News and Comment,
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This journal fosters, represents, and chronicles commercial motoring in all its branches : our regular weekly circulation exceeds 8,000 copies, exclusive of any extra mailings of special issues.
R.A.C. Trials.
The Editor will be pleased to supply, free of charge, cards of admission for the eight exhibitions in connection with the R.A.C. Trials, and written application for these should be made to the office of this journal.
A Series of Lectures.
We are glad to be able to announce that arrangements are complete for the delivery of addresses upon the trials and the vehicles taking part in them, under most influential, commercial and trading auspices, at various of the more important stopping-places:. These lectures will be given by The Editor of " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR," and evidence is not lacking to prove that they will be both well attended and well reported. Details will be announced later.
Inauguration Dinner.
It has been decided that the inauguration dinner, in connection with the trials, shall be held at the Trocadero Restaurant, W., on Saturday, the 7th proximo, at 7.30 p.m. This will be asubscription dinner, at a charge of one guinea per head (inclusive of wines), and orders may now be addressed to the Secretary of the Club., 119, Piccadilly, W. It is intended to invite a large number of Press representatives as guests on this occasion.
In Lieu of Passenger Bodies.
Sidney Straker and Squire, Limited, has notified its intention to present a goods-carrying vehicle for trial in place of the wagonette that was originally entered in class B, so that two, Straker-Squire, one-ton vehicles, upon the model which was fully described and illustrated in our last issue, will compete in the trials. Messrs. Durham, Churchill and Company, of Sheffield, have intimated that their char-abanes body, in class D, will be replaced by a lorry body to carry two tons. This firm also advises us that Aster, Limited, is able to supply English-built engines in time ; in consequence, so that the whole of the vehicle may be English from radiator to tail lamp, Shrewsbury and Chailiner's " Giant " tires will be used in place of the make of tire which it was originally intended to fit to this chassis.
Cost of the Test.
It will astonish those of our readers who have not thought over the matter, when we draw their attention to the very great expense that will be involved by the carrying-out of the forthcoming competition. For example, we know that the average estimate of the manufacturers who have entered, quite apart From any question of the cost of production, is about 4-200 per vehicle, to cover all running and out-of-pocket expenses,
and advertisements So far as the Club is concerned, it was specificially pointed out to the Chairman, Mr. C.
D. Rose, M.P., that the Committee would need to be prepared to vote as much as A]s,000 for the purposes of the Trials, but we understand that, owing to the careful supervision of the Secretary, Mr. J. W. Orde, the outlay will be kept down to about -4,....4,000 as a maximum for all disbursements.
Final Depots.
Messrs. Hofland's private road, at Hungerforcl, will be substituted for the market-place; the Angel Hotel yard and l3rinkworth's coal wharf will be used instead of the market-place at Chippenham; the tram stables will not be required at Gloucester, as the Horse Fair grounds are large enough ; the market-place will not be needed at Stafford, hut only the Smithfield yard ; Messrs. Wood's carriage depot, in the Cheetham Hill Road, is to be used on the occasion of both visits to Manchester; the market-place will be used at Baldock ; and the Shrubland Road premises of the Vanguard Motorbus Co., Ltd., at Dalston, will be the
home " depa. There are no other modifications. The Rose and Crown Inn, at Baldock, will be the club headquarters for the night of the nth Octo. her--after the penultimate stage. Jr several instances it will be necessary for the Club to erect large marquees for storage purposes.
More Lacre Vans.
Maple and Co., Ltd., has placed a fourth repeat order with the Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., of i-s, Poland Street, W., and this time for three more 2-ton Lacre vans. We reproducE a photograph of one of the first vans of this make to be purchased by thE well-known manufacturers of furniture, carpets, etc., and which vehicle is stil: running excellently. It is evident that the management of Maple's find plenty of work for standard, 2-cylinder, 3.6h.p. vehicles, apart from any intentions that may exist in regard to orders for more powerful chassis. Other reeni orders for Lacre vehicles have beer received from John Line and Sens. Ltd., and the South Metropolitan Cza,s Company, Ltd., whilst a 3-ton " export " Lacre is on the point of being shipped to Brazil. The Simms Manufacturing Co., Ltd., intends to go in for a scheme of reconstruction, and Mr. Fredk. R. Simms will shortly put upon the market a new magneto machine.
