News of the Week.
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The verdict upon '' No. 1 " was unanimously favourable.
A twelve-page Indian and Colonial Supplement goes out with several thousand copies of this issue.
Over boo members of municipal and other local authorities visited the Agricultural Hall Show yesterday.
The 2511.p. Durkopp Royal Mail parcel van supplied by the Motor Car Emporium has now completed thirteen months' running in the conveyance of the Redhill (Surrey) parcel service.
.i The luncheon of the Motor Van and Wagon Users' Association at the Hotel Cecil, on Tuesday, was an interesting function, as it was the first occasion upon which owners of commercial motors have met for the purpose of congratulating the legislative powers upon the freedom granted to self-prop elled traffic.
Visitors to the Agricultural Hall cannot fail to notice that builders of commercial vehicles now supply very complete outfits with the machines, so that the risk of delay on the road from lack of the right spanner or packing no longer exists.
Messrs. G. T. Riches and Co., of 4, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., have opened a Manchester branch at 49, Biackfriars Street, Deansgate, which is convenient to the Royal Ex. change, where business men do mostly congregate. All requirements of electric ignition will be provided for at this depot.
The South-Eastern Railway started a new motor service at the end of February from Herne Bay to Canterbury. Two 12 h.p_ 4-cylinder Panhard cars, with accommodation for to passengers each, have been bought to ply over the nine miles of road separating the two towns. This will be a great advantage, in point both of time and convenience, over the train service.
As we go to press we learn that the London Motor Cab Express Company, Limited, will this week issue its prospectus. We understand that the capital to be asked for is .125,000. The gentlemen concerned in this have done a good deal of pioneer work during the past two years by testing practically under everyday conditions various types of chassis and bodies. These have been on the London streets in competition with the horsed cabs, and were subjected to very severe tests by the licensing authorities at Scotland Yard before permission was issued to enable them to ply for hire. Those of our readers who know Netherall Gardens. Finehley Road (a hill with a reputed gradient of 1 in 7) will agree with us in thinking that to expect a motor cab with driver and passengers to get off from a standing start on the worst part of the hill is hardly a fair test. Yet this is what is expected from any firm submitting a motor cab for hire licensing.
" Argyll Motors," Limited, of which the prospectus appeared in our first issue, has been very largely oversubscribed. It will be remembered that the authorised capital is half a. million, and that £350,000 were offered to the public. The Company will proceed immediately with the erection of new works designed for an output of 40 cars a week, and the scheme provides for the construction of delivery vans of all classes.
The use of electric advertising vari, is on the increase in the United States. Americans are pastmasters in the art of street advertising, hence their belief in this form of appealing to public observation.
£50o is the average price ruling atthe Agricultural Hall Exhibition for a, five-ton steam lorry. Motor omnibuses. to carry 36 passengers run to Z9oof but light delivery vans are from 4-160 to £35o.
The Ivel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., of 45, Great Marlborough Street, W., have received numerous awards for the performance of their machines in ploughing, mowing, reaping, etc. The Gold Medal of the Highland Agricultural Socie:y, and the Silver Medal (highest award) of the Royal Agricultural Society of England are among the most recent.
During the past seven days the Provincial Press has devoted a great deal of attention to the tram versus motor'bus question, and in particular many columns of correspondence has appeared. Very few pro-tram letters have appeared; the majority of residents in the towns who possess, or are likely to possess, trolley ears, fully expressing their opinions in favour of a better system. Most of this correspondence has been brought to our notice, and we are glad to see that the arguments advanced by nearly all the writers have been expressed in a moderate and commonsense way. Summarising what has appeared, we find that the greatest objection to the existing tram systems is to the thunderous noise of the vehicles themselves upon the rails and the constant whirring and clicking of the trolleys running under the current conductors. Tramway managers have hitherto turned a deaf ear to all appeals to cease using water to ease the tractive effort and use proper dirt clearers instead. Many of the letters go very carefully into the financial aspects of the controversy, and it is being gradually brought home to members of provincial corporations that the item of depreciation has not had a sufficient margin debited to it to provide for future rail and upkeep renewals. Cyclists have also intervened in the discussion, to ventilate side-slip and other grievances_
Over 12,000 copies of our first number were ordered by newsagents. " M.O. in the show report signifies " mechanically operated," an abbreviation which will not be understood as yet by all our readers.
