News and Comment.
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This Journal fosters, represents and chronicles commercial motoring inlall its branches.
Mr. Basil H. Joy, the late and only Technical Secretary of the Automobile :dub, contributes an article on the or;anisation of the September Trials-see pages 263, 267 and 268.
After the Whitsuntide Holidays—our second " Great Van Number." Ten thousand extra copies of this issue will be placed in the hands of that number of new and useful readers. The selection and comparison of names of the intended recipients is nearly completed, and this in itself has been a work of no small magnitude.
Charges for Weighing.
The Belfast Harbour Board has resolved to make the following charges or weighing laden or unladen motor wagons : not exceeding 5 tons, 3d. iach; from 5 to lo tons, 6d. each ; above to tons, is. each. This scale compares 'avourably with some of which we now to exist in other towns.
The Use of License Fees.
The Highways and General Purposes 1;ommittee of the Gloucestershire -2ounty Council, has suggested that the mount received for traction-engine and notor-vehicle licenses, which is estinated to exceed Z800 for the ensuing inancial year, should be " paid into
i reserve fund for road improvement nd experiments to prevent dust." Mr, Zobert Phillips, A ssoc. M. I n st.C. E., is he County Surveyor.
A Midland Railway Appointment.
Mr. Henry Fowler, Assoc.M.Inst, 3.E., M.Inst.Mech.E., an esteemed .ssistant of the writer in the organisaion of the Liverpool Trials of 1898, 899 and 19o1, has been appointed by he directors of the Midland Railway ornpany to the important post of vorks manager of the extensive loconotive shops at Derby. Mr. Fowler vas included in our gallery of " Men Vorth Knowing" on the 4th January, 906, where interesting particulars of Lis training and career are given. He Las been charged, for many years past, vith the study of road-motor questions >n behalf of the L. and Y. and the Midand Railway Companies.
Another Surveyor's Motorcar.
The West Riding (Yorkshire) County 3ouncil has resolved to purchase two Lew cars, for road-inspecting purposes, nd the service of the Highways Comlittee, at an estimated cost ' of .4'975. le Chairman of the Committee, AlderIan J. Barker, reported that the stireyor's first car, which cost £812 early three years ago, had covered lose upon 40,000 miles, and had enbled the surveyor to cover the roads f the Riding at an average of once a eek. The Committee found that a nsiderable economy had been effected the car, in 'comparison with railway rots and horse hire, and that the total st worked out at 61d. per mile. An endment to refer the proposal back r further consideration was lost. During the quarter ended the 31st March last, 18o heavy motorcars were registered in the County of London. This brought the total number of such vehicles up to 1,388.
Prevention of Corruption.
The reproduction of one& the cards issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which is published herewith, will serve to show the general body of our readers the particular extracts from the Act to which it has been thought necessary to direct attention. The cards have had to be reprinted in large numbers, owing to the demands for further...copies. The Kilmarnock District Committee has given instructions for the surface of the Glasgow Road, from Fen wick to the Renfrewshire boundary, to be put into better order.
The Town Clerk of Brighton has given his opinion that there is no necessity for additional by-laws to enable the Council to deal with the regulation of motorbuses and motorcahs.
At a recent conference of farmers, convened by the Liskeard and District Farmers' Club, a paper was read by Mr. E. II. Hoskin, in the course of which the charging of half the cost of main roads against Imperial funds was most strongly advocated.
"Krupp" Wheels.
Herr Peter Stoltz, of 14, Albrechtstrasse, Barlin, NAV., whose steam wagon was illustrated in our issue of 15th November last, has pointed out to our Berlin correspondent that the further detail illustrations of the wheels, which we published a fortnight ago, depict his own invention, and not that of Messrs. Krupp. The famous Essen works only supplied the cast portions, all credit for the idea of the rubber insertion being entirely due to Mr. Stoltz. We regret our misapprehension of the facts as to place of manufacture.
The Stoltz Boiler.
We take this opportunity to point out that the wagon to which the abovenamed wheels are fitted has proved unusually economical in fuel consumption; this is largely due to the eightunit, Stoltz, plate-type of boiler. Our Berlin correspondent's information on page 228 of our issue of the 2nd instant, as to the consumption of 4 cwt. of coke in a certain time, should have been stated to cover the whole test, both when running and standing. We recommend a re-perusal of the test figures, in the light of this correction, as the performance of this boiler deserves to be noted.
