The Berlin Motor Show.
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A Boom in Sell-propelled Engines and Escapes for Fire Brigades.
Three hundred and odd exhibitors, and the British industry represented by the Coventry Chain Company and the German agents of the English Daimler Company! I write this in no sense derogatory to the Coventry firms ; on the CCMtrary, I mean it is a compliment to their enterprise. They are there, and, alas for patriotic sentiment, so is the Edgware Road to Baker Street "Vanguard: front which the visitor can see that if (1;tmany gets her chains from Coventry, England must go to Germany for at least some of her motorbuses !
Berlin's third show is far better than the second. Not to waste too many words on it, the exhibition reflects a truly great native industry, to which Germans may point with a justifiable pride. It was wonderful how quickly order and beauty were evolved out of chaos and unsightliness. On Thursday, when I visited the show in the company of my photographer, we could find absolutely nothing ripe for camera or notebook ; nor did the Exhibition Bureau possess a single catalogue. Almost the same state of backwardness prevailed on Friday, and doubts began to be expressed as to whether there would he anything worth inspecting on the opening day. But, mushroom-like, the exhibition shot up overnight.
And now for a brief survey of such ex
hibits as concern " COAMERC1AL MoToR." One of the first things to attract my attention was a particularly neatly-built fire engine, from the works of Magirus and Company, of Ulm. It stands between the main and the west hall. ln a future number I hope to deal with the -engine more particularly. For the present, let me say that it can travel at nearly 20 miles an hour, pump 500 gallons a minute to a distance of 213 feet, and climb gradients of 15 per cent. ; moreover, it runs nofsekssly, smoothly, and without emitting an offensive odour. The engineer in
charge of the stand informed me that the automobile could get under way within • 40 seconds, whilst the firing is by petroleum, with automatic feed, or by coal. A reel in front carries 250 yards of hose, and, in cases of emergency, nine men can be accommodated.
Right opposite are some massive freight motors, exhibited by the Berliner Motor
wagen-Fabrik, Reinickendorf. The special purpose of a closed-in van, of exceptionally strong construction, led me to suppose it was for furniture removal, but I learnt that it was on order for Persia, to the instructions of the Enzeli-Teheran Transport Company—a French concern. Out in that district there is no railway, and motors should come in handy. I asked how many of these vehicles had been sold in Persia, and it will interest English manufacturers to hear that the reply was, "Some 30." A 24h.p. lorry on the same stand, and carrying 3 tons, is to go to Persia too, and the brewer's dray is destined for an Altona brewery. In the Westhalle, close by, whither I then hurried, after having briefly inspected an electric lorry from a Kallc factory no attendant being present, particulars were unobtairiablel, and a benzinedriven omnibus, which has been plying for the past month between Oberhof and Schaninke, where the roads require a strong build of vehicle, T was attracted to the last of these. It is a handy vehicle, staged by Messrs. Heinrich E. Ehrhardt, of Dfisseldorf, who are the builders. The principal attractions in this hall are SchOneberg's two recently-acquired electric fire escapes and engines, which stand with the steam fire engine described in our journal on November 23rd. Both motors are fine specimens of up-to-date
workmanship , and emanate from the Feverliischgerate und Maschinenfabrik Aktien-Gesellschaft vormals Braun, of Nuremberg. Each is equipped with a
battny of 82 cells, distributed in 12 boxes, and having sufficient capacity for a distance of nearly 16 miles at rates of l2.16 inibs an hour. Carbonic acid gas, coin. pressed in steel containers, supplies the necessary pressure for pumping the water from the reservoirs. The ladder on the escape is mechanical, and a Braun patent, the carbonic acid gas being brought into play for pushing out the sections. In less than a minute the ladder can be elevated to a height of more than 85 feu. Propulsion is by spur-wheel gearing to the front wheels. I have not seen these automobiles in motion, but I am told by disinterested persons that they run with remarkable steadiness. " Ganz schtim," as my informants expressed themselves.
The German Daimler Company exhibits a bus in the Westhalle, and a beer lorry ; also a handsome delivery van of 6h.p., intended for a Russian tradesman, who, I understand, has ordered a second. In the central hall the Daimler people have a splendid show ; in fact, they and the
N.A.G. bear off the palm—both are sure to be gold medallists of the exhibition. The N.A.G.exhibits (in the Westhalle) a couple of freight motors of the 1906 pattern, one developing 18h.p. and the other 28h.p. A load of 6 tons represents the carrying capacity of the latter. In the far corner Stoewer Brothers, of Stettin, have pitched their tent, exhibiting, inter (Ilia, a 24h.p. omnibus and a 4-ton van of the same power, each having 4 cylinders.
Rambling through the labyrinths of the Hauptgebilude, I noticed a steam delivery van from the Brandenburger Krafttahrzeug-Werke. It possesses a 15h.p. engine, arid can run at 10 miles an hour with a load of 25cwt. : on a future occasion I hope to give a description of the van.
Practically all cycle firms are going in for conimercial tricycles. Messrs. Puch and Company's representative showed me their interesting speciality, to wit, a motortricycle with the goods box at the side. The Brennabor Company is devoting attention to railway tricycles—draisines. The business manager, with whom I had a short chat, told me that a number of draisines had been supplied for railwayline superintendence work abroad. The wheel are of iron and flanged. A draisine on view at the Brennabor stand will shortly be shipped to Venezuela. On Friday, by the way, the German Emperor and Prince Heinrich "dropped in " informally.