Messrs. Turner, Atherton, and Co., Ltd., of Denton, will shortly complete their new Manchester steam wagon, built under the Brightmore patents.
It appears that the last straw to break the camel's back will be the motor vehicle, which is already being experimented with in the desert around Suakim.
Builders of light vans and owners of all petrol vehicles will do well to inspect the safety starting-handle exhibited on stand No. 183 at the Agricultural Flail Show.
We already hear of a number of new concerns which intend to manufacture commercial motors. A year from now the industry will have made rapid strides in every section.
Motor vans for loads of wcwt, to one ton are not adequately represented at the Agricultural Hall Show. We shall comment fully upon these lighter vehicles next week.
We fully recognise that even in journalism perfection is unattainable, and we shall esteem it a favour if friendly critics will forward any suggestions, the adoption of which will lead to the improvement of " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
The Scott Agricultural Motors, of 12, North Saint Andrew Street, Edinburgh, have received an acceptance from the Ivel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., of the challenge which was advertised in last week's issue. It is proposed that a three days' trial shall take place at a date and place to be agreed.
Mr. 0. Claude Robson, M.I.C.E., the engineer and surveyor to the Willesden Urban District Council, in a recent report to the Council gives some very interesting comparisons of cost as between actual use of horses and carts in his own district and motors for municipal purposes in other urban and borough councils. Where horse teams are required for drawing material from railway stations or canal for road repairing purposes, Mr. Robson gives the figures of cost as tenperice per ton per mile. This, of course, includes the double journey to and from the station, when one-half of the mileage estimated is with empty cart or wagon. For motor work, Mr. Robson is convinced that a considerable saving would result, and he makes an estimate, based on experience of other municipalities, which well brings out the advantages of mechanical traction. He takes initial outlay at .4;68o to Leo° for a steam wagon, with two bodies (for use as carrying wagon or watering purposes). The average daily run is taken at 30 to 33 miles, with following estimates of annual cost of running :— " Sinking fund and interest on loan per annum, £4; re pairs, Les; wages, Ltoo; fuel, So; lubricants and sundries, etc., 4.10 los.; insurance, Le; total, ,4;346 tos. per annum. With a carrying capacity of three tons and a period of 260 working days during the year, the price per ton mile would work out at about 3d., which is, I believe, .a fair average accepted by most firms, and where it is conceded that one motor will do the work of three two-horse drays." Taking a line through the satisfactory experiences of those municipalities that have whole-heartedly adopted motor wagons, we can see no reason why the Willesden local authorities should not follow the lead given them by other localities in ministering to the general public welfare and convenience. The City Corporation and the Westminster Borough Council have set an excellent example in this respect. The Corporation of the City of London has a dust collecting and watering system on most progressive lines.
A service will be started between Llangollen and Oswestry, passing through Chirk, Vroncysyllte, and Gobowen, a fortnight hence.
In advocating a service of motor omnibuses for York, Mr. J. T. Scarborough, of the Wolseley Tool and Motorcar Co., estimated that a profit of id. per passenger per mile would be made. • A service of motor omnibuses for passengers, and of steam lorries for goods, is to be established by the London and North-Western Railway at various points along the Chester and Holyhead line.
Applications for shares in the two new London omnibus companies fell short of the amounts offered to the public, the fact that both prospectuses were practically out together being to some extent accountable for this.
The Sheffield City Council will promote a Bill next spring to take powers for the running of motor omnibuses, and a sub-committee of the tramways. committee will proceed with their investigations during the next six months.
A service of motorcars for passengers and mails has been established between Bezwada and Masulipatam in the Presidency of Madras. The new service will cover the distance between the two places (40 miles) in 2i hours, as against 14 hours by the old native runners.
The body-work of motor omnibuses for country service should be designed to avoid the entry of dust, and the use of a closed back not only secures this protection, but provides four extra seats. This is a point which will be appreciated by an inspection of the exhibit of a G.W.Ry. omnibus on stand No. leo at the show.
Mr. C. S. R. Palmer, the consulting engineer to the Agent-General for Western Australia, has reported to the Premier of that State on the subject of motor omnibuses. Mr. Palmer is of opinion that the total cost will reach is. 2(1. per mile and allows 3d. a mile for rubber tyres. He is certainly well on the safe side.
