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News and Comment.

This journal is exclusively read by the principals of many wealthy commercial houses, and by the heads of important Government and Colonial Departments.

The annual general meeting of the S.141.M.T. will be held on Thursday the isth instant.

We are advised that, owing to the small number of entries, it is not improbable that the contemplated Petits Poids Lourds, which stand announced to be held from the 22nd to the 3oth instant, will not take place.

In Southern Nigeria.

At a cost of 200 per mile, some 90 miles of motor roads have been created in Southern Nigeria, under the Governorship of Sir Walter Egerton, K.C.M.G. We are able to outline a few particulars on page 70.

Mobilisation Tests.

The Hastings experiment has given rise to a spirit of emulation in several parts of the country. We learn, for example, that Leeds and Sheffield motorists are to follow the example which has been given in the south.

Accumulator Propulsion.

We publish this week, on pages 71 to 73, an article from our New 'York correspondent on the subject of accumulator propulsion for vans or lorries. In a covering letter, he advises us that the cost of current is 2d. per kilo-watt hour, and that the total capacity of the accumulator sets for the one-ton, three-ton and five-ton trucks is 15.85, 26 and 39.5 kilo-watt hours respectively : the batteries are generally recharged when they are little more than half exhausted. It is the practice to write off the value of the batteries in eight years, and one battery man is reckoned to be able to take care of ten sets of accumulators. It should be noted that the costs per ton-mile are for loads in one direction only, as the vehicles practically always return to headquarters empty.

Readers who are particularly interested in the subject of accumulator propulsion may care to be reminded that detailed examples of operating costs were given in our issue of the tfith May, 1907. These previous particulars may be summarised thus, as to the cost per vehicle-mile half-ton to one-ton vans, 8d. to tod. ; three-ton vans, is. id. to is. 4d. ; five-ton lorries, is. iod. to 25.

Precision Feed.

The value of precision feed for the fuel of any internal-combustion engine is a point upon which we have more than once insisted. Progress with the Davis carburetter, which works equally happily with petroleum spirit, alcohol, paraffin, and other liquid fuels, is recounted on pages 84 and 85.

" Commer Cars."

One of the latest 3o-cwt. " Commer Car" vans to be delivered is that illustrated on this page. McCorquodale and Company, Limited, the large printers, whose supplies and turnover are so closely associated with the London and North-Western Railway Company, owns the vehicle. Last week, a two-ton box van was sold to Messrs. W. H. Smith and Sons, and a petrol street-watering cart, through Messrs. Paterson, Simons and Company, of London, to the Municipality of Penang.

Mr. A. Aldersey Taylor, the company's sales manager, tells us that the works are giving special attention Lo the fitting of suitable protective devices for drivers, He has forwarded an illustration, but we have not room to publish it in this week's issue. The wagon in the 1901 trials of the War Department, which was illustrated on page 65 of our last issue, is the Straker vehicle, which won the third prize, and not the Thorny croft wagon, which won the first prize.

The Five-mile Limit.

Owners of steam wagons who are being troubled by heavy fines for breaches of the five-mites speed limit will do well to remember that they can overcome the difficulty by fitting india-rubber tires. It would probably be better in the long run to bear the cost involved, which should not exceed 21d. per mite, having regard to the greater speed then legally possible (eight miles an hour 'without a Lkailor), the lesser wear and tear on the mechanism, and the lessened noise.

Main-road Traffic.

One of the higher Scottish Courts has affirmed the principle that mainroad traffic takes precedence of other traffic, and that drivers who emerge from side roads on to main roads must give way to the traffic on the latter, or be accounted responsible in case of collision. This is a very important holding, and one we should like to see established as a settled rule throughout the United Kingdom. The manner in which careless and negligent drivers burst out of side roads has been a danger, and it still remains a danger. It is one of the many points upon which road users can take a lesson from railway practice.

Argyll Organisation.

Mr. J. S. Matthew, the managing director of Arg-ylls, Limited, is retrenching, reforming and organising in no uncertain manner. He has announced the determination of the Alexandria undertaking to have no subsidiary companies, and that direct touch with the many hundreds of owners of Argyll vehicles will be established and maintained. The company's organisation in London now consists of a showroom at 6, Great Marlborough Street, W., and a repair works at the Brownlow Mews, Guilford Street, W.C. These works were recently vacated by the Daimler Company, and up-to-date machinery, together with a large stock of spares.

The Dunlop Rubber Company, Limited, is seeking the services of a traveller (Supplement, page III).

The Army (Annual) Bill, which is now before Parliament, transfers to the Army Council, and renders more clear, the powers of the Crown to impress motor vehicles at times of national emergency.

