as in the case of " Suspensol." oils. I have no interest in this matter apart from that of automobiliem in general, but hope that the question of lubricating oils will receive early and serious consideration, otherwise it cannot fail to have a harmful effect on the industry.
TRAMS v. BUSES.
Extension of Nottingham's Tram , ways Against Public Opinion.
DEGAli,DLEM alnearently of e grow
ing volume of public opinion antic onietie to the deveeopmene of a police of tra,mway exteneion, the Nottingham Corporation ha& given notice ot its intention to revive a scheme which embodies it further important elaboration of means of communication upon rigid lines. The failure to peep the posse bilitiee of atiotorbuB traffic within the city has been in itself a sufficient, cense• et irritation, but the mischief threatens to be aggravated now in relation to one of the most important of the extra municipal 'areas, Beeston having been selected as the objective, this lieing by fee the largest residential centre within the vicinity of the county town. Originally, the scheme was brought forward contemporaneously with the project for the extension of the Nottingham houndaties, which would have brought within the city's administraeive nave a territory which has been notable for many important industrial operatione, of which one of the beet known, prior to transference to Coventry, was the Humber Cyole works. But there being vigorous opposition annexation proposals, the city authorities marked their disappointment by withdrawing the tramway plans, which are now being revived in a way which threatens to lead to a sharp conflict of opinion between the borough . and the county anthoritie'e as to the relative Merits of 'buses and trains. • .
Apart from its local bearing, the case 'resents general interest by reason of the fact thee upon the corporation's application for Parliamentary powers, the Netts. County Council will raise the point as to whether buses are not. the more suitable means of locomotion for passenger-carrying purposes. .
The matter was brought under consideration at the last meeting of the county administrative body quite recently, ender the presidency of Viscount Galway, who het exercised a potent influence upon legislation .effecting high-way eentatel. The result of the deliberations of the Notts. Council seems, therefrom, to warrant the anticipation than failing the municipalities' own inability or unwillingness to reecogni•ze that buses afford the more reasonable means of extending communication, the• county authorities may themselves be as successful in enforcing thaet view as they were in formulating their original objec tions to the extension scheme.
It was Teported that. despite a previous undertaking by the Corporation only to run buses to Beeet.on, the city had new inacle application to the Ministry 01 Transport to extend the time for the completion of the tramway and street works authorized by the Act of 1903. Theepprieation was made under special powers given by Parliament to meet was emergencies. Notice of objection on
behalf of the County Council lead been presented on the errounil that tbeeappli cation was an. 'abuse of the Special Aote (Extension of Time), 1915, to apply for powers which only a few months ago the Corporation failed to obtain. from Parliament, and which filmy formally undertook to strike out of their thereby securing the withdrawal of the Petition of the riounty authorities. Power was now given the committee to take atl necessary steps to. resist the application of the Corporation.
Sharp criticism of present, unsatisfactory tramway arrangements in Nottingham has been emphasized, during the recent municipal contatts, especially by Labour candidates, it being complained that not only are the services inadequate, particularly during tho rush hours, -but the faxes are excessive, being, with the single exception of Bournemouth, the highest of any in the country. Nottingham's minimum. tram. fare is 10., and the • Labour nominees are advocating wholesale reductions upon all routes, with an acceleration, in regard to time, .and an incteaete in numbers of cars which have long been needed. But this obviously, if effected, can only meet the difficulties as far as main routes are concerned, aniequally exigent claim being for the extension of the bus system to districts for which the present rigid rail system makes no direct provision,• and for improvements also which are clearly capable of accomplishment in the plairunder which the present attenuated bus service is being run.
TRENT BRIDGES.
Number Of Bridges Across River Trent are Insufficient for Modern Traffic Needs.
