Motorbus World.
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Tilling's have several new motorbuses on order, which are to comply with Scotland Yard's latest requirements with regard to silence and weight-.
The National steam motorbuses have been competing with the General and Tilling services on the Peckham-Oxford Street route. It is reported that negotiations between Tilling's and the National Co. have not been successful.
The Woolton Motorbuses.
The Tramways Committee of the Liverpool Corporation has recommended that the Woolton motorbuses be purchased for the municipality. During the discussion that ensued in the City Corporation, considerable opposition was displayed by various councillors, some of whoni considered it bad policy to encourage the building of property outside Liverpool, by means of increased travelling facilities to outlyine districts. Alderman Dart did net think it was the business of the (s)nned to " cmhie k in such things as motorhuses.' Sir Chas. Petrie eondetnned the attitude of those members of the Council who opposed the enterprise ; he did not consider that there was likely to be any loss as the result of the acquisition of the motorbuses, but that it would, on the other hand, be good policy to have ac_ cluired the serviee, if in the future 'they wanted to apply for powers ti-s run trackless-trolley machines.
New Registration.
Horne and Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of £1,300 in el shares, by Oswald and Son, agents, Edinburgh, to carry on the business of motorcar and motor-omnibus proprietors, etc. First directors : J. C. Horne, A. Scott, and W. Webster.
Nottingham Wants an Ambulance
The Workhouse Visiting Committee of the Nottingham Guardians has reported in favour of substituting a motor ambulance for its existing horse-drawn equipment. The Guardians are to advertise for tenders. upon receipt of which the question is to be considered further.
A Bad. London Smash.
A motorbus belonging to Service No. 3, of the L.G.O. Co.. Ltd., on Sunday last ran off the road in Regent Street. and, crossing the pavement, dashed into the front of a clothier's shop. Unhappily, two font-passengers were killed, end another was injured. before the machine was brought to rest. Until the result of the inquest bemire*: known, we withhold any comment. At the time of writing, the offieial view is stated to be that a large private ear struck one of the leading wheels of the motorbus and that the driver of the latter machine was unable to regain control of it in time to avoid a mishap.
L.G .0.0 .
It was a pleasure to us, on Wednesday of last week, to contrast the tone of the L.G.O.C. annual meeting with those of the previous two years in particular. Mr. Henry Hicks, the Chairman and his co-directors fully deserved that measure of evident satisfaction which pervaded the meeting as a whole.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and accounts, which were adequately summarized in our issue of a fortnight ago, informed the shareholders that the company had disposed of no fewer than 3,791 horses and 672 horsed omnibuses during the year under review. At the 30th September last, it possessed only 4,533 horses, 433 running horse-omnibuses, and 461 spare horse-omnibuses; in July, 1908, the company possessed 14,116 horses, 1,209 running horseomnibuses, and 141 spare horse-omnibuses. The pulley of the Board was to cover the roads with a supply of motorbuses which would be amply sufficient. to meet all requirements of the public. The company was able to produce all its vehicles at its own factory at Walthanistow, where Mr. F. Searle, the chief engineer, had no fewer than 770 men at work, and had successfully produced two silent types of omnibus. The latest of these were running up and down Bond Street, to the public satisfaction, and the company would have 250 of them (known as the B type) by the middle et* April.
Mr. Hicks then passed to the muchdiscussed question of depreciation; he endeavoured to justify his argument of last Year, that there was no occasion to 'depreciate. ITe none the less made the contradictory assertion that " when the company reached a dividend-paving position. perhaps some of the ordinary shareholders would be surprised at the way he would advocate that policy." Why, he asked, when the omnibuses were unquestionably better than they were 12 months ago, should depreciation be written off then ? The company hind scrapped and written off nu accumulation (-) obsolete buses and parts equivalent. to about 60 motor chassis, and had built 60 X-typo motorbuses out of revenue. He voncluded with an attack upon the unfairness of the petrol tax, and explained that it was approximately equal to I per cent, on the ordinary canitel. This appears to be incorrect.