Renault cabs are about to be put on he Berlin streets by the Automobil/ertrieb Gustav Freund.
Licensed for Two.
Taximeter cabs in London are limned to carry two persons, yet the list of upplementary charges authorises cerain extra payments for each "extra ierson above two," and Scotland Yard
anctions four seats. This anomaly as mentioned in the City Police Court, ast week, when a driver in the employ ,f the General Motorcab Co., Ltd., was ined xos. and costs for carrying five )eople—four inside, apd one by the :river. This anomaly cannot remain,
A Qualified Salesman.
Mr. Howard. Wilson, M.I.A.E., who s in his 35th. year, and who has just erminated the period of his agreement ;ith the Simms Manufacturing Co., Ad., is open to accept a new engagelent. Mr. Wilson possesses the adantag,e of a sound engineering trainag, but he wishes to continue on the usiness side of commercial motoring, a the belief that his intimate knowAge of the trend of business should rove a valuable asset to any company. Ve shall be happy to forward any enuiry to Mr. Wilson, whose services
should not remain unclaimed for many days. Apart from his knowledge of home buyers, Mr. Wilson, who has travelled round the world and sojourned in various important Antipodean and American cities, both north and south, should develop an export business.
The new provisional tariff for the Australian Commonwealth gives a preference of to per cent. to British motor lorries and wagons, and parts thereof, the import duty being 25 per cent. ad valorem, as against 35 per cent in the general tariff.
Good Accumulators.
Messrs. C. A. Vandervell and Company's catalogue, a copy of which has been received at this office, contains details of many useful electrical components. Chief of these is the accumulator known as the " C.A.V." This battery is made in a variety of sizes, and in two distinct types—the " Standard " and the " de luxe." The bridges and lugs on the plates of these accumulators are all in one piece, so that there is no necessity for internal jointing, and no liability to trouble from corrosion. The active material is practically in one piece, enclosed in a basket which is formed by the cast grid. The plates are each separated by sheets of perforated, corrugated celluloid.
This make of accumulator has 1.Teen in constant use by many well-known motor manufacturers, and their opinions are to be found in the favourably-worded testimonials that are re
printed at the end of the ordinary catalogue. The address of the company is : Warple Way, Acton Vale, London, W.
Mr. J. Sidney Critchley, E., M.I.A.F2., has removed to 12, Regent Street, W., where he is conducting his consulting practice and other businesses.
Worthless Notices.
The British Empire Motor Trades Alliance, a letter from whose energetic secretary, Mr. J. B. King, appears in our correspondence columns, has been drawing attention to the methods of French publicity, and this action will have served a useful purpose if it results in the effective discounting of any " puffs " which may be re-quoted from French journals, as even the most responsible of these publications do not hesitate to charge so much per line for fulsome notices.
Halley Vehicles.
Mr. Ralph E. Wilson, the manager of Hallev's Motors (Manchester), Limited, whose office and depot are at 1-3, Bridgewater Viaduct, Deansgate, is obtaining some very fine performances with a 2oh.p., 3o-cwt. Halley van in connection with various demonstration tests for intending customers. A similar van, as well as a heavier one to carry 2-ton loads, has been entered for the R.A.C. trials, throughout the continuance of which the makers of these vehicles hope to arrange many agencies.
An Unsuccessful Promotion.
The report of Mr. H. E. Burgess, the Senior Assistant Official Receiver, in respect to the liquidation of Straker and MacConnell (1906), Ltd., has been issued, and it discloses the extraordinary tangle into which that company's affairs had lapsed at the date of the making of the winding-up order in June last. It appears that, when the company's prospectus was issued in April of last year, only 4,400 shares were applied for, and the application money was returned. A further effort to obtain subscriptions was made in the following August, a circular being sent to all applicants under the original prospectus, but only 6o shares were applied for, and these were allotted.
The statement shows unsecured creditors, 220 in number, estimated to rank for ...6,724, and other liabilities, none of which are expected to rank against the assets for dividend, are £6,400. The estimated total assets, including stock-in-trade, estimated by the officers of the company to produce ,5,000, are put down as .,.6,320, the estimated deficiency of assets to meet liabilities being shown as only £404.