Tar-spreading Tests.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week are to be devoted to the programme of tar-spreading tests that has been organised by the Roads Improvement Association. The tests are divided into two sections, these being for the determination of : (a) the best tar-spreading machine; and (b) the best preparation of tar for road purposes. We hope fine weather and other circumstances will permit the tests to be car ried out to the satisfaction of all con cerned. Wednesday is to be devoted to the preliminary trial of the machines and the preparations, when approximately quarter-mile stretches of the Hounslow-Staines road will be the scene of operations in respect of each test. Four miles of the HounslowStaines road, which is of granitemacadam, between Baber Bridge and the Staines boundary, will be treated on Thursday, and two miles of the Twickenham-Kempton Park Road, which is made of flint, will be turned to account in the afternoon of the same date. The last day, Friday, will be devoted to tests upon the Virginia Water-Reading Road, in the neighbourhood of Ascot, upon gravel, whilst an invitation luncheon is to be given by the Berkshire Automobile Club, in the Grand Stand at Ascot Race-course, by permission of the trustees, at 1.30 p.m. on that date.
A New Registration.
• The Scott-Stirling Motor Company, Limited, has been registered by Messrs. J. B. and F. Purchase, with an authorised capital of ,4:7o,000 in 4.1 shares, hah of these being preferred ordinary shares, and half ordinary shares. Mr. J. Scott, preserve manufacturer, of Burnbank, Cariuke, Lanark, is chairman, the other first directors being Messrs. John Stirling and L. Miles. The registered office of the company is at Strawberry Vale, Twickenham, Middlesex.
Motorcabs for New York.
There appears to be every likelihood that New York will follow in the footsteps of .Paris and London and have several services of taximeter motorcabs. In fact, Mr. G. W. Sands, of New York, who was recently in Paris on behalf of the Motor Carriage Company, informs us that if • .oped to have quite
a ng by the end of May. Mr. Sands visited several manufacturers in France, and entered into negotiations with the Darracq Company for the purchase of TOO cabs. Those for ordinary use in the streets will be of the two-cylinder type, and of 10-12h.p., whilst those for jobbing uses will have four cylinders, and be of r4-18h.p. The vehicles in question are to be of the newest pattern, and have not yet been
seen even on the Paris streets. The first portion are to be ready for running in a fortnight, and the entire order is to he completed by the end of July. Automobile Engineers.
Amongst the latest elections to membership of the Institution of Automobile Engineers is Mr. George -W. Watson, A.M.I.Mech.E., a member of the editorial staff of this journal.
Dennis Orders.
MacNamara.s, Limited, has placed an order with Dennis 13rothers, Limited, of Guildford, for six Royal Mail vs and one of the latest deliveries bum the Guildford works of this well-known company is a motor tower-wagon for Dick, Yonand Company, Limited.
The Use of Motorcabs.
No less than 70 rnotorcabs were employed to take representatives of the Republican Commercial Association round London on Saturday last, in the course of their round of visits, which included luncheon at Harrod's Stores and a garden party, by invitation of Sir Thomas Brooke-Hitching, at the Botanic Gardens, Olympia's Gallery.
We are glad to see that the general demand for improvement in the methods of attracting notice for exhibitors in the gallery at Olympia is being thoroughly considered. It has now been approved that lifts shall be fitted, to save visitors the trouble of discovering the staircases, and this departure alone should make an enormous difference in the value of gallery spaces.
Agency Representation.
The Council of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders now includes the following agents : Messrs. A. K Atkey (A. R. Atkey and Co., Ltd.); H. G. Atkinson (Messrs. Benton and Stone); I-Tarry Carver (Bridgwater Motor Co., Ltd.); H. G. J. Lloyd (TT. J. Lloyd, York); G. N. C. Mann (Mann, Egerton and Co., Ltd.); A. W. C. Mobbs (Pytchley Autocar Co., Ltd.); H. Prosser (Rennie and Prosser, Ltd.); Thomas Shaw (Thomas Shaw, Dun
dee, Ltd.); C. A. Slater (Slater, Batty and Co); and W. Parker Thomas (South Wales Motor Co.).
Handling Spirit.
