From Our Berlin Correspondent.
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In the Kaiser Manceuvres.
Nine automobile trains, as well as a number of lighter self-propelled freight vehicles, will do service in this autumn's Imperial German tnanceuvres.
Switzerland's Total.
The most recent statistics available concerning Switzerland's freight automobiles give the number at 328 only. Six of the 25 cantons possess no vehicles of the kind, while over a third are registered in I he canton of Zurich ; Basel-Stadt shows 50, the canton of Berne 28, and those of St. Gallen and Waadt 25 each.
Suitable Directors? .'• .'•
Austria" is the name of a new Vienna company (Kastnergasse 3), floated with 90,000 crowns (X3,750) for the .purpose of working public and private motorcabs. Messrs. Johann Titz, house owner and cattle commissioner, Rudolf Pollatschek, dealer in iron material, and Josef Krautstofl, restaurant proprietor, are severally empowered to act for the company.
Automobile Exports to Russia.
For chassis with lorry bodies, the Russian Customs Office has now definitely fixed an import duty of 70 roubles apiece, Industrial vehicles of this kind have hitherto entered Russia sometimes under one duty and sometimes under another, according to the taste and fancy of the particular Customs House officer. The scheduled body, it may be well to point out, consists of a freight-floor, side-pieces and the usual seat for the chauffeur.
Apropos the Russian market., a Nfoscow periodical called the ' Automobilist" reproduces an instructive report by the ConsulGeneral of the United States of
. America in Moscow upon the state of affairs prevailing in Russia, as regards a demand for self-propelled vehicles. Interested persons might certainly do worse than take the trouble to procure his report and study it closely. The Consul directs attention, as others have done before him, to the extraordinary disproportion between Russia's enormous expanse of territory and her railway system, the latter being totally inadequate for metropolitan and provincial needs. This augurs an extensive use of horse-drawn vehicles, which deduction, indeed, is borne out by facts. Both Moscow and St. Petersburg show a heavy percentage of residents who own horses and carts. On the other hand, owners of automobiles are relatively insignificant. Moscow, with a population half as large as that of Paris, can show but 720 automobiles against 18,000 in the French capital This disproportion is explained by the inability of the Russian chauffeur to execute the simplest repairs to the "automobile as at present constructed." B.ence, what Russia requires and what she would be ready to purchase, is an automobile of the simplest-possible design, to which the Russian chauffeur can effect light repairs. Until this type of automobile makes its appearance, it might perhaps be worth while for some of our big firms to establish repairing garages and chauffeur-schools in some of the large Russian cities. By " school" I mean not only a place where the chauffeur could receive instruction in driving, but also a place where he could learn how to repair defects. The Consul considers the electromobile " most suitable for metropolitan work," provided that "it is not too dear, can tackle bad roads, and does not cost much in upkeep." At the time of penning his report, no electromobiles, freight or passenger' were running in Moscow. Price lists, your manufacturer reader should please note, are useless for working up trade n Russia, as the home customer will not buy until he has seen a model in work. All instructions for handling automobiles should be in Russian.
Agricultural Motors for Denmark.
A report by the German Imperial Consul at Xykjobing states that Danish farmers are making increasing use of motors both for driving machines and for generating electric current for lighting purposes. The German motor, however, is not yet a competitive factor in Denmark, this official observes ; he would be pleased to bring German firms into touch with dealers of account. The information is some
what vague, and it seems a little doubtful that Germany has done no business in this line with Danish farmers. But perhaps makers on your side will go a little more deeply into the matter with the assistance of local British consuLutes.
Germany Behind in Agricultural
Motors. • ,
The German " Woche.uschrift fur Siid-und Mittelamerika " (Weekly News for South and Central America) directs attention to South America as a market for motor ploughs, Labour is scarce there, and horse or oxen-drawn ploughs cannot work over a sufficiently large area,. It is pointed out that .Engineer Kasdori, who occupies the chair of engineering in the Agrionltural College at Montevideol stated, in his opening lecture this year, that, whereas not a single motor plough existed in Uruguay a twelvemonth back, the present number stood at. 40, and these were valued at 240,000. As much land, he said, would be broken up during the current year as in the whole of the previous decade. According to Professor Kasdorf, a motor plough replaces 18 ordinary ploughs, 18 workmen and 180 oxen, and it requires but two attendants. All these new ploughs, it appears, were imported into Uruguay either from England or the United States of America. The Professor strongly advises German engineers to watch the South American market. It is satisfactory to note, on this gentleman's testimony, that English engineers have done a little more than " watch " : they are on the scene with workable machines. The fact is, you can take it from me, Germany has not vet evolved a satisfactory motor Plough.