We feel inclined to furnish a twofold answer to Mr. Hieks's ingenuous question about value and depreciation : in the first place, the company
6hould make provision to safeguard itself against the uncertain factor of police treatment in respect of old-time chassis; in the second place, there is no guarantee that the omnibuses were not over-valued a year ago, and that element, even granting some appreciation in efficiency during the interval, would still leave them very considerably above their proper value in the books. The Chairman's references to what he would do were he able shows, in our judgment, that he really does not himself believe in the argument %%Inch he put forward, and that it was only an expedient having regard to t he present condition of the company's finances, which are unquestionably on the tip grade. The danger to the company, of course, lies in this fact: that a properly-capitalized new eornpony might any day come into the kid anti compete with its interests, e Inch a new company could do quite seecessfully in the absence of " dead capital " upon its back. Further, and contingently, this probability has other direct bearing upon the prospects of continued good trading results, seeing that any such new company would undoubtedly draw away to itself large numbers of the company's trained motor drivers, which experiPIMe has been common in the motorcab trade. With inadequate depreciation charged, and with the abovementioned and other uncertainties ahead. we are obliged to record our opinion that the affairs of this company are not so healthy as they outwardly appear. Not only will the trading results during the ensuing year have to bear deductions for additional losses an the realization of horse stock, but the question of depreciation cannot again he shelved. The running of the new " silent-type " motorbuses will hasten, in geometric ratio, the obsolescence of the older types. That is quite clear.
On the other hand, we feel satisfied that the average revenue per motorbus in service will increase, and that operating expenses will be slightly re(bleed. Passenger traffic in London tiontienes to grow each year, and the full effect of tube competition has by now made itself felt. New motorbus routes will probably be developed. whilst additional " times " might well lee added to many of the existing roads, our which the motorbuses are now frequently crowded to a state which shows that the fleets badly fail to meet the public demand, and which lack of facilities undoubtedly forces many people to travel underground against their inclinations. This outstanditte feature, again, is an invitation to fresh competitors.
Tho Coronation influx should also assist the revenue account next season, and we should not be surprised to see a gross profit of £300,000 at the 30th September next. That sum, however, will be insufficient properly to meet the deferred and necessary charges for depreciation, if the company is to put. its house in that degree of order which will enable it to meet the further motorbus compettion which its own improved posi eion will surely engender. it will not be allowed to rest upon iL partly-won laurels.
Motor Traffic in the Vicinity of Vienna.
Next spring will see the opening of three mutorbus lines for promoting tourist traffic in the vicinity of ienna : lirunn am Gebierge--Giesshiibl, llinterbriihl-Siebenhirten and Gjesshujjbl Perchtholdsdorf. The National Society for Tourist Traffic (Landesverband fiir Fremdenverkebr) in Vienna and Lower Austria is backing the concern financially, the Corporation Architect Frenz Grillenhofer acting as manager.
Motorbus Development on a Large Scale in Caucasian Districts.
The American Consul at Moscow, in a. recent report, states that on account of the enormous growth of population and of the influx of tourists at all times of the year in the South Caucasus, the 'Russian Government is preparing new travelling facilities in those parts of the country that are not traversed by railroads. Arrangements are being made for the use of motors, for communication between the post of Novorossisk and the final point of the Vladi-Kavkas railroad to Soukhoume, a distance of 375 miles. The undertaking carries a yearly subsidy by the Government of 36,000 dollars, and the terms of the concession are as follow. The concessionnaire will be obliged to make six trips a week from both points, for the transference of the mails, but he will have the right to transport passengers and baggage. The mails are not heavy—from 300 11).
to :350 lb. daily. The passengers pay six kopecks per veret (three cents per two-thirds of a mile), and in addition one-half kopeck per pood for baggage (one-fourth of a cent per two-thirds of a mile per 3(3 lb). From experience it has been found that motor vehicles carrying three to five passengers will average from 45 to 60 kopecks (221 to 30 cents per verst). On 70 versts of the route motor communication is already organized. Five cars are in service, and the undertaking for thispart of the country receives 10,000 dollars yearly as subsidy from the Government. The remaining 330 versts (2'20 miles) are to be organized without delay. The estimates of the capital required for the services are as follow ; Fifteen light vehicles at 2,21 dollars each-33,750 dollars; eight larger machines at 4,000 dollars each-32,000 dollars ; 10 baggage cars at 3,500 dollars each--35,000 dollars ; reserve capital, tires, spare parts, etc., 12,500 dollars; construction of houses and workshops, 50,000 dollars ; trading capital, 12,500 dollars. Total capital required 175,750 dollars. The concessionnukes have already expended 37,000dollars and have deposited security with the Government to the value of 12,000 dollars, making the total requirements 224,750 dollars. The concessionnaires figure that they will receive 36,000 dollars a year from the Governmentwhich nearly amounts to 14 per cent. upon the capital expended, and it is thought that the income from the transport of passengers. and their baggage will cover the expenses of the exploitation, and that the transport line to the oilfield at Maikop will bring in more than is required for amortization of the capital. Over most of the route there will be no railway competition for three years, and over parts there can be no other. system of transport. for 12 years.