News and Comment.
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This journal is about to issue its Seventh Export Special Number : it will be a New Year's message.
We object to " nuistmees at Olympia : see page 233.
One day's work (No. 14), with a Broom and Wade wagon, is recounteSt .on pages 236 and 237.
" A new body annually " sounds rather alarming. but it refers only to a hint for motor johmasters who want to do the highest-dam trade.
The Insurance of Drivers.
'We think more owners huold take an interest in our special policy for drivers (see page 251). The advantages have already appealed to some.
Splashguards.
Our "Supply Department," this week, tells something more about the Shrapnel splashguard. This is now selling well. It deserves to do so, and the price is reasonable. The owner who takes a little trouble to study the public reaps a big advertisement.
The Colonies.
In June last, and priced at, Hid., His Majesty's printers published the Colonial-Office Blue Book in regard to inechanieal transport. The announcement ut the foot of this page tells hoe we promptly analysed and criticised that report. We have also been in direct touch, since June, with the governors and other officials of the Colonies and Protectorates concerned. in view of the preparation of our forthcoming " Overseas Special,"
Messrs. Shoolbred's Mileage.
It is very seldom that a statement in the course of an advertisement proves to be below the mark, yet that is fact. in relation to part of last week's business announcement, in the centre opening of this journal, by the Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd. The Lucre Co.'s advertisement draughtsman, in drawing up the " copy " for the announcement in question, overlooked the fact that a further period of time had elapsed since Messrs. Shoolbred authorized the publication of 554,000 miles as the total for their Lacre vans: this total is now 777,000 miles. Again, the annual mileage is no longer only 100.000 miles greater than in the days
of horses, hut is now greater by more than 200,000 miles. These figures are of exceptional general interest, and we direct attention to them for that reason.
Up-country Motor Services.
Long-distance journeys, as our readers know, are the rule in Southern Nigeria, Uganda, and other Colonies. Other countries are not behind : one service in Madagascar, between Antananarivo and Maevatanana, is over a 24I-mile route; another route, in the Congo, has sections of 80 miles (between Bute and Bambili) and 2.58 miles (between Dungu and Rodjaf). Yet, some people think there are no openings, for commercial motors, in the absence of expensive roads. Willesden Fire Brigade.
Willesden District Council is to iuvite tenders for a petrol motor combining first-aid fire-engine, pump, hose-tender, and a 50 ft. fire-escape.
In Turkey.
Turkey, which is one of the countries whose leading trading and importing houses are to receive our " Overseas Special," is at last amenable to enterprise. An air of freedom has taken hold of her, and this has brought business in its train. One natural consequence is a demand for commercial motors, and our business is to urge the purchase of new and upto-date models. The Turkish G,P.O.. for example, wants four motorvans for mail-carrying purposes at the moment.
The Sydney Fire Brigade.
"To some of those who believe that the comtnercial-motor vehicle is not destined to prove a success in Australia, the Sydney Firs Brigade is a useful object-lesson. Attention lias been attracted to this department, quite recently, by the failure of the horses of one of the engines in Hunter Street, when Superintendent Webb. referring to the matter afterwards, used the significant expression that those horse-drawn appliances they had at present must be used for the time being. It is some four years since the first motor was purchased for the department, and, during that time, others have been added to the entire satisfaction of those concerned. After the recent occurrence, one might be permittsxl to inquire whether they are not more reliable than the horses. They work, too, under heavy conditions; they weigh 31 tons each, run on solid rubber tires, and, when working out in the suburbs, have to traverse roads in anything but good order. The engines provided are of 30 h.p.. and the machines travel at anything up to 30 miles per hour—trying enough for any vehicle on bad roads. The fact that these Merryweather motors, working under arduous conditions, can do so for such a. period should speak volumes to reasonable men as to the reliability of the commercial-motor vehicle when judiciously chosen and properly Extracted from " The Sydney Mail." We congratulate Mr. W. George Williams, of the Deasy Co., upon the happy conclusion of his labours as lulu. secretary to the London Committee for the pneumatic-tire " majority " celebration-dinner.
A Caterer's Motorvan.
An interesting large-capacity motorvan has been supplied, recently, to Spiers and Pond, Ltd., by Sir W. 0. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., of 3, Blenheim Street, W. This vehicle deals with loads up to si tons, and is fitted with the maker's standard '28-32 h.p. fourcylinder engine and fourspeed gear, whilst the body accommodation runs to 11 ft. 6 in. in length, and 3 is. 10 in. in width. Dunlop solid tires are fitted to all the wheels, and the machine is reported to be doing very well. Its daily mileage amounts, usually, to 60 or 70 miles, and our illustration shows the machine on its second journey during a day's work. It was "caught" between London and 'Bromley, with a full load aboard, last week.
Substantial Construction.
