Plenty of Coal-gas.
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Two important official announcements hav& been made during the past fortnight in relation to available supplies of coal-gas. The first of theee was the intimation that the Fuel Research Committee was to confer with representatives of the gas-making industry, in order to secure the utmost possible economy in the use of ordinary coal-gas. This announcement fore, shadowed a reduction in the output of coal-gas, but it was followed, within a week, by an effective cancellation. The Ministry of Munitions made its representations, with the result that the Coal Conbroller, Mr. Guy Calthrop, immediately arranged to guarantee all the requirements of the gasworks, having regard to the harmful effect of any curtailment of supply of raw material upon the production of high explosives. The sanction of the Government is thus given, if indirectly, to a manufacturing programme which will provide ample reserves and supplies of coal-gas to meet all conceivable demands for road-transport purposes. We do not go into statistics at length, as that course is more appropriate to the pages of our contemporaries which deal with the technical aspects of the 'gas-making industry but they will no doubt support the view that there will be plenty of coal-gas for all. It is desirable, we think, to adhere to the use of the word "coal-gas." "Gas-" is a generic word, especially in commercial and industrial circles. An alternative, in common use, is "town-gas," We are satisfied with our own choice, for it is one that leavesno chance of ambiguity, ruling out, as it does risk of confusion with water-gas, producer-gas, and Others.
Loads that Pass in the Night.
Many a good road surface is deformed under the weight of night traffic by traction engine. Loads that pass in the night are the bane of some road-surveyors' lives. Everybody admits that individual articles of excessive weight must be transported in the national interest, but those who know find that there is a lot of unrecorded movement of such loads, except in so far as they leave their impress behind them. One cannot walk along any main thoroughfare in London, more-particularly to the east of the line of Tottenham Court Road and Cb.aring Cross Road, without observing evidences of the passage of this very heavy traffic. It slips through in the night, admittedly at a slow pace, not infrequently to the accompaniment of much noise and rattling, the while over-stressing the foundations of the road at varying numbers of points per mile of travelling. here we have the genesis of trouble for motorbuses and commercial motors of all types, for the surface material follows the contour of the displaced foundation, and abnormal inequalitieS of road surface which are thus brought into being are quickly expressed in heavy additions to maintenance charges for owners. Discomfort of travelling, due to excessive bumping, is also attributable to the same initial cause—the loads that pass in the night. Our friends in the tractionengine and heavy-haulage businesses know full well the justice of our comment. They certainly bring the weals spots to the surface. An expert • committee of the Local Government 'Board is shortly to report on points of construction and use, both as regards traction engines and heavy motorcars. The conditions under which exceptional loads may be hauled Are likely to be made more explicit, and it is not unlikely that the "loads that pass In the night" will receive deserved attention. The blame for their blows and dents is of ten laid at the door of innocent daylight traffic.
Concrete Roads.
The Roads Improvement Association (15, Dartmouth Street, Westminster, S.W. 1) has received a considered report on concrete roads from Mr. H. Percy Boulnois, M.Inst.C.E. The Council of the R.I.A., in calling for this report, was undoubtedly influenced by the increasing difficulties which 'beset road engineers at the moment, as regards materials and labour more particularly. There appears to be plenty of concrete, and no marked shortage of reinforcing material, but`everybody who is ,connected with road constructionand maintenance knows that the difficulties in matters which affect supplies of wood blocks are insuperable, whilst those which affect supplies of granite and other road-stones are very great. Mr. Boulnois has examined the subject at great length—we may strictly state, exhaustively. He brings to the subject many years of road-engineering experience, for he, was formerly city engineer of Liverpool, and deputy chief engineering inspector of the Local Government Board, as well as being a past President of the Instinste of Municipal and County Engineers, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Road Board. His report shows the extent of progress in America, where so much more experience has been obtained with concrete roads thanhas been possible in the United Kingdom. He gives the reasons why a concrete road should prove a success, and describes American practice in details. He puts forward specifications for concrete roads, as regards materials, preparation of the existing surface, placing the concrete, curing and protection. It is with regret that we observe,the conclusions of Mr. Boulnois, that under the most favourable weather conditions a concrete road should not be open to traffic until at least 21 days after it is laid, when the whole width of the road is laid at the same time, and that, where the road is constructed in two halves owing to the impossibility of diverting the traffic, the traffic should not be concentrated on to the first half which has been concreted until at least 25 days after completion. Here, we fear, is the stumbling-block in the path of the rapid extension of concrete roads, unless total economy of thine, in conjunction with the undoubted economy in cost, justifies this delay. It only remains for us to add that copies of the report can be obtained from the Secretary of the Roads Improvement Associaiion, price 7d. each, by post.
