News and Comment.
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches; it has the largest and best circulation throughout the United Kingdom, the Colonies, India, and foreign countries generally. No part of our exclusive and valuable circulation is due to the forcing of sales in useless quarters.
Saturday next, the i8th instant, is the last date for the receipt of tenders, by the Finchley U.D.C., for a selfpropelled fire engine, The Antwerp City Council has sanctioned the use of Renard. trains consisting of a power unit and not more than two following vehicles.
It is expected that the report of the judges in the R.A.C. commercial vehicle trials will be ready for publication on the t3th proximo. We make a suggestion as to the manner of its presentation on page 425.
The March Show.
It has been decided that an opening luncheon shall be held in connection with the forthcoming commercial motor show at Olympia, and the bond-signers' ballot for spaces took place on Tuesday last, the 14th instant.
The Freedom of Bridges.
Owners of traction engines not infrequently see their drivers worried by the operation of local by-laws in regard to watering from bridges, but motor wagons which are constructed under the Motor Car Acts of 1896 and 1903, are, by virtue of the exemptions provided in those Acts, free from any such harassing interference. We have before us, at the moment, one of these by-laws in respect of traction engines, and this reads : " A person in charge of: a locomotive shall not cause or t.,uffer the locomotive or any loaded wagon attached thereto to remain stationary on any highway, so that any wheel of the locomotive or loaded wagon rests on any bridge, arch or culvert, or within ten feet from the face of the abutment of any bridge, arch or culvert."
Owners of tractors or motor wagons, who may be threatened with a prosecution for watering on a bridge, otherwise than for wilful obstruction, which offence, however, would require to be proved, must bear in mind the fact that by-laws framed under the 1898 Locomotives Act do not in any way affect them or their mechanical plant.
Edinburgh Exhibition.
The exhibit of the Albion Motor Car Company, Limited, of Scotstoun, Glasgow, promises to be of special commercial interest at this forthcoming show, which will open on Thursday next, the 23rd instant. The well
known, Albion chassis will be shown, with both shooting-brake and van bodies fitted, the driving chains of the former being encased. The Albion works have recently supplied a traveller's brougham to Messrs. J. and W. Campbell and Company, wholesale warehousemen, of Glasgow, making the fourth commercial vehicle of this make purchased by this firm during the past twelve months. Its latest orders include sales to Messrs. Charles Rattray and Sons, hardware merchants, of Glasgow, and the United Co-operative Baking Society, Limited.
The Mayor of Exeter has granted the use of the Guildhall for Mr. Shrapnell Smith's lecture on the 25th proximo, and has notified the secretary of the Exeter Chamber of Commerce that he intends to be present.
Field Tests.
A 3oh.p. Armstrong-Whitworth vehicle underwent some interesting tests on Saturday afternoon last, at the hands of officers of the 3rd V.B. Northumberland Fusiliers. The various trials were satisfactorily accomplished.
Repairs.
Sidney Straker and Squire, Limited, has an extensive repair shop and garage at Nelson Square, Blackfriars Road, S.E., and the company is prepared to undertake the overhaul and repair of motor vehicles of all classes. The machine shop at this London depot is equipped with modern tools of all kinds, whilst a thoroughly experienced staff of mechanics is employed.
Milan Exhibition Awards.
The recipients in the course of yesterday's distribution of awards, at the Mansion House, in connection with the 1906 International Exhibition at Milan, included : Armstrong Whitworth and Company, Limited; E. M. Bowden, Limited; Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, Limited ; Greenwood and Batley, Limited ; J. and E. Hall, Limited ; J. E. Hopkinson and Company, Limited ; Humber, Limited ; Rudge-Whitworth, Limited; John I. Thornycroft arid Company, Limited ; and Willans and Robinson, Limited.
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Manchester's Commercial Show.
Manufacturers of steam wagons and tractors, and other commercial-vehicle makers, are looking forward to good business, from the 21st to 29th proximo, at Belle Vue. An increasing volume of trade has been secured at this exhibition, during the past three years, and we arc acquainted with one textile manufacturing firm, which purchased a live-ton Foden wagon at the 1905 show, which has reduced its cost of carriage by more than one half, and has not had a single breakdown since it took delivery of the machine.
Italy's Imports and Exports.
During the first seven months of 1907, according to official Italian statistics, Italy's imports in motor vehicles for public traffic, under r,000 kilos. in weight, were valued at £40; in automobiles of 1,000-3,000 kilos., at £2,680; and in vehicles over 3,000 kilos., at £3,840 (13 vehicles). Her exports for the three classes were valued at ..320, ...44,400 and .4.:1,520 respectively (only two vehicles of the heaviest category were exported). Hence, a matter of .-12,440 for foreign sales and purchases in seven months. The Louet Worm-driven Counter
The only example of worm driving amongst the commercial vehicles exhibited at the Paris show in November last was on the Louet tipping wagon The drawing reproduced above shows the method of mounting the worm shaft on Hoffmann thrust and journal ball bearings.
Motorvans for Chester.
