News and Comment.
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Our seventh special number—" THE MIDDLEMAN'S ISSUE "—is announced for October 12th.
This is a new departure which will enlist the active support of established dealers in other forms of mechanical and. agricultural plant throughout the whole Empire.
The commercial motor movement is of such an expansive and all-embracing character that its advantages are practically self-explanatory ; it is only necessary that they shall be placed in a readable and attractive manner before those who have undoubted openings within their grasp for conviction to follow as a matter of course.
Not only will this issue be widely circulated, in accordance with our unique system for placing special numbers in proper quarters, but we shall not hesitate to spend money to adverise it adequately in trade and other journals which reach spheres where even our " intelligence department " may not penetrate.
The next matter in hand will be the annual show of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Every reader of this journal owes it to himself to visit that exhibition, and we urge each and all to note the dates—November 17th to 23rd. Our own special preparations are being matured.
The proprietors of the "Liverpool Echo " have been testing the value of the motor vehicle . for delivering special editions along the North Wales coast. "Shell " motor spirit was used by the first and second cars in the recent Tourist Trophy competition in the Isle of Man, a fact upon which we must congratulate the General Petroleum Company, Limited, of 19-2r, Billiter Street, E.C.
Commercial Cars, Limited, whose office is at 79, Gracechurch Street, E.C., has been registered with an authorised capital of L.20,000 in £i shares, to,000 of which are 7 per cent. cumulative preference shares, to carry on the business inter cilia of constructors of and dealers in commercial motors. There is no initial public issue.
Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Company, Limited, of Pepper Road Works, Hunslet, Leeds, has made various improvements in the design of its commercial motors sin6e the terms of the Heavy Motor Car Order became public property. The company's shops have been extended to cope with the big business offering, whilst our readers have already become acquainted with the good results yielded by these vehicles in practical use from the various reports of owners which have been published in our columns from time to time. One feature of the company's system is the provision of a tractor possessing the advantage of a small carrying platform, as the additional load on the driving wheels is frequently found a great advantage on greasy surfaces. We describe the system on pages 40-41. The secretary of the British Empire Motor Trades Alliance, Mr. J. B. King, of II, Red Lion Square, London, _W.C., sends us an interesting series of translations culled from articles which have recently -appeared in the French automobile Press. The common theme is that England provides the great market of the automobile world, and one of these articies is responsible for the elucidation of the fact that England buys ,-4,8,000 worth of motorcars every day. After complimenting France upon her position in that threequarters of the motorcars imported into England are of French manufacture, the majority of the articles exhort French constructors not to lose the immense hold they already have in the English market. It is also pointed out that English exp.orts are small because the home demand is too large to be satiSfied by the present output from English makers. One of the best of these articles in question concludes--" When a more liberal legislation grants the unrestricted use of the roads, and nothing elae is adequate, Great Britain by its Luxurious tastes, individuality, and wealth, as well as being the greatest market, will then hecome the great centre of the automobile world."
Our Japanese supplement will be published on November 3oth. It will be ireely illustrated. The announcement of this issue has been received by the trade with nothing but commendatory encomiums. We intend that it shall deal with the commercial side of the industry in a most complete manner, and the whole of the supplement will be printed in the Japanese language. The fact that it will immediately follow the Olympia Show must enable us to include up-ro-date particulars of exhibits there, whilst we shall not neglect other machines which are usually shown elsewhere. Reports are in circulation that several large London manufacturers, including a brewing company of worldwide repute, are about to move their undertakings to the suburbs of London in order to avoid the prohibitive rents they now have to bear. Motor transport alone renders this change possible. There will, unquestionably, be a wide dispersal of production centres now that reliance can be placed upon self-propelled road vehicles_ The range of road delivery has, hitherto, been limited by the endurance of the horse to, say, an effective radius of seven miles where heavy loads are concerned. And regular use even within that limited scope has been the direct cause of almost incredible wear and tear upon the animals. This important aspect of the movement is dealt with editorially_ James and Browne, Limited, of Westcroft Works, King Street, Hammersmith, W., has received an enquiry from Caracas, Venezuela, for motor delivery vans, and this company advises us that the communication is the direct outcome of its advertisement in "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR," which is widely read both at home and abroad.
The Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., of 1-5, Poland Street, Oxford Street, W., is actuated by a spirit of enterprise which has already secured an encouraging return in the way of new business for Lacre vans and lorries. The latest move is the despatch of a 16h.p. anachine---which type is celebrated for its excellent hill-climbing capacity—on a tour round many of the great manufacturing centres, for the purpose of demonstrating its value for all purposes of utility. The first series of visits will be to Norwich, Huddersfield, Manchester, Birkenhead and Newcastle-on-Tyne. A reference to the company's advertisement in this issue will show the names and addresses of the local agents to whom applications should be made by all who desire to avail themselves of the opportunity thus provided for testing the merits of the Lacre System. No matter how clearly information and statistics may be put before an intending user, there is no test equal to the service of a van upon his own work.
The Aberdeen Town Council has approved the purchase of a motorcar for the burgh surveyor's department at a cost not to exceed L500.
The Norwich 'Town Council is on the point of purchasing a second steam motor wagon ; one is at present in use which was constructed by the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Company. It is proposed to expend 4;565 on the vehicle. Mr. W. T. Lancashire, deputy city engineer of Sheffield, has been recommended for appointment as the city engineer of Leeds at a commencing salary of 4',6o0 a year. The appointment will go before the Leeds City Council on October 4th.
Mr. Howard Humphreys, M.Inst.C.E., consulting engineer on roads to the War Office has now agreed about the original claim of L16,3oo by the Hampshire County Council, in respect of expenditure incurred by that authority, between April, 19o3, and February, 19o5, in making good damage done to the Farnham-Petersfield main road in Woolmer Forest by traction engines and trucks employed over the construction of new camps. The result is that the War Office will pay .-S,600, it being held that the contractors are liable for about j;8,000, and it is expected that the settlement of this balance will be referred to arbitration.
The entries for the German A.C. commercial motor trials appear to have fallen as fiat as did those for the A.C.G.B. and I. competition. Our Berlin correspondent advises us that the German Club officials have been exceedingly reticent about the whole affair from the beginning, and it is now announced that the entry list will be kept open until Monday morning next. If these trials are abandoned, there will be at least one crumb of comfort for the officials at 119 Piccadilly.
Our contemporary, "The Surveyor," comments upon the proposals recently made in our pages for the establishment of a service of penny-in-the-slot water meters to supply steam motor wagons by the roadside. Our contemporary asks whether the scheme will appeal to water authorities, and we certainly think it must do, because they are to receive an addition to their lists of metered consumers in respect of water which is very often, at the present day, surreptitiously taken from ordinary house supplies. On the question of highways, we have every reason to believe that our contemporary will maintain its progressive attitude in reference to the development of motor transport in this country.
In the course of a paper recently presented before the American Society for 'resting Materials, a new protective treatment for iron or steel structures was described. This consists of applying one or more coats of paint on which, while still wet, sheets of paraffined paper are laid. Two finishing coats of paint are then given, and the method has proved to prevent corrosion, more especially in railway stations and sheds at points where escaping engine gases impinge on the steel girders and trusses.
An emergency committee of the Motor Van and Wagon Users' As.,,ociation, with Mr. Douglas Mackenzie in the chair, was held at 119, Piccadilly, W., on Thursday the 21st instant, beginning at 5.3o p.m. The meeting was convened specifically to discuss what steps should be taken in connection with the preparation of evidence to be submitted to the Royal Commission on the Motor Car Acts. It was decided that the bulk of the information required should have reference to matters of road and bridge construction and main tenance, and it was remitted to a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Douglas Mackenzie, Howard Humphreys, and E. Shrapnell Smith, with the secretary, Mr. W. Rees Jeffreys, to prepare a form of questions to be circulated amongst the members with the object of getting together the required data. This sub-committee met the following day, and members of the association will shortly receive the request for information under various heads as agreed at that meeting. The commercial Motor " is Officially recognised by THE MOTOR VAN.
A N
WAGON USERS' ASSOCIATION, . 16, Down Street, W.
The OrganiSqtion for all Users and Persons interested in Commercial Motors of every type, Annual Subscription One Guinea.
Full particulars may be obtained On application to the Secretary, W. REES JEFFREYS.