A Draper's Delivery Van.

We illustrate on this page a smart little Dennis delivery van, which has just been handed over on completion to Messrs. Grant Brothers, who have the largest drapery and millinery business in Croydon. The vehicle is of the tocwt. standard type, and is fitted with a 12h.p. two-cylinder engine. Dennis Brothers, Limited, of Guildford, is doing considerable business with small vans of this class. A large and growing proportion of the trade of Grant Brothers is the custom they secure in the outlying districts of Wallington, Sanderstead, Purley, Wickham, and other Surrey neighbourhoods, and the decision to employ motor vehicles for their delivery work will enable this enterprising firm greatly to increase their effective radius of connections.

Halley Vans.

Several fleets of Halley vans, supplied through the London Branch of Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, whose works are at Yoker, Glasgow, are now leading to the accumulation of valuable records in and around the Metropolis. We may name, of these, the six machines owned by Messrs. Bourne and Hollingsworth, of Oxford Street, W., one of which we illustrate herewith, the 11 vans of the Army and Navy Stores, the two owned by the junior Army and Navy Stores, the six which belong to Selfridge's, the two for the Civil Service Co-operative Society, and three for the X Chair Patents Company. Mr. D. McNeil Sharp manages Halley's London work, at 25, Victoria Street, S.W. We are informed by Mr. J. H. Randall, of Paddington Green, W., whose radiator " hospital " is much appreciated by owners of petrol vehicles, that his small-display advertisement in this journal has brought him " very satisfactory results." He

has informed our Business Department that he has been able " to trace a very large amount of new trade to his announcements."

Good Lacre Records.

One of the latest testimonials to the consistent running of Lacre vans is to hand from Thomas Wallis and Company, Limited, of Holborn, whose report states : "The figures for January of this year are 1,169 deliveries, and 1,485 miles run, which is about the usual average. Our van has delivered loads to the following places, amongst others :—Basingstoke (98); Hove (m8); Sittingbourne (89); Margate (148); and Hastings (126). The van does the double journeys in a day, and is still giving satisfaction, after three years' hard work."

A 25-cwt., 16h.p. LatTe van was delivered, a few weeks ago, to John

Barnes and Company, Limited, the a.ell-known drapers, provision dealers, and general warehousemen, of Hampstead, N.W. This van is already doing an approximate mileage of 250 per week, and it is anticipated that its rounds may have to be lengthened, as the promptitude in the filling of orders is much appreciated by customers.

In spite of growing competition, the I,..acre Company holds its own in the realm of commercial motoring, and its records with customers of old standing are second to none in the trade. Users' fleets continue to be enlarged, and repeat orders—the merited reward of quality—are of common occurrence each ' week.. Mr. Claude Browne, the Chairman and Managing Director, has recently taken personal control again.

Speed Indicator as Witness.

In at least two recent prosecutions for exceeding the speed limit for motorcars, the defendants were able to satisfy the, magistrates that the police methods of timing were not absolutely accurate, and during the course of the evidence it was stated that the cars were fitted with " Perfect " speed indicators, which are made by S. Smith and Son, Limited, of 9, Strand, W.C. Mr. Lane, the magistrate before whom one of the cases was called, went so far as to say (after asking the constable haw he accounted for a great discrepancy between his stopwatch and the maximum speed recorded by the indicator, and receiving no satisfactory reply): " that this sort of thing only led to a state of chaos, and that something else would have to be done in future with regard to the timing of cars." The other case to which we refer was beard before Mr. Paul Taylor, who also accepted the accuracy of the indicator.

Now that commercial motor vehicles are coming in for a larger share of attention at the hands of the policetrap operators, owners will do well to safeguard themselves by the addition to their machines of some guaranteed and accurate speed indicator.

Kingston-on-Thames Town Council has now decided, by it votes to 6, to invite tenders for two petrol fireengines and appliances.

It is reported, from .Australia that a motor extension is to be introduced, from the railway terminus at Norseman (Western Australia) to Esperance and other eastern districts in the colony.

The Radcliffe Urban District Council's loan of £2,35o, to which we referred last week, will be applied in payment for a motor fire-hose tender and fire-escape from Messrs. John Morris and Sons, of Salford, and a motor fire-engine from Merryweather and Sons, Limited, of Greenwich, S. E.

The British Petroleum Company, Limited, of 22, Fenchurch Street, E.C., has issued ro,000 show cards, each bearing the words "Shell Motor Spirit" in the form of a large scallop shell, upon which the current price per gallon of " Shell " spirit is set forth. This action has been taken upon a suggestion by the Motor Union.

