News and Comment.
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This journal is extensively read by the heads of many wealthy commercial houses.
Inst. A.E.
The recent visit by a party of members of the Institution of Automobile Engineers to Belgium appears to have been thoroughly successful. Many important works were visited.
Topical Subjects.
Our leading articles this week concern certain aspects of the proposals for new legislation, and the significance of the new Middlesex toll. They will be found on pages 533 and 531-535.
Choice of Men.
The names, other than those of the. Chairmen, who were mentioned by us last week, of the gentlemen who will constitute the two important forthcoming Committees to deal with motor traffic, highway conditions and constructional points, are not available at the time of going to press.
Parliament's Intentions.
There have again been references, during the past week, to proposals for fresh legislation. The Earl of Malmesbury, speaking in the House of Lords on the 23rd inst., called attention to matters arising from the development of heavy motor traffic of all classes. He particularly thought that heavy traction engines, hauling two, bhree or four wagons, which were in effect regular trains, were the cause of much of the trouble. Local authorities were practically powerless, and he considered that the time for Government action had come. These heaviest types of road engines also caused much delay and obstruction.
Lord Strachie, replying for the Government, reminded the House that the Joint Committee of both Houses was not to inquire into the whole question of the use of roads by motor vehicles, heavy and light., but to deal with the vexed question of motor omnibuses. It was a technical committee of engineers, which the President of the Local Government Board was going to set up, which would inquire as to the necessity to make any alterations and revisions of the Heavy Motor Car Order of 1004. After 10 years of experience, it was only right that the whole of that Order should be reconsidered.
In the House of Commons last week; on the same subject, Sir John Spear asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he was aware of the damage being clone
el to the roads of the country by the increase of motor lorries and heavy traction engines ; and if he would consider the desirability of increasing the licences on these vehicles, the proceeds to be paid to the bodies responsible for the repair of the roads.
Mr. Montagu (Financial Secretary to the Treasury): The whole question of heavy motor traffic is under consideration.
Mr. Rogge: Who is considering it and when will their report be issued ?
Mr. Montagu said a previous question to the President of the Local Government Board had received the reply that a Technical Committee on the law and regulations relating to heavy motorcars and traction engines was about to be appointed.
Mr. Rogge: Will their names be put on the Paper ? Mr. Montagu : It is a Departmental Committee.
Mr. Lyell : Will the terms of reference be issued?
Mr. Montagu I do not think so, but perhaps my hon. friend will address a question on that point to the President of the Local Government Board.
Mr. King : Does the right hon. gentleman realize how little confidence there is in technical experts, and will some practical men be appointed ? No answer was returned.
Apropos the foregoing replies, we may point out that if the powers which are to be conferred upon the Departmental Committee are limited to investigations in regard to the Heavy Motor Car Order, the traction engine and the road train will escape.
The Cost of Tires.
New purchasers of vehicles will do well, in reference. to any existing tables of working costs for motorvans, to remember that reductions in the prices of rubbei tires are rapidly becoming of general effect in relation to such costs. We have reason to believe that something like half the vehicles in the country are now running with tires which have been purchased under favourable conditions for the buyer, and not under the earlier conditions upon which many such tables of costs are based. We have cases before us in which three-ton vehicles, when running upon London streets, are costing only 0.7d. per mile for tires ; in the ease of the L.G.O.C., with its enormous demand, contract prices are even below this. The time is fast approaching when all established records in respect of solid-rubber tires can be cut down by 50 per cent., and they can immediately be so cut down, in respect of newly-purchased tires. Some owners a.m.( makers have, unfortunately for themselves, yet to run off old tire contracts which do not contain a falling clause, but these are the exception.
Good Steaming.
