WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
Motor Volunteers and Invasion.
A public meeting organized under the auspices of the London Chamber of Coinmeece was held at Cannon Street Hotel enWednesday, the 7th inst., when Viscount French addressed a large gathering of commercial. vehicle owners and users relative to the enrolment of their machines for national emergencies. Lord Desboeough presided as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. He stated that the Government had already consulted the Chamber of Commerce with a view to the possibility of pooling, all classes of vehicles, as it was found that the present transport needs of London were • insufficient. Lord Desborough stated that 1,000,000 miles had• been traversed on national service .by the London Volunteer Transport vehicles since the outbreak of war. He commended the action of 150 taxicab drivers who joined at the outset of the movement and worked their own vehicles.
Sir John Lister Kaye (Hon. President Motor Transport Volunteers) who followed, paid a striking tribute to the valuable work performed by the corps. The work of the London Motor Volunteers, he said, was divided into two plans of enrolment. The first is a nightly service transporting troops home on leave after all other means of conveyance have ceased. Under this-scheme over. 490,000 men have so far been transported. The second plan is to enrol men and vehicles for use in "national em-ergency." Under the two plans combined, there is available a personnM of 472, and a total of 466 motor vehicles. This includes 64 motor vehicles and drivers of the Anglo-American Oil Co., which joined last week. These particular
machines, Sir Lister Kaye said, were capable of conveying 1000 men or 30,000 gallons of petrol in one operation, 13 of the total number of machines being tank wagons.
Viscount French, who was cordially received, then gave his address. He said that the Motor Volunteer Corps had a
• two-fold object divided into pre-emergency work and ,emergency work. The first concerned the transportation of men on leave, whilst the second—the more important—was the readiness of themen and'. machines to perform any role allotted to them. He laid great emphasis on the point that the mobility, of the Volunteer force would be absolutely destroyed but for the assistance of mechanical vehicles. Although controlled firms were not at present allowed to loan their machines, this question was now under consideration.
Conference of Motor Transport Interests.
Delegates front all parts of the country were present at the last meeting of the Joint Committee of Mechanical Road Transport Associations, held in London recently. The Joint. Committee, which was established in 1912, is fully representative of all interests dealing with the transport of goods and agricultural produce by mechanically-propelled vehicles its` constitution consisting of delegates from the following organizations :—Agricultural Engineers Association, Commercial Motor Users Association, Furniture Warehousemen and Removers Association, London and Provincial Omnibus Owners Association, National Traction Engine Owners' and Users Association, Royal Agricultural Society •If England,, Showmen's Guild,
Steam Cultivation Development Associa tion
The Committee decided.to institute effective opposition to the resolution passed by one of the County Councils having for its object the restriction of heavy motor traffic, and to approach the Chief Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis with a sinew to the Coanmittee being officially represented at
• the forthcoming Conference between the police and, the local authorities to consider the establishment of roadside fuel supply stations.
Tractors on Heavy Grass , Land.
in the House of Commons on 5t1s. . November, Captain Wright asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether; in view Of the comparative inefficiency of motor tractors for ploughing out heavy grass lands, and the neceesity for such ploughing, he will make representations in the proper quarter for the releaselof additional firms, who have factories equipped for . the purpose, for the manufacture of steam cable-ploughing apparatus? , Mr. Prothero: The Board's information does not show that motor tractors of suitable design and horse-power are inefficient for ploughing out heavy grass lands in this country. They are, however, well aware of the value of using sets of steam cable-ploughing apparatus on certain lands, and have placed orders for a considerable number of them with those makers most capable of giving early delivery. Su i
Bitch delay as there is n supe plying the sets is due to the difficulty of getting materials and labour, and not to the lack of a sufficient number of manufacturing firms released for the work.
Tractor Performances.
Mr. Prothero stated in the House of Commons that the number of Government tractors employed in England and Wales and the acreage ploughed over the eight weeks, from 18th August to 6th October, were as shown in the tabulation below. These. figures cover all the Government tractore in commission, whether they were actually at work or standing idle through bad weather, or under repair, or -travelling from farm to farm. During the period under consideration it will be recalled that Minorvitally wet weather prevailed. If the average per tractor had been computed for actual ploughing hours only, a much higher figure would be shown, and in counties where weather and other conditions have been favourable, the results have been greatly in excess of the average.