The substantial construction of typical English steam wagons is well exemplified by a mishap, which occurred a short time ago, to one of the Aitken five-ton pneumatic tar sprayers, mounted upon a standard nnderframe constructed by Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co.. Ltd., of Leeds. A water main had burst, beneath the surface of the road, and this washed away the earth which supported the crust, with the result that there was a bad subsidence when the wagon came over the place, and an immediate overturning of the vehicle on to its side. The proprietors of the machine have informed the makers that the only damage done
" was the breakage of one discharge valve at the back of the pneumatic tank, and the loss of a few gallons of tar." The vehicle belongs to Tarroads Syndicate, Ltd., 9, Victoria Street. Westminster, S.W.
Laere Sales.
Laere business is briskly maintained. Manchester purchases include two two-ton chassis for Schweppe's, Ltd., two 25 cwt. vehicles for William Crawford and Sons, Ltd., a 25 cwt.
van for John Heywood, Ltd., a covered 2.5 cwt. van (repeat sale) for William Paulden, and a one-ton van for the Manchester Home for Lost Dogs.
Water-gas Power.
4. correspondent asks if any reader of this journal happens to know of a commercial vehicle which is propelled by an engine using water-gas. We have no information on the subject.
South Africa.
The lack of roads in South Africa need not frighten home manufacturers, but it ought to convince them of the necessity to study the peculiar conditions of the country, and to produce vehicles capable of working out there continuously. A short life for such a purchase does not appeal to buyers ; town conditions are the exception, as we understand them.
In a Stationer's Service.
Mr. James Smith, of Messrs. A. and D. Padon, the well-known stationers. of 13, St. Andrew's Square, Edinburgh, as the result of a call which was paid to him by a local correspondent of this journal, has addressed a letter to us in reference to his 16 h.p. Albion van. As will be gathered from this letter (page 248), Mr. Smith is very much pleaseu with the results obtained ; we gladly publish them.
Olympia News.
On the last night of the Olympia Show, a double-deck motorbus from Mr. Clifford's Metropolitan fleet was chartered to convey a large private party, composed of members of the staffs of various leading manufacturers, to the Florence Restaurant (see page 246), where a dinner and smokingconcert were subsequently held. The attendance figures for the whole period, together with comparisons with last year's totals, are given below :— Tuesday and Thursday were "halfcrown days." All the figures above include complimentary and other tickets. The attendance on the 17th inst. constitutes a record. The grand total for this year's exhibition is 193,381—a net increase of 41,531 over last year's corresponding figure. The net result should be another £7,000 in the Society's coffers.
c.M.0 A.
The office of the Commercial Motor Users' Association will shortly be moved to Caxton House, Westminster. New members can now join (subscription £1 is. per annum) for the year
1910. One advantage is that this moderate payment includes the annual subscription (postage free) to TIIE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
Humber Smartness.
Page 245 has at its foot an illustration, by the courtesy of Reville and Rossiter, Ltd., Court Milliners, etc.. of Hanover Square, and Oxford Street, W., which company is making quite good use of a recently-acquired 10-12 h.p. four-cylinder Humber motorvan. The machine has a load capacity of about 10 cwt.; its body dimensions are 6 ft. 8 in. long, by 5 ft. 2 in. high, by 4 ft. 6 in. wide. The unique method of glazing the aide panels may be noted, this adding to the attractive appearance of the vehicle in real life. A careful finish, in light brown with gold lettering, has been adopted.
Laundry Vans.
Four separate instances of new sales to laundry proprietors have come under our notice, and we have pleasure in illustrating three of the vehicles which were supplied in fulfilment of these orders. That to the Greenan Laundry Co., of Doonfoot, near Ayr (not illustrated), of which Mr. David Bowie is the manager, is a 16 h.p. _Albion. Mr. Bowie informs us that his new van is for 15 cwt. loads, and that one of his older vans of the same make ran more than 21,000 miles in 16 months, with only " two slight hitches." Ile keeps them, principally, on the long-distance journeys. We may mention. incidentally. that the 20-25 cwt. Albion lorry (as by the second illustration on this page) has just been delivered to the Moray and Nairn Laundry Co., Ltd., of Elgin, N.B. It is a pioneer van in that part of the country, and should certainly bring additional orders to Scotstoun.
The top illustration depicts a 25 cwt. " Commer Car" van, and this has already become a popular and attractive feature in the traffic of North London, where it is daily in evidence.
The bottom illustration, of a 16 h.p. Laere, represents the recent purchase by the proprietors of a well-known Maidenhead laundry, from which a big service of collection and delivery is conducted within a radius of some 10 miles. The extra pressure of the boating season is relieved by its use.
The New Selma Garage.
Barna Commercial Motors, Ltd., is nothing if not alert to opportunities. Its new garage in Avonmore Road, West Kensington, which adjoins Olympia, was taken over at the psychological moment, and good trade was done there between the 12th and 20th inst.
Australian Interest.
Mr: Erie F. Boult, our correspondent located at Sydney, has been elected a meMber of the Engineering Association of New South Wales. A paper which Mr. Boult read about the middle of last month, before a large and enthusiastic audience, resulted in the putting to him of no fewer than 100 questions; his reply occupied nearly one hour. The questions principally came from delegates of Chambers of Commerce and Master Carriers' Associations, and the meeting was duly reported in the " Sydney Herald." As might have been expected, Mr. Bonk made copious references to this journal, and to its Colonial and other special issues.