News and Comment.
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This journal commands advertisement support upon terms which do not admit traders of inferior standing to its pages.
The final instalment of our articles on " The specification and testing of motorcar steels " will appear in our pages next week.
Who writes " One Hears— Everybody is asking, but nobody is telling. We quite agree that some of them have been a bit. interesting.
We shall tell all about the complete " Dominion and Overseas Special " in a week or two from now. We do not think there is any need for hurry in the distribution of the home voucher copies.
Our Australian correspondent goes on his missionary way, in which he has done good and acknowledged work for nearly two years. His notes, this week, will be found on pages 308 and 309. They are suggestive.
We are glad that there is to be a show at Olympia in March next ; we are sorry to be in opposition to friends of 12 and more years standing in commercial motoring; we appeal to them to forego those differences of opinion and not to be led into a scheme of discontented " side-tracking " of the official show of the Society to which they belong.
Correct Axle-weights.
We foresee a controversy and varied " Opinions from Others" upon the vexed topic of correct axle-weights. it can be made a subject of real concern to not a few people, alike from constructional, business and scientific standpoints. The " kiek-off," we admit, is not very convincing, but we have published the communication (page 301) as it came to hand. The Commercial Motor Users Association.
The monthly meeting of the Executive Committee was held at 112, Piccadilly, W., on Wednesday, the 7th December.
PRESENT. Colonel R. E. Crompton (in the chair), Colonel T. J. Kearns (Army Service Corps), Capt. R. K. Bagnall-Wild (Milnes-Daimler, Ltd., Hiring Dept.), Messrs. H. W. Wigan (Eastern Motor Wagon Co., Ltd.), E. Godfrey Brewer, F. R. de Bertodano (F.I.A.T. Motor Cab Co., Ltd.), L. G. Oldfiekl (London Omnibus Owners Federation), T. E. Harrison (Waring and (;illow, Ltd.), F. C. A. Coventry (Great Western Railway), John C. Mitchell (London General Omnibus Co., Ltd.), Iltid Witherington (C. H. Witherington and Sons, Reading), D. H. Simpson (Manchester), Arthur Spurrier (Leyland Motors Ltd., Postal Service), H. Lyon Thomson (Westminster City Council), E. Shrapnell Smith (Hon. Treasurer) and Fred G. Bristow (Secrefaryl. PRIZE SCHEME.—It was reported that the following entries had already been received for the Fifth Annual Parade of commercial motor vehicles organized by the Association —to be held on Whit Monday, the 5th June, 1911 :—Eastern Motor Wagon Co. Ltd., 12 vehicles; Leyland Motors, Ltd. (Postal Service), 12 vehicles; Milnes-Daimler, Ltd. (Hiring Dept.), 14 vehicles; and Waring and Gillow, Ltd., 10 vehicles. Numerous cash appearance prizes were to be awarded to the drivers of the best vehicles parading of the following values: 1st Class (Special) £2 each.
1st Class ... L:1 10s. „ 2nd Class ...
In addition, special certificates ot commendation will he issued.
CENTTi.AL COMMITTEE FOR STATISTICS. — Correspondence was read from the Central Committee for Road Statistics dealing with the question of direction posts. Resolved that a subscription of two guineas be voted to the funds of the committee, and that Mr. Shrapnell Smith be reelected the C.M.U.A. representative_ LEGAL—Reported that two members had recently had the benefits of the free legal defence scheme of the Association. The general points of a driving licence for the second man on steam wagons were considered.
SCOTTISH AC.—It was resolved that negotiations be opened with the Commercial Vehicle Section of the Scottish A.C. with a view to the establishment of reciprocal relations.
MEMBERSHIP.—The new members enrolled during November, 28 in ember, were reported.
Renard Trains.'
We illustrate, alongside this paragraph, one of the new Daimler road trains (Renard system). The view is a reproduction from a photograph that was recently taken on the road between Birmingham and the Daimler Co.'s works at Coventry : a net load of machinery weighing 15 tons was distributed between the " following " units at the time. The transportation of machinery in this manner has been found by the Daimler Co. to be approximately 50 per cent. lower in cost than the lowest rates quoted by the railway companies for the same work, and it is obvious that the unique distribution of axle-weight minimizes the risk of damage to the roads. It is Probable that the claims of the new Daimler road train will gradually become appreciated in this country, and not in the Colonies and abroad only, wherever the necessary weight per journey ean be provided. Stoke (Staffs.) Joint Hospital Board is about to purchase a motor ambulanee, at a cost of £5t4, and Lynton wheels are specified.