*The drop in the average acreage per tractor for the week ended let September was mainly due to bad weather,the average number of idle hours per tractor from this cause being 18 as against 10 for the previous week, tThe drop in the average acreage per tractor for the week ended 22nd September was almost entirely due to bad weather, the idle hours per tractor from this cause being 10.7 as against 1.8 for the previous week. Thad weather was again mainly responsible for the drop in the average acreage per tractor for the week ended 6th October, there being au increase of 6.8 idle hours per tractor from this cause over the previous week. ' No figures are available showing the different classes of land ploughed.
R. Martens and Co., Ltd., Clydesdale House, l‘a., Wilton Street, Grosvenor Place, London, S.W. 1, inform us that they have now made arrangements which will permit of the list price for the " Clydesdale-Parrett " tractor being materially reduced. This implement will be sold until further notice at 440 net cash, delivery at the above address.
L.G.O.C. Efficiency Meetings.
At the October efficiency meeting of the London Underground Railways and the London General Omnibus Co., which opened the third session, there were about 250 members of the Gontrol grades present, the chair being occupied by Mr. H. E. Blain, operating manager of the
L.G.O.C. 4. lecture entitled "War-time operations of the L.G.O.C., as seen through the camera," was delivered by. Captain A. Rosier, superintendent of employment and training, and hejng extensively illuArated by slides and films, proved an extremely valuable and interesting record of the company's operations both in connection with the war and at home under the influence of war conditions.
Besides many other war pictures, L.G.O.C. buses serving in their familiar rale, and also as lorries, were to be seen with various MT., A.S.C., units, operating in practically all the theatres of wax. The company's single-deck buses were also shown equipped as ambulances in their duty Overseas.
Second-hand Enterprise.
An interesting scheme which should go a long way to reassure hesitant potential buyers of second-hand vehicles has been introduced by the British Commercial Lorry and Engineering Co. -Ltd., 66, Bridge Street, Manchester. The " County " commercial vehicle which made its appearance on the market about two years ago, and which was fully described in our pages, created a highly favourable impression. So much so that the Gbyernment extended a comprehensive contract which virtually resolved itself into the requisitioning of the whole output of the works. From its inability to supply new vehjieles, the company decided to specialize in second-hand lorries, bit along lines which should ensure gaining the confidence of their clients. To many the very word "second-hand" is as anathema, so that the campaign of enlightenment is certain to be trying.
Yet it is possible to build up a powerful clientele through second-hand transactions: one which is likely to prove highly fruitful in connection ith any subsequent operations in the new vehicle market. And it waS in the knowledge of this circumstance that the Manchester firm in question outlined its programme. All machines placed on sale are the property of the company, none being sold on a commission basis, The engineers retained by the company are travelling the length and breadth of the country inspecting preferred machines, both steam and petrol. Upon purchase the vehicles are despalehed to Manchester to be thoroughly overhauled and repaired, so that when placed upon the stand they are as good as-fiew machines. The project is proving successful, as business proves. A large repair depot has been taken over, the original garage proving too small for operations. These premises are capable of housing from 30 to 40 vehicles.
An Interesting Tip Cart.
The Corporation of Bury is convincingly demonstrating the serviceability of the light vehicle for the collection of house refuse and its transport to the destructor. The area to be covered measures about three miles from
east to west and north to south, respectively. As is Well known, the disadvantage of any motor system in this service is the house-to-house stop during collec• tion of the load. This County Borough was one of the first in t his country to adopt the Motor-propelled vehicle for this phase of operations, but its, two heavy vehicles were requisitioned by the military on 5th. Aurguet, 1914. This action compelled a reversion to horse traction with all its concomitant disadvantages. Last year the Cleansing Committee purchased a Ford chassis together with a conversion attachment supplied by the British American Import Co. A special body, following' tip-cart lines, was designed and built in the wheelwright's department of the borough. , The vehicle, whieh is illustrated on this page, was pest 'into service, and proved such a complete success that three further chassis were purchased together eith the capacityincreasing attachment, and fitted with the specially designed body.
