The French Tractor Trials.
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Official Secrecy. Our Correspondent's Special Pass.
True military secrecy prevailed in connection with the French fourwheel-drive tractor competition which, as we wrote last week, has commenced at. Rheims, and is now being continued in the eastern part of France.
The preliminary operations took part in one of the many barrack yards of the champagne city. Whether it was intentional or not, the authorities had selected the most isolated headquarters and the one most difficult of access in the town and had guarded the secret se well that even the sub-officers did not know of the existence of the competition until two days before it was to commence.
Spacial Permit for "The Commercial Motor."
Under such circumstances it was not surprising that the guard refused to allow a mere civilian to pass the gates into the big drill ground on which the tractors were being guarded by sentinels. Escorted under military guard to the captain of the pare, a non-corn. thought it necessary to inquire into B10
the identity of the stranger. The captain did not dare take the responsibility of giving a laisztez passer to an English journalist, but kindly promised to refer the request to the colonel and give the 'reply in a couple of hours. The Council of War reported favourably, with the result that THE C0m EHC1AL MOTOR correspondent was the only newspaper man allowed to come on the military ground. A Paris Press photographer who made application at the same time met with a stern refusal.
The weighing-in formalities were merely those we have been used to in oannection with the annual French Army Trials, and were carried out with most minute care. Each tractor was weighed with and without, load, on front axle and rear axle, and as a whole. The trailers were treated in the same way ; all the vehicles were tested for necessary clearance and every possible measurement was taken. As there was no weighbridge in the barracks yard, the tractors had to be sent to the public scales about three-quarters of a mile away. This served to give a demonstration of the mobility of the trains without seriously lengthening the operations.
Sleeve-valve Panhards with Diagonal Worm Drives.
The first machines to come up for examination were the two light and the two heavy Panhard-Levassor tractors, each one with two trailers. These had come from Paris under their own power, occupying two days for the 95-mile journey. The new models, with Knight motor and diagonal worm drive, attracted considerable attention on the part of the military commission. Panhard showed a very complete display of attachments for getting the tractors out of seft ground. These comprised various type.s of chains for putting round the tires, as well as ribbed steel rims for attachment to the road wheels.
The Petrol-electrics were Late.
Balachowsky and Caire should have come up on the first, day, but these petraelectrics failed to put in an appearance. Evidently there had been some mishap at the last moment, for the vehicles were being loaded ready for the journey when the writer left Paris for Rheims.
The two Renault heavy tractors were next examined and had no difficulty in passing the preliminary tests. Latil presented two types, a pair of heavy tractors and one light machine, each tractor having a couple of trailers. These tractors were the lowest in weight and had the shortest. wheelbase of any in the competition. They called forth favourable comment by the easy and rapid way in which they manceuvred when taking up or setting down their trailers. Contrary to the practice of the other manufacturers, Latil had fitted one of his trailers With rubber-shod tires, although it is doulatful if he could obtain any real advantage, from their use in a competition of this nature. A spare wheel was carried for one of the other tractors, and was very neatly slung under the ehassis. Latil, like Panhard, had detachable steel rims for use on soft ground. Another feature of the Latils was the use of an anchor at the rear of each tractor. This consisted of a couple of stout struts having a universal-joint attachment to the rear extremity or the main frame members. The ends of the struts carried a broad-ribbed foot which would give considerable hold in any ordinary kind of soft ground.
The Schneiders with Engines Amidships.
The two Schneiders were the last to be called up, although they had been in town for 24 hours after having made the long journey from Havre under their own power in a very satisfactory manner. With their engines set midway between the two axles and a platform body both front and behind, they had a most distinctive and workmanlike appearance. The detail fittings, too, in view of the rough work across country which would have to be undertaken later, were of a very practical nature.
Running on Alcohol.
During the whole of the weighing-in operations alcohol was the fuel employed. It necessitated a considerable amount of hard work in cranking, but once the engines had been started up and made reasonably warm no trouble appeared to be experienced. The same fuel had to be used for the first four days on the road, followed later by benzole and finally by petrol.
The Opening Run.
The first day's journey was from Rheims to Chaim's, via. Epernay, a distance of about 37 miles. The starts were given at intervals of about 10 minutes in the following order : four Panhard tractors, three
Latil, two Renault and two Schneider. This order was selected haphazard, for the relative speed of the tractors was not known. The first to arrive at Chalons were the light Panhafds, followed by the light Latil, a heavy Latil, a heavy Panhard, the two Renaults, the two Schneider and the other Latil. An average speed of six to seven miles an hour was maintained
throughout the trip. The roads were exceptionally heavy and hilly in places. The minimum speed required on the open road is five miles an hour. No incidents of note occurred during this run ; indeed it is too early for any practical lessons to hare been learned, and the vehicles will not be put to really severe tests until they get near the eastern frontier.