Nfessrs. John Groves and Sons, wine and spirit merchants, of Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, have placed a repeat order with Sturmey Motors, Ltd., of Coventry, for a Lotis van.
At Southend-on-Sea, on Tuesday last, Mr. F'. H. Tullock, an inspector of the Local Government Board, held an inquiry in regard to the Town Councils application for sanction to the borrowing of £41.1 for the purchase of a motor wagon with interchangeable tip and watering bodies.
From the Editor's Letterbox.
One of the most-thankless services which the editor of a business or technical journal is called upon to perform is probably that of gratuitous advice to inventors. Although the days of the non-skid processions are over
long ago, other inventors remain with us. One of these, the revealing of whose identity we will not risk by any reference to his device, has been pestering us, for the past fortnight, to look into an invention, of which the most-meagre details were given, whilst we were assured that he had received written offers for the rights varying between £150,000 and £450,000. Only £1.000 was wanted " to see the whole business through," and the security offered should' have satisfied " the most-exacting individual." The Editor of this journal naturally asked the date of this party's English specificathin, and to what use the £1.000 would be applied, and the somewhat
rdy reply was vouchsafed that the English patent dated back to the year 1201, and that the money was wanted to take out other patents in foreign countries! A perusal of the patent specifieation revealed nothing of proved value, and any ordinary man of business ean gauge the value of the .:ecurity which an uncontested patent provides. Consideration, however. was given to the details, as is usual in this office, and the opinion of a skilled expert in that section of enter
prise was confidentially received. With the least-possible delay, a courteous letter was sent to the inventor, who promptly " tired in " the following amazing communication: " I am perfectly astonished at the contents of your letter duly received this morning. I consider it most disgraceful you putting me to all the trouble you
have, both with myself and also my solicitor, and then declining to go on any further and spoiling my chances elsewhere. I did think T was dealing with a business man and not an inquisitive fool like you have shown yourself in correspondence we have
had for the last three weeks. You have not the courage of a mouse, otherwise you would have accepted my offer after all the evidence I have pi.
before yon, and you must be very thick not to see a good thing when it is placed before you."
The Editor now feels quite glad that he did not go any farther in this matter. Onestill" lives and learns."
Lacre v. Albion.
In the House of Lords, on Tuesday afternoon, a decision in favour of the Albion Co. was given on the two main points of appeal. The payment of £2,750 to the Lacre Co.. agreed betem' the parties, in settlement of all award by the arbitrator on other heads of disagreement, remains undisturbed.
Motor Contracting.
The fleet of Unic vans, bearing the name of Messrs. Bourne and Hollingsworth, of which we give an illustration on page 285 ante, is owned by the Met. ropolitan Garage Association of Palace Street, Victoria, S.W., which concern also runs the vehicles by contract, along with six others for the same house.
New Registration.
Car Equipment Co.. Ltd., with an authorized capital of £3.000 in £1 shares, and with its office at 10, Rendrich Mews, South Kensington, to tarry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in motors, motorcars, carriages and vehicles of all kinds, monofactorers of indiarubber and makers of and dealers in tires, etc. First directors: E. T. Arnott and C. A. Harrison (reanayrin!T director). Water Charges.
We shall be obliged if readers of this journal will communicate to us their practice in regard to the obtaining of roadside supplies of water for steam vehicles and tractors. We desire to know' in respect of cases where supplies have to be taken regularly, the amounts which they are in the habit of paying per hundred gallons, or per thousand gallons, as we have reason to believe that many owners and drivers pay much too highly in many locali
ties. _
Albion Export Orders.
We illustrate herewith a 20-cwt. Albion van which was shipped to a well-known firm of general storekeepers in New Zealand. Other Albion deliveries of recent date include: a 40cwt. vehicle for the South African Government, for use in Johannesburg ; two, 32 h.p., three-ton vehicles for the Australian Government, through