The machine will carry a load of one ton, but in actual practice the average weight borne is 1 ton 5 cwt. 2 quarters, and this can be carried over any gradient A° be found in the county borough. Each , vehicle carries as much refuse to the desti ucters as was handled by tWo horses.
C42 The Superintendent of the Cleansing Department relates that the present type of inachine possessed many advantages over that formerly in service for this class of work. The drawbacks to the last-named were (a) high capital cost; (b) high running costs; and (c) high loading point. These three disadvantages are eliminated in the current type. The running costs are comparatively low, averaging 11.5 miles per gallon of petrol,. while the loading point is only 4 ft. 9 ins. One of the Ford machines now in use can be'kept as a stand-by:
Return Loads. .
The problem of return loads is .ever with us. The latest contribution to the _controversy is that offered by Mr. Joseph Hanson, of Messrs. Joseph Hanson and Sons, motor haulage contractors of Longwood, and Secret,ary to the 'Huddersfield Horse and Motor Vehicle Owners' Association. According to thisauthority inch a procedure does not always spell for economy.' He points out that unless a load can be picked up promptly more time is lost in securing it for the return run than would be required to complete the journey empty to secure the load waiting at home for insant removal. For instance, the-firm of which he is a member has contracts for taking Government stores to Manchester, which is a day's
run. To Intuit for a load in the latter city is to delay the vehicle's return by ,day, and the time lost represents heavier financial loss than would be in, cursed by returning empty.
Haymaking by Panhard.
The ubiquitous Ford' is not the 0n13 passenger car which can be impressed for service upon the land.' The accom= panyin5 illustrations show what can be done in this direction by a Panhard touring car. The vehicle, a 20 h.p.,
was purchased by Mr.' L. Panting, Effingham, Surrey, in' 1903,and 'up' to date has covered 250,000 miles on the roads of Britain, France and Germany. During this period it-has cost £100 for repairs and spare parts. , This year it was taken on to the land by its owner to haul a hay-cutter and tosser, and by this means it Was found possible to .gather the crop in. a quarter of the time that would have been required had horses been employed.. This success prompted the hops that . the vehicle would prove just as serviceabl%in har'Vesting the core, in which event it is not too much to suppose that it will be utilized for hauling a Plough.
Touring Car to Fire Engine.
A somewhat interesting conversion has recently been carried Out by • C. • W. Denkin and Co:, Ltd.' of Liverpool. The GreatCrosby Urban council required .a motor fire engine, but it being impossible to' secure, tinder prevailing omiditions, a new chassis for the purpose, a. Napier tensing car, which had seen nine years hard duty was taken in hand, examined, mad found to be still mechanically per-.
feet. Its original body was stripped, and that necessary to convert it into fire tender fitted by the above firm.
"Lightfoot" Orchard Tractor.
A continual stream of American-produced tractors appears to be flooding the British market at the present. time. We have recently .heard of a number of int, • portatious of this class of machine from,
across the water. The latest to arrive, handled in this country b3% the Power Farm Supply Co., Coventry, is the "Lightfoot." This machine is manufactured in the States by the Monarch Tractor Co., Waterford, Wisconsin. Three sizes of tractors are made, each of which has been produced with a view to suiting different sequirements. They are all built on the chain-track principle.