Chester will shortly witness the intro_ duction of some " Lotis " vehicles into the district, as Messrs. W. and F. Brown and Company, drapers, upholsterers and house agents, of Eastgate Row, have ordered two of these from Sturrney Motors, Limited, of Coventry. One is a to-cwt. van, and the other a traveller's sample-carrier,
• Another De Dion Van.
The Parsons Motor Company, Limited, of Southampton, has recently supplied a 9h.p., to-cwt. van, with De Dion-Bouton chassis, to Mr. W. J. Rich, of the rising South-Coast port. The purchaser's business consists of the delivery of bread, flour, etc., and the body has been specially fitted for those purposes. The body was constructed by Messrs. Hale and Pearce, of Southampton, and it is confidently anticipated that the running of the vehicle will result in further orders.
Canadian Business.
We have several times directed attention to the market which ex.ists in Canada for agricultural motors, and more particularly in our issue of the 29th March, 1906. A representative of "Tits COMMERCIAL MOTOR" called upon the Secretary to the High Commissioner, at the Dominion Offices, in Victoria Street, the other day, and from information to which he was given access, it appeared that this demand is becoming ripe for trade. The large tracts of land which have to be cleared and cultivated, and the long distances which produce has to be conveyed, render horses most uneconomical. Added to this, there is a scarcity of horses, mules, and oxen, which are much in demand for railway-construction work. These conditions are causing the farmer to look around him for cheaper traction, and for machinery that will cultivate large areas quickly. There seems to be an especial demand for light rnotors, weighing under five tons. In conversation with our representative, the Secretary to the High Commissioner laid stress on this point, and expressed the wish that manufacturers of agricultural motors would communicate with the Department, which would be pleased to put them in touch with agents in Canada. Auto-Car Agencies, Limited.
The sole agent for Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, of Glasgow, for the London district, Auto-Car Agencies, Limited, of 3, Hanover Court, Hanover Street, W., has, amongst its recent orders, taken one for a two-ton van to be supplied to Messrs. Cobbold and Company, the well-known brewers.
Tool Steel.
Seebohm and Dieckscahl, Limited, of Dannemora Steel Works, Sheffield, has issued a small handbook on "Hints to practical users of tool steel," and we understand that that company will be pleased to forward a copy to interested parties who send written applications. The book contains much useful information about case-hardening, annealing, tempering, and the constituents of the various brands of tool-steel.
Light Delivery Vane.
Amongst the orders placed with Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, of Yoker, Glasgow, is a repeat order for one of its 2-ton delivery vans from the United Co-operative Baking Society, of Glasgow. This company already has a 2-ton vehicle of the same make in use, with which it is highly satisfied, From the Midland Railway Company comes an order for a similar oneton van, which is to be used in delivering parcels in and around London.
The Peebles Motor Company, of Peebles and Edinburgh, has been appointed the sole agent for Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, in the districts of Peebles, Selkirk, Hadding-ton and Edinburgh. It is hoped that this company will have one of the Halley 30-cwt. vans, for show and demonstration purposes, at the Edinburgh Motor Show. Messrs. John T. Clarke and Company, of Aberdeen, has been ap. pointed sole agent for that district.
Nuremberg is to have a system of postal motors for expediting mail traffic between the various city offices and the office at the chief railway station ; this project will entail the building of a municipal garage and a workshop. It is expected that the vehicles will be working early in the summer. Thirteen motor vehicles are to inaugurate the traffic, four being kept as spares.
A South-West African Company.
Dr. Wiegand, Director of the North German Lloyd, is promoting a SouthWest African Transport and Trading Company, with a provisional capital of 1,200,000 marks (6o,000), with the object of the commercial opening of the German South-I/Vest-African Protectorate by means of an extensive system of freight automobile lines. In May last, Dr. Wiegand formed the North German Automobile and Motor Company, Bremen, with a capital of 2,500,000 marks (L;t25,000), and, in 1907, that company created the Dusseldorf Elektromobile Company and the North German Wagon Works. The North German Automobile and Motor Company exhibited at the Berlin Show_
Road Damage Mr. Reginald Ryves, a competent writer on the subject of highway construction, in the oourse of a recent series of articles which he contributed to " The Surveyor," wrote :—" Great improvements—and they are not yet at an end—have been made in motor wagons. A vehicle which grips the road by actual adhesion—or mainly by actual adhesion—instead of by means of strips or bars on the tires, does much the less damage. It is important that those who are concerned with roads shall realise that a vehicle which carries its paying load mainly over the driving wheels differs essentially from a traction engine, although, when loaded itself, it may efficiently perform the duties of a traction engine. The definite distinction between the two types, and the hope which the motor wagon offers that heavy loads may in the future be taken over the roads with much less damage than heretofore, are points which require special emphasis on account of the attitude, for some time past, of a portion of the engineering Press to this and kindred matters. As regards adhesion, it may reasonably be held that a small departure from complete smoothness of the tires of motor wagons may considerably assist haulage without inflicting any considerable damage on the road."
The one-eighth of the width of the tire, which is allowed for grooves under the Heavy Motor Car Order, certainly protects roads against the undue crushing which a single cross-bar, if slightly too high, may cause when it bears all the weight upon that wheel.