The present rush of motor omnibus flotations is to be
regretied. It is certain to end in the disgust of investors with such undertakings; genuine concerns will suffer, and the whole movement will receive a set-back, as we had occasion to point out last week, unless the situation is sternly dealt with by the Press. In this connection it is refreshing to find outspoken criticisms in many of the dailies in which the actual prospectuses have been advertised.
One of the districts which has long needed good communication is the old-world neighbourhood of Lydd. A scheme is in hand to provide an efficient motor omnibus service across the Romney Marches to Dover and Folkestone from Lvdd. This is just one of those by-ways of traffic which the tramway promoter has scorned and which, owing to its comparative insignificance, could not bring pressure to bear upon the S.E. Railway to provide a better train service. We think the service ought to pay a good return for the capital invested.
A modes vivendi has been outlined as a result of the recent conference between representatives of certain municipalities and railway companies. This provides for the compulsory licensing of any omnibuses which may belong to the railway companies, under the same conditions as the local authorities apply to other public vehicles. If licenses are refused without good reason, say, in a spirit of jealousy or fear of competition with municipal tramways., a writ of mandamus will issue requiring the local authority to show cause. Both parties are thus reasonably protected.
A correspondent to a Yorkshire journal refers to the proposed motor omnibus service in York as a " flood of evilsmelling abominations." It requires something more than bad language to throttle the motor vehicle nowadays.
Mr. Gerald Balfour stated in the House of Commons the other day that, although heavy motor traffic might conceivably damage country roads, it would be difficult to estimate the amount of such damage due directly to the motor vehicle ; and that, therefore, he could not recommend the appointment of a commission on the question.
At a recent meeting on the Hadleigh to Southend motor 'bus service a resolution pledging the meeting to support the service was carried unanimously. An amendment to the effect that a deputation should invite the Southend Corporation to provide means of communication with Hadleigh (presumably by tramway) was not seconded.
It is likely that the Liverpool Corporation before long will experiment with motor 'buses as a means of relieving the present congestion of the main streets, caused by the cumbrous and unguidable electric trams. Despite the fact that the Liverpool electric tram service is one of the best in the kingdom and that the present low fare of z miles for id. wants beating, without doubt the motor 'bus will score.
The North Eastern Railway Co. and the Midland Railway Co. are experiencing considerable opposition from municipal bodies to their Bills seeking for powers to run motor omnibuses in connection with their lines wherever the exigencies of traffic demand it. An effort is being made to restrict the use of motor assistance to motor omnibuses, coaches cars, and other vehicles used for conveying passengers and luggage to and from the companies' railway stations. The "Light Railway and Tramway Journal recently pointed out that a good deal of extravagant language had been published in regard to the supersession of electric tramways by motor omnibuses. As a matter of fact, our contemporary observes, the motor 'bus has to solve many difficult problems from which electric tramways are free; although there was little doubt that in the City of London the motor vehicle would replace the horse 'bus to the considerable gain of the streets and the public.
An interesting trial of motor agricultural devices was held the other day at Brechin in Scotland. Among the competing machines were a double-furrow plough by Messrs. Jack and Son, Maybole ; a turnip cutter, and a potato dresser by Messrs. Rickerby of Carlisle; and a manure spreader made by Mr. J. D. Allen, Dunkeld. The performances of these were very successful. The motor ploughs of Mr. J. Scott, Edinburgh, were unfortunately not ready, and consequently the ploughing competition had to be abandoned.
The lecture on the "History and Development of the Motorcar," which is being delivered in various parts of the country by the Hon. C. S. Rolls, has been attracting a great deal of notice. One of the most interesting comparisons in the lecture is that of the speed of the motor vehicle TO years ago and its speed to-day. In 1896 the highest average speed of a motorcar on a long-distance road run was under 16 miles an hour. To-day it is about 6o miles an hour. Mr. Rolls splits up the motor vehicle industry of the present time into four classes :--(t) Light pleasure car ; (2) passenger vehicle for public service ; (3) tradesman's delivery van ; (4) heavy goods lorry. He pointed out that, although motor omnibuses first started to run in 1834, it was only now (after 70 years) that they had reached the stage of reliability. The motor lorry, he said, had tremendous business possibilities.