The smallest model, a Compact little machine., is essentially intended to be of IISQ For orchard cultivation. its ability
to manipulate in confined and restricted areas is an outstanding feature. The power unit is a four-cylinder one, with a bore and stroke of 4 ins. by 4 ins, respectively, and it gives 12 b.h.p. at 800 revolutions per minute. Transmission is by planetary gear with steel spur gears, which run in oil. One speed: in each direction is provided. Fuel consumption on this model works out at from 4 to gallons per acre, according to the nature of the ground under cultivation. A diameter by 6-in, face pulley is provided for driving stationary ma chinery. This tractor is 6 ft. 6 ins, in length, 3 ft.. in width, and 4 ft. 6 ins, in height, and its 'weight is only 25& cwt: The machine has a drawbar.-pull of 1200
lb. at 2i m.p.h., and will haul two 9-in. ploughs in practically any class of soilThe second model is built on heavier lines. It should be-of particular value
to the farmer who has under -eultivation a small acreage. As with the smaller modei. a founylinder engine is em ployed. giving 25 b.h.p. at 'F.30 ,revolu
tions ..j.stn .rrrtj. n Dte Lubricatoon is by
forced fetid. The engine :speed is governor controlled. High-tension igni tion is employed. Two to-ward speeds• are provided. This model has a draw bar pull of 2500 lb. at 4m.p.h., and will haul throe 9-in. ploughs with ease in heavy soil. The larger tractor is built on very similar lines to the intermediary model. Its engine develops ?.2 +11.p., and the general constructional details .are similar to those the 2541.p. model. The drawbar pull is 3000 lb. A pulley 14 ins. diameter is embodied, and can be utilized for operating heavy feed cutters, silo fillers and full-size threshing machines.
Huddersfield gas charging rate is 4d. per 100 cubic ft., with an additional charge of 6d. per fill after' certain hours.
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New Mobile Field Kitchen. •
.Capt. Buzsacott, of Chicago, who has been in claw touch with field cooking methods as 'employed in the U.S.A. army tar a number of years, has recently designed and built a new motor field' kitchen, embodying a nuinbor of interesting featmes. The kitchen proper is mounted on an Over
land comniercial chaSsis, while two Overland delivery wagons with special army bodies of the Se:h ooner type, and a fiveseated touring car -of the -same make coniplete the convoy. Among .the salient features • of the new kitchen are the inclusion of two 20gallon reserve hotfood retainer vessels, two large ovens; and a cOmplete act of cooking essentials for work in the field. In addition, space is provided for extra fuel and rations, sufficient for one complete food renewal. The cooking capacity of the kitchen is 250 meals at one time, and these can be prepared whether the machine is at a standstill or travelling at up to 20 miles an hour.
The mobile 'advantages of the motor field kitchen have. proved to he far superior to the horse or mule-drawn kitehens, inasmuch as during a campaign, water, fuel and rations can -he picked Up en route.
A noteworthy feature of this mobile kitchen is that the body can be removed
by the withdrawal of four bolts, thus freeing the chassis for •Other purposes about the camp:,
Electric Taxicab Chauffeuses.
Owing to the dearth of chauffeurs, due to the call of the Army, the electric taxicabs of Detroit, U.S.A., are being driven -by women. In response to the call for chauffeuses 500 application's for the available.. positions were •reeeived... The hours are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and precisely the same schedule of wages paid to the men obtains. The experiment is proving a gratifying success.
Extraordinary Road Damage:
At the High Court in Douglas on Mon • day, Deemster Maitre gave judgment in the snit brought by the Highway Board of the Isle of Man against Thomas Corlett and eons, Ltd., Millers, Laxey, to recover £517, alleged to have been incurred by the plaintiff Beard in extra expenses of maintaining the road between Douglas and LaXey in consequence of excessive and extraordinary traffic by the defendants' motor lorry. ..
The motor lorry in question was a standard design made by Fede.ns, Ltd. • The English leading 'cases . were freely quoted, both by the attorneygeneral and Mr. Moore,who appeared for • the Highway Board, and by Mi. Percy , Cowley, • who rePres.ented the defendants. His Honour, in judgment, pointed out that prior to April, 1913, the road was well maintained for the purpose of the .ordinary baffle., consisting of tradsmen's floats, light motors, hackney carriages and occasional traction engines with threshing machines going from farm to farm. In April 1913, the defendants lint on the motor wagon, which travelled between the definite termini of Douglas.. and La.xey; • going almost every day, and sometimes twice a day. The wagon with its load. weighed .11 to 12 tons; the greatest weight was On the back wheel on which the brake was 'worked. The sueed' of the wagon was about six miles per hour. There never had been traffic of this description or such a motor wagon on this road or Any other road on the island.' When the wagon had been working some time the road .became badly and unevenly worn in some places. This VMS what might be expected lrom the nature of the wagon, its weight, mode of propul sion, its speed, and the continuity of its journeys, and the cost of the upkeep of the road largely increased. He came to the conclusion that the motor wagon to some extent caused an increased expenditure by the Board upon this road. His Honotir said that it v,•.as impossible to -determine with matkerriatacal ticcuracy the amount which the defendants ought to pay for-the damage., and in giving judgment to the plaintiffs for 2275, he took into account that the Board were limited in the -rate which they cpuld expend on the road, and he left out of account a section which had never been properly macadamized.
