News and Comment.
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This Journal has the largest and most valuable circulation ; it is the only journal that deals exclusively with mechanical road transport under the 1896 and 1903 Motorcar Acts.
Mr. Henry Sturmey discusses the fixing of a dividing line between pleasure and commercial vehicles in this issue (page lei).
The early issue of the regulations for the oft-deferred Commercial -Vehicle Trials is again announced by the Royal Automobile Club, but we believe that this statement may be accepted as a correct one.
One of the latest orders for a 243oh.p. Durham-Churchill 2-ton lorry has been placed, through Messrs. R. A. Young and Company, of 13, Mosley Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, by the Newbottle Co-operative Society, of Fence Houses, Co. Durban).
A forecast of some of the principal exhibits at Cordingley's forthcoming exhibition at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, N., which will remain open from Saturday next, the 6th instant, until the following Saturday, both days inclusive, will he found on pages 121 to 123.
A representative of this journal recently paid a visit to the Works of Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Company, Limited, at Leeds, and found them in the throes of clearing up business before Faster. The factory was, in fact, working over Good Friday, and on Saturday last, in order to complete some orders of an urgent character. Our representative saw an imposing array of wagons, which were ready for immediate delivery. These included : a 5-ton wagon for Messrs. James Allen and Sons, furniture removers, of Sheffield; a 5-ton wagon for Mr. J. Alderson, haulage contractor, of
Bootle, this being a repeat order; a 5tort wagon for the Sunderland Haulage Company ; a 2-ten wagon for Mr. A. Foster, metal merchant, of Chertser (Surrey); another 2-ton wagon for a London customer ; and the 5-ton compartment waeon for exhibition at the Agricultural Hall (see page 122). This company is devoting its energies -exclusively and solely to the manufacture of steam wamms, in which respect it occupies a unique position as compared with any other manufacturer of such vehicles, all of whomhave other important if allied branches .of business. Seen by the Paris representative of " TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR," a director of the Societe Gtinerate des Automobiles Inclustriels explained that they
were erecting garages in various guarters and hoped to do a big business in
the sale and loan of commercial vehicles, whilst they would make a feature of repairs. He au/flitted that so far French makers generally had not devoted enough attention to the construction of automobiles for goods transport, but he believed that very shortly no maker of any standing would neglect this important branch of the industry.
The arrangements for a cohrence of road makers and road user3 which is to be held at Olympia, on the i9th instant, are progressing satisfactorily in the hands of the joint honorary secretaries, Messrs. Gibson Thompson and Rees Jeffreys. The—following short papers, previously circulated, will be discussed :
By engineers and surveyors :
(i) What the State could do to assist in the road question.
(2) In what way could road widenings be facilitated?
(3) What could be done to reduce skidding on city road surfaces.
(4) The use of tar in road making. By road users :
(I) How far skidding is due to road surfaces : (a) material.; and constructions, and (h) cleansing.
(2) Some wints of the road-bridge problem. -(3) Construction of cars in relation to roads.
(4) The planning of roads for the new traffic.
jessop and Company, Limited, inform us that, in spite of the almost_ prohibitive duty, there is a very large sale of their steels for motorcar work in France and America.
Reports from Glasgow indicate that considerable activity prevails at the new works of Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited. These are situate at Yoker a populous suburb of the Clyde port.
A. R. Atkey and Company, Limited, of Trent Street, Nottingham, has opened a branch of its business in Derby, and has secured a central site in Becket Street, adjacent to the Poor Law Offices. Building operations are now proceeding, and the garage will be completed with all possible speed.
One of the novel and clever advertising departures at the Olympia Show was introduced as part of the exhibit of the Adams Manufacturing Company, Limited. This consisted of a chassis which travelled up and down a runway, the engine being driven by an electric motor connected to the fly-wheel by a belt. The idea was to add to the attractiveness of the stand, and to let the public " see the wheels go round."
De Dion-Bouton, Limited, of to, Great Marlborough Street, Regent Street, W., has issued a most attractive new booklet entitled " Motor Vehicles for Commercial Travellers." This contains convincing evidence as to the great utility of motorcars for use by knights of the roads, and a copy will be sent to anybody who makes written application to the secretary of the company at the abovequoted address.
Various exhibitors at the Olympia Show complained of the lack of efforts to direct attention to the gallery. We happened to be in the show when two signs were being hung over the centre gangways of the main hall, and the temporary oscillations of these signs attracted our attention at once. When, however, the process of fixing them was over, and the signs were at rest, we think that not one person in a hundred noticed them, and this marked difference in their effectiveness suggests that a swinging or other' movable sign would be by far the best arrangement. The value of a moving sign is unquestioned; in fact, the illuminated sign on our own stand at Olympia, with its quick-working electric cut-out, was so excessively assertive that we had to stop its operations, on several occasions, owing to complaints from exhibitors that it was the only thing that caught their eye in the show The Express Motorcab Company, Lirriited, has "been 'formed with an authorised capital of ;640,500, and with registered offices at 14, Devonshire Square, F.C.