Marshall's Extension.

Marshall, Sons and Company, Limited, of Britannia Iron Works, Gainsborough, whose agricultural motors and oil tractors are giving promise of increasing sales, notify us of an important extension to the factory, and we have pleasure in illustrating this preparation for the company's new oil-tractor department. It will consist, when completed, of two bays, each 48 feet wide, the length being 244 feet. The structure is entirely of steel, filled in with brick panelling, the bricks being Made at Marshall's works by the company's own plant. The height to the caves is 35 feet. It is intended to have a gallery on the east side, and across the south end, with tramways down each bay, and two travelling electric cranes. The shop will include a testing department, and will be heated with warm air throughout, whilst provision will he left on the west side for later extensions which are contemplated.

The Penge Urban District Council will consider the purchase of a Merry. weather motor tire-engine at its next meeting. Tests in the Crystal Palace grounds were recently witnessed by several members of the Council and the local surveyor.

The County Borough of Salford is asking tenders for the supply of a combined petrol motor fire-engine, escape and hose-tender, with a pumping capacity of not less than 45o gallons per minute. Full particulars may be obtained from the Chief Officer, Central Fire Station, the Crescent, Salford, and sealed tenders must be delivered on or before Monday next.

County Fire Brigades.

In the course of a successful and -informative tour with a Dennis 4oh.p. turbine fire-engine, perhaps the most successful demonstration was that given at Stafford. Apropos our comments of the 6th February, 1908, as to the enormous scope for motor fireengines. and as to the duties which are incumbent upon county people to equip themsehres in this connection, we are interested to learn that a movement is on foot to secure financial support from the principal property owners outside the county town of Stafford.

All-motor Fire Stations.

The annual report of the London Fire Brigade contains the following passage :—" The employment of motor transport for Brigade appliances is being gradually extended, and the new fire station at Holloway, at which duty was commenced in September, 1908, although at present horsed, will shortly be equipped entirely as amotor station. This will make the fourth station at which the appliances are all motor appliances, the other three being the Wapping, Lee Green and Tooting stations, which were opened in December, 1905, December, i906, and August, 1907, respectively. Other stations in course of erection and to be erected will be entirely motor stations, the experience gained with the, motor appliances at present in use justifying us in adopting this course."

The motor appliances in use in the Brigade now consist of : six steam motor fire-engines; five petrol motor tenders (including one first-aid motor); six petrol motor escape-vans; and four motorcars (one steam and three petrol).

Where a Motor Fire-engine is Wanted.

Local motorists have made offers to defray part of the cost of a motor fireengine at Bromley, Kent. The Brigade horses are employed during the daytime in drawing the Council's carts. When a call is received, a maroon is lired, at which signal the horses are driven at best speed to the station, and as rapidly as possible harnessed to the fire-engine and escape. Last summer, a horse dropped dead from exhaustion less than half-a-mile from the start, and the outbreak, four miles off, had burnt itself out before assistance arrived.

London Motor Fires in 1908.

The annual report of the London Fire Brigade, from which we have quoted earlier, shows that, in 1908, there were 69 fires in connection with the motor industry. As many as so motorbuses took fire while on the road, as compared with 27 in the previous year; but, as regards motorcars, the result is the reverse, only four cars firing on the road in '908, as compared with 21 in 1907. The causes assigned for the motor-omnibus fires (total so) are as follow :Defective carburation, three; defective electric circuit, two; friction of machinery, eight; mineral oil upset, one; leakage of petrol, one ; overflow of petrol, 35.

There were five motorcabs burned, the causes of the outbreaks being :Leakage of petrol, one; overflow of petrol, three; petrol vapour coming into contact with lamp, one. Motorvans of various sorts had four fires, due, in three cases, to overflow of petrol, and in the other to the overheating of the exhaust pipe. Of the four fires in pleasure motorcars, two were caused by the overflow of petrol, one by friction, and one by short circuit. Only one motor lorry took fire, and this was due to petrol vapour's cooling into contact with a lamp. There were five fires at the premises of motor manufacturers, two being due to lights thrown down, and three to vapour of spirit in contact with flame.

Eight fires broke out at garages, due to the following causes :—Defective electric circuit, two; overflow of petrol, four; vapour of spirit in contact with electric spark, one; unknown, one.

The total number of London fires during the 12 months was 3,238, and by far the largest number (894) occurred in private houses. Licensed victuallers head the list of trades, with 67 outbreaks, an increase of ro on the previous !,:ear.

Mr. Gordon Smith tells inc that his firm has received an order to fit zo speed indicators on vehicles belonging to the London General Omnbus Company, Limited.