Recent Registrations.
Weyburn Engineering Co., with a capital of .215,000 in 21 ehares, to be mechanical engineers, tool makers, tube makers, electrical engineers, etc.
Walton Motors; Ltd., with a capital of 2200,000 in 21 shares, to be manufacturers of motor vehicles, internal-cornbastion engines, motor accessories, etc.
G. and S., Ltd., with sI capital of 21200 in 21 shares, to be electrical, general and mechanical engineers, and manufacturers .or and dealers in motor. .vehicles, etc.
Victoria Lubricants, Ltd., with a capital of_ 2100 in M. shares, to be prodeicer's, refiners, wholesale and retail suppliers, importers, exporters' and manufacturers and distributors of lubricating and mineral ohs, petroleum and petroleum products, etc. Re-gietered office is at 7a, Lower Belgrave Street, S.W.
' Hain (Aberdeen), Ltd., with a capital of 23000 in 21 shares to take over the busin,s of cab and motor'hirers and carting contractors carried on by W. Bain and J. B. • Bain. Registered office is at 60, Loch Street, Aberdeen.
Neville Foundry Co., Ltd., with a capital •of• 22000• in 21 shares, to be iron, copper, brass, aluminium and metal founders, etc. Registered office is at Neville Street, Rotherham.
One of the latest Hollings and Guest type presses has been installed by W. H. Johnson and Sons, St. James Street, King's Lynn, who are prepared to undertake work for the trade. A.large stock of tyres is carried and wheels can he handled promptly.
Heath's Garage, Ltd., of Birmingham, has changed the title of the firm to George Heath, Ltd. There is no ahem, tion rn the management,
Gas Trailers Legal.
At the first meeting of the Joiril COm,mittee of. the C.M.U.A., the Natignal Gas Connell and the British Commercial Gas Association, wlaiels was recently set .up to encourage the uSe of coal-gas for motor-vehicle propulsioni.it was decided te, make representations to the Local GOVernmente Board urging. the expediency of permitting the legal speed of any vehicle when drawing a trailer used only ,for carrying a gas container, to be such as if no trailer were drawn. The L.G.B., in reply, informed the Committee that an order -is being prepared '` for altering the Heavy Motor Car Regulations so as to facilitate the use of trailers behind heavy motorcars for the accommodation of gas-holders containing gas for purposes of propulsion."
C.M.U.A. Annual Inspection.
The twelfth annual inspection of commercial mater vehicles and examinations • of drivers, organized by the Commercial Motor Users Association with the object of encouraging drivers'to take a personal interest in the driving arid . upkeep of th'eir machines, will take place in London during Mat, 1918. The customary parade will again not be held. • , Monetary prizes will be awarded to steam, petrol; and electric drivers, each in their respective group, for results cln taine.d in writing, its practical and oral examinations, coupled with inspection of their vehicles under running 'conditions. Entries close on 31st January, 1918.
The prizer fund, which is still open, already includes the following pontributiena Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd., 221; Eosiens, Ltd., £21; Avon India Rubber Co., .Lid., 210 10s.; Daimler Co., Ltd., 210 10s. ; Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., 214 10s.; Electric Vehicle Committeeof Great Britain, 210; BeIsize Motors' Ltd.' 25 5e.; De ,Nevers Rubber Co., Ltd., 25 5s.;'Hans Renold, Ltd., 25 5s. ; St. Helens Rubber and Cable Co., Ltd., 25 5s.; Willcox and Co., Ltd., 25 5s..; E. S. ShrapnellSmith, 22 2s.; Lnhjoit and Sons, 21 Is.