Detail Points of Control when Using Coal-gas.
The various experiences of userk of coal-gas, par
ticulars of which promise to reach as from all parts of the country in an increasing volume in the near future, indicate that there is plenty of scope for the exercise of ingenuity to ensure the best results when this fuel is used instead of petrol. We last week stated the usual internal diameters for the gas-admission pipe at its point of deliveryinto the induction pipe, but it is
of great importance to emphasize the fact that a suit able gas-cock (stop-tap) should be provided on the pipe through which the gas is led from the flexibleholder to the engine. This cock should be a little larger in the bore than the delivery end of the pipe, .and its real function is to enable the driver to adjust the gas supply as may be required. Users are finding in practice that atmospheric and road conditions make a considerable difference to the maximum amount of gas an engine will take, whilst it is also necessary to use the cock for control purposes in relation to the Varying heat values of different supplies of gas. We are indebted to Mr. IL O. White, engineer of the 'Great Grimsby Street Tramways Co., Ltd., whose vehicles appear to hold the record for economy of running on coal-gas, for the following recommendation :— "The best way to ascertain the correct position
for the regulating cock is to work the engine up to its utmost speed with the ear standing; a point will then be reached when the least fraction of a movement in the opening direction of the cock will cause the engine to slow up. The point just before this gives the maxim urn gas the engine will take to give the correct explosive mixture. The igni; tion should be advanced as far as possible."
The foregoing information is certain to be of in terest to our many supporters who aye responding to 'our urgent representations that they should give coalgas a chance, amid not.wait until they are obliged to 'do so by the failure of all supplies of petrol, which contingency is by no means a remote one for many branchea of commercial transport. • The regulating cock is not, of course, used in any way to increase or decrease the speed of the vehicle, but is set to a particular position which corresponds with the maximum r.p.m. of the engine on the gas which is in use. A particular case from Mr. White shows that his last Daimler char-h-bancs will cover 20 miles on the Grimsby gas with the cock set about three-quarters open, while on the Caistor gas, from which no residuals are being extracted, the same vehicle will run 25 miles with the cock set exactly half open. We also wish to direct attention to the illustration and descriptive matter which we publish on page 471.
A Chance for the Electric.
The increasing stringency upon petrol allowances, the impressment of steam wagons and the rationing of coal are contributing to better prospects for the electric. Satisfactory experiences, usually within the limits of the radius for town delivery, say, 20 miles from the centre, are now accumulating, as with Harrods, Ltd., the Midland Railway Co., and other large users of battery-equipped vehicles. The electric is making good headway, and is certainly justifying a large proportion of the claims that have from time to time been advanced on its behalf, within those welldefined limits. The prospects of its extended use on inter-urban services are waiting a livelier appreciation of possibilities on the part of many. joint-stock and municipal supply undertakings.
The immediate difficulties of our friends on the electric side of the industry is, of course, due more to • another consideration of supply—that of materials. Steel, lead and copper are so badly wanted for State purposes that we doubt if it is possible for British manufacturers of electrics to tarn out as many as 100. complete vehicles between now and the 31st December next in any circumstances. Relaxation of import restrictions is, in the foregoing circumstances, most desirable. We hope that something can be done, and we gather from inquiries which are circulating that the necessity is recognized in certain official circles, but no accession of electr:c strength will alter the wisdom of first of all taking steps to keep existing vehicles on the road. We repeat our earlier view, that there can be very an.ich more relief for harassed transport interests, by the inexpensive and quick adaptation of petrol vehicles to use coal-gas, than can be secured by any new building• or importing efforts. This result can so be obtained at much less disturbance of existing priority than by i
trying to hurry through 1000 or 2000 electrics n British shops, and even the higher of these imaginary totals is not enough, were the money forthcoming for their purchase. By all means let the electric be assisted, but, at the same time, let a sense of proportion be maintained. The petrol vehicles are already in the possession of users. They must not be wasted. The use of coal-gas is the means to avoid waste.