Motorcab Prospects.
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THERE IS A FAIRLY general consensus of public opinion in favour of the owner-driven • motorcab as against the companies' -vehicles. The preference is, of course, not justified in every instance, but on the whole it rests upon a sound basis. It is certainly in the interests of the ownerdriver to see that his cab is maintained in a. condition which makes it safe to drive, and also to drive it in such a way as not to involve high operating costs. Furthermore, the owner-driver often finds that a pleasant and obliging disposition leads to the establishment of a little personal clientele that may form a very useful source of fairly regular income. Most of the troubles from which so many of the cab companies have suffered are more or less directly traceable to the conditions of remuneration of their men. If a man depends simply on a certain percentage of the takings, his sole object will be to make the takings as high as possible or, alternatively, to bring them up to the point that provides him with what he regards as a sufficient income, but not to trouble to go beyond that point. If his object is to make the most he can, he will be inclined to get himself disliked by endeavouring to avoid his public nbligations -when the journey happens to be one that does not appeal to him, because perhaps it takes him into a district where a return fare cannot easily be picked up. Also he realizes that by fast driving he can often earn money more quickly. It does not matter to him whether in so doing he abuses his brakes and helps his vehicle to depreciate rapidly. He is not likely to trouble much about the condition of his tyres provided that they are likely to hold up till the end of the day and not to cause him loss of money. Unfortunately, the method on which a taximeter works is in itself an encouragement to had driving on the part of a man who is not responsible for the maintenance of his vehicle. The fare payable for a given journey varies according to the manner in which that journey is performed. If a moderate and steady pace is maintained throughout, the fare works out lower than if the journey consists of a series of rushes alternating with a series of delays in traffic blocks, even though the time occupied in the two instances may be equal. This is evident when one remembers that, for everything above a certain speed, a taximeter registers by distance. Thus, if the whole journey ig performed above that speed a fare equivalent to the whole distance is recorded.
If the use of high speeds brings the driver frequently up behind waiting traffic, causing numerous tem porary stops, the taximeter begins to register by time and the fare mounts up further. If by Maintaining only a comparatively moderate speed delays in traffic blocks are avoided, the fare is only based on the distance covered and is, therefore, lower. Thus there is a positive encouragement to the companies' driver to cover his journey in a series of rapid bursts of speed, terminated usually Ey a very sudden and severe application of the brakes. In fact, what is worst for the vehicle is best for the driver, unless the one is the property of the other. It is for such reason as this that the existing company system is really fundamentally wrong. It is difficult, however, to see how it can be replaced by anything better and less liable to abuse, unless we give up the company system altogether and allow the _whole business to fall into the hands of the owner-driver, the companies' garages being transferred into big maintenance and repair establishments. In this latter capacity they ought to be able to do good business, because, by working upon a large scale, it should be possible to offer the owner-driver more favourable terms for maintenance and for supplies than he would get elsewhere. It would seem, then, that on a plain logical basis, the cab company as such, has not a very rosy future. The argument: is all on the side of the owner-driver, supported by a wellequipped repair establishment where his vehicle can be housed, and where he will purchase his fuel and other supplies on favourable terms. A development on these lines would, we think, be welcome to the public, because it would tend towards better and more careful driving and generally improved relations between driver and fare.
The Export of Coal.
AT A TIME when so „many of us are a good deal perturbed on account of our dependence on imported supplies of fuel, it seems rather curious that plans should be elaborated for increasing the export of the only fuel with regard to which we are well situated, namely, coal. This is, however, the whole tenor of the seport of the Departmental Committee on the Coal Trade after the war. This report is drawn up on the assumption that it is essential in the national interest that the export coal trade should be maintained and increased. During• 1913 it represented about a quarter of our whole output. Some 34,000,000 tons were exported to our present Allies. This amount would have to be increased by 8,000,000 if German sources of supplies were cut off.
It seems to us very questionable whether the policy which the coal trade believes to be good for itself can also be regarded as being good for the country. It involves the consumption of coal in effecting the carriage of coal, and from this point of view is evidently wasteful.. Any general scheme for making the most of the world's fuels would involve employing those fuels for the production of power as nearly as possible at the points where fuel supplies exist. Thus a proper organization in this country would involve the construction of great power stations in the coal-producing districts. The further we carry our fuel before it is used, the more fuel must we waste in carrying it. Moreover, it is very questionable4poliey to dispose with undue rapidity of the principal sources of power at our disposal without import. The more coal we send abroad, the more rapidly will the price of coal rise in this country, and the sooner shall we get to the end of our supplies. From our own special point of view we want cheap coal for use under the boilers of steam lorries and tractors. We also want our coal to be so treated as to lead to the extraction of the largest possible amount of liquid fuel for use in internal-combustion engines. From this point of view, there would be less objection to the export of coke thal to the export of coal. The latter involves sending out of the country the source of large liquid fuel supplies which, if disposed of in this way, must be balanced by corresponding imparts. To our mind the general principle of our policy should aim at securing a more efficient, but at the same time More liberal, utilization of our coal in support of our home industries.
The Gas Exhibition—and the Next Step. ,
EVERY CREDIT must be given to the Gas Traction Committee for the initiative and enterprise which have prompted them to bring together a group of exhibits sufficiently comprehensive and informative to show the development of gas traction under the terrific handicap of war conditions. And a considerable amount of credit must also be given to the exhibitors for their efforts to support the ideas of the Committee.
_Small as is the gas traction section, there is something really new and interesting, quite apart from the devices which had already proved their merits. The gas-equipped London omnibus chassis is a sufficiently
striking exhibit to arrest attention and to cause the interest thus aroused in gas traction to carry the spectator the few steps round the corner into the Robing Room, where the section is housed. Had more sPace been available, the section could have been extended materially. As it is, the Committee has had to be content to make it representative.
The new cylinder made of a fabric of interlaced spiral wire is a striking departure.. It successfully accomplishes the aims of the inventor—to secure a cylinder employing the • minimum amount of metal, disposed in sueh a way that it cannot be fracturedsby dropping, careless handling or impact, whilst the east of construction shall be reasonably low, and the quick replacement of any damaged or defective detail be possible. At the same time, the inventor is content with a, pressure of 300 lb. to the square inch, as being within the capacity of certain available compressors, although the cylinder on exhibition has withstood an internal pressure of double that named. The next stage must be the installation of compressors, and, concerning this, it is almost impossible to fix,even an approximate date. The dangers of an indiscriminate laying down and use of compressing plant are very real. In fact, the handling of the pressure etripment must be regarded as an undertaking calling for proper engineering knowledge. A system must be established for examining, testing, registration and recording of cylinders, for the approval of designs for joints and couplings, and for the regular re-annealing of cylinders. These is at present no organization in existence for this preliminary work. In London, the Public Control Department of the London County Council may be the right body to lay down the rules, but it is obvious that there is yet much organizing work to be done before the supply and installation of gas-pressure systems can be regarded as -being commercially sound. At the same time, with the knowledge before us of what must be done, there should be the greater incentive to create the necessary organization without needless delay.