Congratulations to Mr. D. McNeil Sharp, that most estimable person and the London representative of Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., who is about to join the noble band of Benedicts. There are not many of us left tmprovided for now : our Editor is the most glaring example, but then again it may be said that I have had more years to look round. I was only thinking the other day (when a series of additional country journeys was allotted to me by the powers that be), that when I do eventually meet my affinity I shall have a new argument to advance. I shall be able to urge as a clincher that 1 " shan't be home much."

The information reaches me from Mr. W. G. S. Tyacke, that the famous French-made Gaulois tires will be handled in future by Gaulois Tyres (1909), Ltd., at 6o, Great Marlborough Street, W., and the abovenamed gentleman has been appointed general manager and secretary : associated with him will be an English board of directors who know exactly English methods and requirements, amongst these being Mr. G. T. Langridge and Mr. B. L. Thorp—both prominent motorists. I gather that MM. Bergougnan and Co., of Clermont-Ferrand, the makers of these tires, have guaranteed prompt deliveries.

At Liverpool, a short while ago, I noticed one of the luxurious Pullman buses, not very long ago plying between Earl's Court and Portland Place at sixpenny fares; it is in service as an hotel bus, attached to the Adelphi Hotel, both for station work and conveying passengers to the Atlantic liners. There is a difficulty with luggage at present, as the roof is not designed for carrying trunks; still, there is an idea of adapting it, and adding a 'ladder. It seems to me there is a large field open here to makers, and one which at present is not adequately worked. There are such opportunities for hotel people to use a well-designed vehicle for pleasure jaunts, in addition to the station work. They have their clients for the pleasure excursions in the hotel, at their mercy so to speak, and properly managed it is inevitably a paying proposition to own a motorbus.

There was an air of only partiallysubdued satisfaction about Mr. T. C. Pullinger, until lately with Humber, Limited, when I happened upon him last week in the West End. He is all old friend, and I ventured to enquire about his plans. I asked him about his Continental trip, to which I referred in these columns four weeks ago, but he only smiled enigmatically, and said the snow had kept him at home. I thought that sounded rather " thin," and did not hesitate to say so, after which the facts came out by degrees. He has accepted the general management of the New Arrol-Johnston Car Company, Limited, as the right-hand man to Sir William Beardmore, who controls that concern. It may be mentioned, incidentally, that he served his apprenticeship with J. and E. Hall, Limited, of Dartford, whence he went to the Royal Gun Factories, at Woolwich, in the capacity of draughtsman, for several years. Space does not allow that I should follow him through his many years of valuable training, both at home and abroad, but not a few motoring men will remember his excellent Lyons-built car at the Paris Show of moo. His work in the evolution of Sunbeam and Humber models followed.

Pullinger, whose portrait is given herewith, is a man who has made a large circle of business friends. His heart always seems to be in his work, and he will have to be reckoned with.

One of our editorial staff, who seems to drop in for most of the easy interesting jobs—he went with the Guards to Hastings, found his way, in his spare time, to the Aero Exhibition, where he diligently hunted over the place for the machines that had actually flown. He caught sight of Buffalo Bill's namesake adjusting some of his man-lifting kites, and some weary-lookingTommies assisting, though apparently not enjoying it much. Glancing round, one of them caught sight of the huge business sign belonging to the occupants of a neighbouring stand, that of the Mass Company. Tommy Atkins, turning to one of his pals, said, thirstily and huskily " I wish the stuff those blokes sell next door was spelt with a B.' " The heroes of the A.A. dinner the other night were, rightly enough, Colonel Bosworth—who made an adinirable speech—and Mr. Stenson Cooke. The cinematograph depiction of the Hastings expedition was an excellent idea, because the pictures intensely interested those of us who for various reasons were unable to go. I was personally in the throes of a devastating cold, which has only been at last routed by a week-end in a Derbyshire Hydropathie establishment, which cure, by the bye, sounds to some more drastic than it really is. To resume, however, I dissent from the carping criticism indulged in by some papers ; even the Editorial staff of this journal, in last week's issue, is mildly sarcastic as to the usefulness of the Hastings experiment. The experiment has shown plainly, it seems to me, that we have at hand a new force to rely upon. Some have said that these owners had plenty of time to prepare and "tune up " for this special occasion, but it must be borne

in mind that, if the Country were in clanger, such a state of things would not develop in twenty-four hours, and the Country's car and lorry owners would be always " tuned up." I strongly think that members of the Automobile Association have, in addi tion to covering themselves with much glory, brought to light, in a novel practical fashion, a new vein of patriotism, and a means of quick transport which would be eminently useful in troublous times.