We recently received interesting testimony to the economy of superheated steam, in respect of work done by a standard five-ton wagon. This vehicle is owned by Messrs. J. Walker and Sons, removal and general haulage contractors,
Aireworth Road, Keighley. A full week of working showed a total running of 479 miles—of course en rubber tires. Of this, 210 miles were run with a trailer. The total coal burnt reached only 21 cwt., and this was in relation to an out
and-home trip between Keighley and Leicester, with certain deviations at Bradford and Sheffield. The wagon and trailer went empty to Leicester, but on the return journey there was a load of eight tons as far as Bradford. This particular wagon has now run close upon 18.000 miles, and has not had spent on it for repairs in two years.
Wh.lt is a Main Road ?
In the House of Commons on Thursday of last week, Captain Murray asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether in the cla.ssification of main roads now being car ried out by the Road Board, regard was had only to the number of cars passing over a given road, or whether, in arriving at a decision as to a road being a main road for purposes of classification any other considerations were taken into account.
Mr. Montagu : No, sir. the classification is to be made on the relative importance of the various highways for traffic purposes.
Sir Hyland Adkins: Does this investigation include many roads which are in no sense of the words main roads ?
Mr. Montagu! Yes, sir.
Manchester's Powers.
The Manchester Corporation Bill has passed the Local Legislation Committee of the House of Commons, inclusive of authority to run motorbuses and to extend the parcel-earrying undertakings. We have boon assured by Mr. J. McElroy, the general manager of the Tramways Department, that there is no intention to ask or levy so high a toll as 2d. per onmibusmile upon anybody.
Good Ball Bearings. Apropos the reference to ball bearings which appeared on. page 523 of oar last issue, we must
point out that the Rolls-Royce car which was so eminently successful in the recent Austrian Alpine trials was fitted with Hoffmann ball bearings. We understand that these bearings were not specially made or selected for the occasion, but were taken at random from bulk stock. Hoffmann ball bearings are fitted as standard to all Rolls-Royce cars.
Accidents in New York.
We observe the Fifth Avenue Coach Co:, of New York, whose chief engineer is Mr, A. G. Green, formerly chief assistant engineer to the L.G.O.C., has an enviable record in respect of street accidents. During the past five years there have been only five fatalities Palladium Agency.
Guy Lewin, Ltd., proprietois of the Baker Street Motor Agency, now holds the agency for Palladium Autocars, Ltd., for its commercial and pleasure vehicles, so far as London and district is concerned.
Recent Registration.
The Car Corporation of Great Britain, Ltd , with its registered office at Halton House, 20, Holborn, E.C.-L5000. Directors: IL and J. C. Woodall, and H. M. Alleyn. The Northampton Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade holds the Dewar shield this year for the second time.
Recent purchasers of WillysOverland machines include liarrods Ltd., William Whiteley Ltd., and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Co.
Laundry Albions.
Mesers. F. A, Baldwin, of the Empire Steam Laundry and Cleaning Works, Acton, W., recently ordered another 16 h.p. two-ton Albion, bringing up its fleet of vehicles of that make to three. Another current order for an Albion is from the Devonshire Sanitary Laundry Co. The British Vice-Consul at Braila (Roumania) reports an opening there for British-made agrimotors, fitted to burn petrol.
The Rubber-tire Era.
Our Paris em-respondent writes " The full effect of the law forbidding the use of steel-shod tires in the Paris metropolitan district after 1915, and in the meantime limiting the speed of such vehicles to practically a walking pace, has already been realized_ There is hardly a steel-shod motor vehicle to be found in the Seine department. The Purrey steamers engaged in bringing reels of paper from the. mills at Nanterre to the various newspaper offices in the heart of Paris have all been sold to the Provinces, and their place has been taken by a fleet of Renault petrol vehicles shod with twin rubbei7 tires. The steamers employed by some of the sugar refineries have also disappeared. All the petrol vehicles which formerly ran with steel tires have been converted, with the exception of a very small number of building contractors' lollies, which are evidently being worked to destruction in preference. As there was, only a few ars ago, quite a boom in steelshod lorries. Renault and Berliet being the leaders in the movement, the change is most remarkable, and one which cannot fail to have been profitable to tire manufacturers. The twin tires for some of the heavy lorries originally designed to run on metal are of IIDu sually-b ig section."