CYCLE AND MOTOR

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 16

CYCLE AND MOTOR

American motor cars are to be thrown into Europe, particularly into Germany and France, save the "Scientific American." immediately after the war is ended, in a manner which will make all former American •'invasions" pale into insignificance. One of the largest oi the automobile companies is known to be preparing to send no less than 10.000 touring cars and roadsters into the German market, within a month after the war is ended. Other companies : plan a like invasion, and the export business in American motor cars will be such as simply to swamp the factories. Great Britain already sees the writing !on the wall, and frantic appeals come I from the trade Press and the dealers to j the large manufacturers, imploring them to try to produce a small, standardised car in large quantities, to sell for about £ 140 or less. In this connection American exporters may get a surprise, for already England has pnt an embargo on j the importation of American ears, and !it is practically certain that England, France, Belgium, and Italy, will, at the conclusion of the war, give protection to ! the automobile industries in their reI epective countries, and also that Russia I will favouT her Allies in respect to ! automobile trade. It would be a poor j recognition of the invaluable services i Tendered by the motor manufacturers, ;in munition -work, etc.. if tbeir trade — I lost during the war owing to non-sup-plies—is to be made a present to the American makers.

The present war is the first opportunity which motor-cycles bare tad to show" their worth as light artillery. A British nia«Mne-gun battery is composed of a touring car for the commanding officer, two motor-cycles with sidecars, on -which Vickers' light machine-guns are mounted; two reserve machines, which are fitted with all the necessary arrangements to have guns mounted on them, and two side-cars loaded with ammunition. In addition to the six motor cycles, there are usually three large touring cars, loaded with additional ammunition, rifles, provisions and equipment- The battery is accompanied by a lieutenant on a very fast racing motor cycle.

E. who in April. 1911, drove a mile at Daytona, on tie Florida Beach (UjS.), in 25 2-os, a speed of 141 miles per hour, recently met his deati in California. Burman, who was one of America's leading drivers, was taking part in a track race at Corona, when his car was wrecked, owing to one of the driving tyres bursting. Wlen the cover went, the car slid about 100 ft, and crashed into a culvert, then careered all over the place, eventually crashing into a paddocked car in the reserve some 167 yds from isrtiere the blow-out occurred.

The IMelbonrne-Sydney motor car record holder, Mr. Boyd Edkms, is one of the keenest motoring sportsmen in the Commonwealth. Last year fee crack Sydney driver journeyed from New South* Wales to Brisbane, to take part in the Queensland Automobile dub's annual hill-dimbing contest, and gained second place. This year he again took on the long trip, and was rewarded by carrying off the first prize. Jfr. Edkins, who drives a 20 h.p. r>unk>p-s\iod VanxJhall, is. without doubt, one of the most successful competition drivers in Australia.

The price of petrol has risen consider- j ably in America, owing, it. is said, to j insufficient production. After allowing j for export of petrol from the United States, it is estimated that the balance of motor fuel left in that country is sufficient for an average allowance of 509 gallons for each of the two and a- ; haJf million cars said to be in use in America. These figures take no account of motor tractors, motor boats, and various other needs of motor fuel. Fifteen months ago there was a reserve ■ of 84,000.000 gallons of petrol in America, but that, it, is said, was exhausted gome months back. American experts are not too hopeful in reference to coping with tie increasing call for more petrol, and it is almost certain that exports from that country to other parts of the world ■will have in time to be curtailed to supply the tome consumption. Ths termination of the war will, of course, put a different complexion on the subject, for the Russian, Rumanian, and supplies "will then be available, and the result should jbe a big drop in the existing price of petrol.

The proposed heavy motor cycle tax in England, ranging irom £2 2/ per annum for single cylinder up to £4 14/6, is likely to eonsadeTably influence English motor cycle design. At present the rating at Home is arrived at entirely by bore of the cylinder, therefore a tax on bore means a tax on design, aud, as «neh, is a tax on still. It is only natural that designers win now tnrn their attention to tie smaß-i>ore engine, which, to obtain fee necessary capacity, -Bill harre to have a Jong stroke. This may, or may not, be proved later on to be the best form of eceine —that is not the question- Tlie English system of rating on bore atone has influenced" oar engine design, and this "when taxes "were half and less than hall what is now proposed; so can look forward to_long stroke enginee becoming general. On ttte face of it, toe mofe of rating is ■wrong. Cirbic capacity of engine is a far more etrorta-ble basis, and, ftrrther- | more, it is not right that a taxation ■formulae, or rather lack of it, sitould influence design, just wiien England \rants to put her best foot forward to retain or recover ber lost markets-