The London County Council is considering what action should be taken to deal with the dangerous and careless use of motor spirit. Its attention was drawn to the matter by an explosion which occurred last month on the premises of a firm of motorcar manufacturers in Market Street, Jermyn Street, by which a fitter was killed, and two other men were injured. The deceased had, contrary to the regulations, been cleaning the floor of a room with petroleum spirit, and in some way a light was introduced while the atmosphere was highly charged with petroleum vapour.
Commercial Motor Users.
We reported in our last issue the g-eneral trend of business at the last meeting of the Executive Committee of this Association. The co-operation of thc Association in connection with the in tended provincial meets of commercia motors, one of which is likely to takt place at Reading on the r5th proximo and another at Maidstone on the 27t1 July, must secure more local interes and support for this experimental pro gramme than could otherwise havi
been expected. The decision of thi Committee not to take legal advio at present upon the question of claim for damage due to tramrail imperfec lions, but to hold the matter in abey ance until some member applies for ad vice in a specific case of damage, is on that at least shows its sympathy in re gard to the undeniable losses which ar sustained in this connection at times Absence of Trouble.
Mr. John Cumptsey, tallow manufac turer, of Kendal, has been using, a ton Mann wagon for upwards of twelv months, and the economical result that he has obtained may be gathere from the contents of a letter which h addressed to the makers, Mann' Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Corr pany, Limited, Pepper Road Work Hunslet, Leeds, on the nth instan. This reads " Our rubber water-sut tion pipe is getting slightly the wors for wear, having a few holes in Do you repair these wearages, or is necessary to have a new one? What the cost of a new one? I may say th;' the machine has done splendid wor this winter under adverse conditions weather, and has to-day returned froi a trip to Preston, 86 miles out and ii and is running splendidly. Her loz was slin-htly over s tons, excluding thi on the trailer." There cannot be rritt wrong when a user queries the cost the rubber piping. The wagon is ei dently in good hands, and in the ea of a driver who tries to do justice his vehicle.
Our sister-journal " The Motor " announces, in its current issue, that the present Government does not intend to deal with motorcar legislation, otherwise than to re-new the 1903 Act year by year.
Kensington Council's Action.
Indications point to an early settlement of this particular action, as the tractors and motor wagons that are alleged to have caused otfence in certain residential roads, through which roads it became necessary to pass owing to the bad condition of the main thoroughfare from Knightsbridge to Hammersmith, have desisted from using these particular roads for some months past. It is therefore obvious that there is no occasion to discuss an application for an injunction, and it looks as though all parties would be satisfied if the -owners of the machines in question continue to keep them to the main thoroughfare. The case -being in a sense still before the Court, we cannot make any comment upon the proceedings which are taking place without prejudice, except to commend any reasonable undertaking that pro_nises to make for a better all-round feeling in the Kensington district, especially as it now appears clear that no objection will be offered by the Borough Council to the continuation of all classes of motor traffic along main thoroughfares. One only requires to put oneself in the position of invalids and private residents, whose rest is disturbed by the noises which one is entitled to associate with any of London's main highways, to realise their discomfort if these noises are perpetrated in quic' !,8ads during the small hours of the 'morning.
The 'Renard Issue.
We do not know the result of the offer of 125,000 preferred shares in this company as we go to press. The directorate, authorised capital and share classification is in accordance with our announcement of the 18th ultimo (page 178), and particulars of the system are well known to our readers, these having been described by us more particularly in our issue of the 21st February last. The purchase price has been fixed at the high figure of ..185,5oo, payable as to 60,500 in cash, and the balance by allotment of ,125,000 in ordinary shares to be credited as fully paid. The company is
fortunate in having made arrangements for the completion of a manufacturing agreement with the Daimler Motor Company (194, Limited, and a large export business is anticipated.
Brennan's Dual Gyroscope Control.
We are gratified to observe that our article on this invention has attracted the attention of no less an authority than Mr. E. R. Calthrop, M.Inst.C.F., M.I.Mech.E., one of the founder members of the Liverpool Sel&Propelled Traffic Association, and a judge of that body's trials. Mr. Calthrop's connection with commercial motors arose from the interest which he felt in them as a means of further development of the light railway system in districts where the traffic offering would not make a return, even upon the greatly-reduced capital cost of a light railway as compared with a railway of normal gauge and construction. Mr. Calthrop's skill as a railway engineer has already achieved remarkable results in India, in the case of the Barsi light railway, and in other instances, and our readers. will also note his belief that the Brennan system may be of value in four-wheeled, high-speed road vehicles.