IN -THE light of modern-day neces1 sines, it is one of the anomalies associated with conditions in relation to the, great waterway which rises in Staffordshire and falls into the Heather, at Hull, that there are ea few bridges, and those only at widely separated intervals, permitting of the crossing of the river by motor and .other traffic. The outlet from 'Nottingham upon its southern side, by the bridge, for the construction of which the Corporation -was responsible many }mere ago, When a primitive wooden erection gave place to the present iron structure, has long been quite inadequate to meet the requirements which have grown enormously of late by reason of the development of motor traffic, in which for purposes of public conveyance, the buses run by the West Bridgford District. Council and the Trent Motor Traction Co. play a leading part.
It was , thrown, out as oneof the solatiume to the suburben districts, which it was sought to annex under Nottingham's recent menicipal project, that -the widening of Trent Bridge would be undertaken as one of the earliest of public undertakings to he included in the programme, under the suggested extended regime, and the necessity for the work has been rendered no less pressing by reason of the fact that the extension proposals have now been temporarily checked. The bridge is contiguous to the historic Trent Bridge cricket ground and the Forest Football Club headquairtere, with the result that whilst for the constant volume of ordinary traffic the bridge has -proved quite insefficient, the congestion reaches dangerous proportions upon days of sporting encounters.
An announcement is now forthcoming that the Corporation, whilst willing to
undertake the work, Enda the present period inopportune for the operations which it had been suggested might have provided useful labour for hundreds who are at present out of employment in Nottingham. No section of' the com munity will more heartily welcome the improvement when it is unelerteken than drivers of commercial and other motile vehicles.
DOMINION TRADE.
Mr. A. R. Atkey Relates His Interesting Transatlantic Experiences.
MR,. A. .R. ATKEY, M.P. for the Central Division of Nottingham, who visited Canada recently as the delegate of the Nottingham organization for the purpose of attending the Empire Conference of' Chambers of Commerce, held at Toronto, afforded the opportunity to members of the Nottingham. Chamber at their recent meeting of listening to a delectable account of his transatlantic experiences. The proceedings in the Canadian centre were of the greatest interest in view of future trading relationships with the Mother Country, but even more important in its immediate bearing was the visit, which, as one of a selected deputation of 15, he paid to Washington, at the personally conveyed request of the American Chambers of Commerce, -who .sent a representative specially to Toronto for the purpose of extending the invitation. Descanting upon the praetical influence in regard to commercial affairs which the American Chambers are enabled to exercise by reason of their highly organized character, Mr. Attn: pointed to the value of their activities ni regard to railway work, commenting, by 'way of contrast, upon the atmosteehelpless position which we are in upon this side under bureaucratic control.
The United States Chambers of commerce recognized after the war's experit e,nee that unless something was done to mould theGovernment policy to suit the trade of the United States, something would happen detrimental to their interests. Accordingly they set up a committee which was so overpoweringly representative of people whose opinions would command respect, that they had been able to propound a policy which, in the light of experience, the American Government had practically no alternative but to accept. Their representations laid before the Government Department of the American Legislature had secured, in effect, the return of the railway& to private-ownership, under such terms and conditions as would not be prejudieiai to the trade of the United States, and he hoped it might be possible to develop in this 'country Chambers of Coanznerce on similar lines.
The American Chambers of Commerce organization, he declared, wasnreally a marvellous piece of consternation, When they came up against problems which it was trepoesible for any particular executive or co,mmittee to decide, or where moil a committee felt that its owal judgment would not command the support of commercial interests genesally, or the Government, they instituted a referendum.
Although Mr. Atkey's interesting summary of his recent experience in the
States bore no distinct, reference to the motor industry, ripen which, threogji his long aseociation with the trade, he is entitled to speak with authority, his obaerryetious generally in regard to relationships with the -United States were entirely encouraging from the comanercial standpoint. He declared that both at Washington and New York there was bornetin upon the minds of the deputation evidence, upon all sides, of the sincere desire of every section of the community, and their determination that there should be nothing in the future to divide the common action of the English and American people.