An interesting catalogue of its patent composite mad wheels for all kinds of motor vehicles has been issued by the Atlas Engineering Company, of Levenshulme, Manchester, The Northern Manufacturing Company, of Gainsboraugh, has a wellequipped factory for turning out gears of all sizes in connection with its motor branch, and reports that business is very thriving.
The Sirdar Rubber Company, Limited, was called upon recently to fit " triplet " s-inch tires ta some iron wheels for the Great North of Scotland Railway. These are for use en the snow-covered roads-in the north.
The General Manager of the Car and General Insurance Corporation, Limited, has issued a circular denying the rumours to the effect that this corporation is about to amalgamate with some other office. There is no truth in this statement, which appears to have been circulated with a view to furthering the interests of some rival office.
At the last meeting of the L.C.C., it was moved by Dr. Forman, " that it be an instruction to the PC:lie Control Committee to consider anul report as to the desirability of making a by-law, under the Locomotives cts, for the purpose of checking the intolerable nuisance of traction engines passing along the streets by night." The motion was agreed to without discussion.
Another example of the services rendered by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders was provided in the negotiations with the Railway Clearing House by which an important concession was secured for exhibitors at the recent Olympia Show. Omnibuses, wagons, vans, etc., from this exhibition, if unsold and remaining the property of the exhibitor, were charged only half rates on the return railway journey, subject to certain reasonable regulations.
The Fire Brigade Committee of the London County Council, in a report issued on Monday, stated that the fire station Which was in. course of erection in Bazil Street, Knightsbridge, and which was approaching completion, would be equipped with a steam, fire engine, a horsed escape, and a horsed long ladder. In regard to the new fire station at Calverley Grove, Hornsey Rise, a motor tire escape would be kept here, but, as the appliance would not be available for some months, a horsed escape would be utilised in the meantime. The number of motor vehicles and appliances in the Brigade had incrensed so much of late that it was not possible for the existing staff in the Brigade workshops to execute with dispatch the repairs which were required from time to time. IL was desirable that these repairs should be carried out in these workshops, and this could be done if additional labour was obtained at an estimated cost, for the next six months, of The committee had decided to obtain this labour and to carry out the work itself. A representative of this journal, on a recent visit to the Wellington foundry of William Foster and Company, Limited, of Lincoln, found the works very busy. Despatch of two Wellington tractors, one each of the single and compound types, was being made to Messrs. T. W. and J. Ward, the well-known metal and machinery merchants of Sheffield, whilst another compound tractor, with three trailers mounted on ball bearings, were on the point of delivery to the Derby. Brick Company. There was a pomp:amid tractor ready for Mr. S. Bateman, timber merchant, of Stourbridge, whilst a number of others were coming through the shops. Mr. W. 0. Tritton, the General Manager of the company, had just arrived back from a business trip in Roumania, and told our representative of some exciting times which fell to his lot during the journey, including his being snowed up for 48 hours without a particle of food. He looked, none the less, hearty and well, as many of his friends will probably have noted since his return. He expects to be at the Islington show on several days.
Kensington and Heavy Motor Traffic.
The Law and General Purposes Committee of the Kensington .Borough Council, in a report issued on Monday, stated that, at the last meeting of the Council, it reported in regard to the annoyance which was occasioned to residents in Cromwell Road and Warwick Gardens by the traction engines and other heavy motor vehicles which pass along those thoroughfares late at night and in the early hours of the morning,. and that the Council had referred the matter to a sub-committee with authority to obtain the opinion of counsel and to institute such proceedings as counsel might advise for dealing with the nuisance. The committee has now received a report from the sub-committee Stating that it had obtained the opinion of counsel as to the right of the Council to incur expense in taking proceedings in respect of the nuisance, and the two counsel who have been consulted (Mr. Alexander MacMorran, K.C., and Mr. Courthope Munroe), were of opinion that a sufficient case was disclosed to justify proceedings, and, assuming the facts to amount to a nuisance, it is a public nuisance, and that the interests of an important section of the inhabitants being concerned, and the proceedings being for their protection, the Council would be fully justified in taking proceedings on their behalf. Counsel pointed out that the Borough Funds Act, of 1872, was made applicable by the London Government Act, of 1899, and they did not think, therefore, that there was any risk of a surcharge in relation to the costs ot the proceedings and they advised that the form of proceedings should be by action in the Chancery Division by the AttorneyGeneral at the relation of the Council. The committee had accordingly given directions to the Council's solicitors (Messrs. Pontifex, Hewitt and Pitt) to apply to the Attorney-General for his fiat, and, if granted, to commence an action for an injunction against certain of the principal offenders.