MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2551, 27 August 1915, Page 11

MOTORS & MOTORING

■ i [By Clutch.] Tira antl Fuel Problem. Tho- war is makiug such exceptional demands- on all branches of the motoring industry throughout the world that in every country concerned interesting and, in some eases, serious problems aro arising. Some of theso aro discussed by Mr. 11. Massac Buist in tho "Morning Post," who says:—Ono sees no occasion' for scaremongering; on tho contrary, in such difficulties as tho Allies and'the neutral nations aro experiencing ones finds only a greater spur to progress, and the solution of problems, which will be of immense service in -reducing the costs of motoring in general after the war. What has chiefly led to this unprecedented extension in tho use of motor vehicles throughout the world has been the draining of horses from those countries not engaged in hostilities, and, further, the stimulation given -to certain trades and industries, creating new demands for motor vehicles, for service in countries still at peace.Then, in the case of those nations which are engaged in war, the demand for 'motor vehicles is becoming greater the further we go. Practically the entire output of tho European motor industry is conccrned either directly or indirectly with the 'supply of vehicles for military servica. which also requires and is receiving ever-increasing numbers of vehicles from American factories. Those factories have besides practically to supply the whole of the industrial and pleasure vehicle needs of North and South America, of our Dominions and colonies, of theso Islands, and of the neutral countries. Let us, further, reflect that the scores of thousands of motor vehicles in military use in ■France, Belgium, and Russia to-day are being subjected to vastly greater wear . and tear than would result from equal mileage in industrial service under peace conditions. Have a Care How You Drive. One result is that, though the neutral countries and the Allies have practically the world's supply of rubber at their disposal, in consequence^of wbicl). the price of rubber has not risen; nevertheless the cost of certain Other component of tiros —notably, the fabric— and of labour for manufacturing them lias increased considerably. The greatest difficulty of all is that the -rate at which tires are being used is so much greater than ever before, that plants must be expanded, and the additions made to the ranks of skilled labourers by tuition, -by no means an easy accomplishment. 'As long as we have' command •of the seas, however, there is no likelihood of anything like a motor-tire famine. The _ worst the private motorist might experience is occasionally slight inconvenience in tho way of delay in receiving tires, since necessarily the military must have the first call. Under this head it may be pointed out that it is within the power both of military users and private and industrial motorists enormously to save tire wastage by the manner of their driving. "Dashing" road tactics with emergency braking are absolutely to bo deprecated. Every patriot nowadays will so handle his motor vchiclo, whether it bo' Government property or his personal possession, as to call for tho'use of the brakes as rarely as possible. and then only in the smoothest of fashions. The Enemy's situation. Gormany, despite her captures of appreciable 6tores of rubber in Belgium, is unquestionably getting hard hit for i it, -though the proportionate, largo use she is making of solid-tired vehicles en-, ables her to reclaim rubber from tho number of taxi-cabs and other machines which were "taken"off tho streets of Berlin and elsewhere as a precautionary, measure soon after the outbreak of war. Such reclaimed rubber can be made up, into solid tires for the "heavies." But the enemy still has a-, great need for pneumatic tires for Staff cars, the faster sorts of armoured cars, and so forth. To make pneumatic tires not only calls for the-use of the best rubber, but requires the uss of cotton for the fabrics. This is an important point, because cotton is also essential to the manufacture of explosives; therefore in a double way the effective ■ making of cotton contraband can handicap our enemy's military operations. Ha is further hard hit for liquiu fuels, though, unlike ourselves, for years before tha war he had the foresight to establish an important native industry in the production of benole, and' has done , something material in the way of alcohol production. • Nevertheless, we know that ■the lossof Galician oil fields comparatively early in the war was a serious blow to him. - It would be foolish to assume that the recent recovery of those regions will not profit him in this direction.' merely because the Russians in their retreat probably destroyed the wells more or less successfully. It would be very unlike German foresight if some ways and means have not been devised of making, some of those wells at least partly productive again in comparatively a very brief period after the reconquest of the territory. How to get out of Sand. An American newspaper makes the following suggestion: "Many motorists are not able to extricate a car when stuck in sand' without resorting to the rope.' When unable- to obtain traction, in sand do not contiuue to apply tho power to tho rear wheels, as it only results in tho wheels bedding in. A simple method, and one not generally known, is to let the air out of the rear tires. This will afford the required traction, as the width of tho tires is greatly increased. It is much ] easier to inflate tires than to dig and use boards, rails, etc. ' If the power be applied gradually the tires will not be inlured." Hero and There. Legal lighting up time for motor-cars and motor-cyoles: To-day, 5.25 p.m. Next Friday, 5.24 p.m. In a report by H.M. Consul at Batoum on the trada of- the district in 1914; it is stated (says the "Board of Trade Journal") that the discovery of fresh petroliferous territory near Grozni augurs well in so far as concerns the supply of motor spirit in the future. In view of tho immense stocks of benzino that have accumulated, and are accumulating, in the Northern Caucasus, very large quantities of't'he liquid will he available to meet the ever-increasing demand ;\s soon as shipments of petrol from that country are possible. A report of tho annual meeting of the Automobile Club of Coylon, which was lately held in Colombo, has reached us. It shows that, notwithstanding the war, fifty-six new members joined the club last year, bringing the total paying membership up to 281. It has been decided that not only shall the names of all German members be struck off tho list, but that Germans shall not be allowed to. join the club even after the war is over. A. pretty model Chevrolet- ,is being driven by Mr. F. Meadowcroft. This car was supplied by tho Dominion Motor Vehicles, Ltd.