THE MOTOR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 10 September 1914, Page 4

THE MOTOR

(By "Autos, "j

Motorists will not regret the decision of the Government to hold over Tho Motor Bill this session. The measure had many good pomt3 and was an honest , effort to cope with a problem that must . be faced. In vk>w, however, of the war it would he injudicious to go on with the Bill. When next it is taken up it may be found thab experience gained and export evidence may have decidedly improved the measure. Answering a question in the House of Commons recently, Air. Lloyd George stated that the ultimate yield of the motor spirit duty estimated in the Budget of 1909 was £375,000, and tho approximate yield in 1913-14 amounted to £840,000. With regard to motor-car licenses, he estimated the ultimate yield was £260,000 and the approximate yield for 1913-14 was £640,000. The original estimates of the ultimate yield made no allowance for the probable grovth in the number of motor-cars. An average speed of over twenty-one miles per hour over a distance of eighty miles is remarkable, to say the least, but tliis was the actual speed at which a number of 38-pounder guns, complete with limbers, were towed in a, receut mobilisation experiment. Tins record speed was rendered possible by the employment of motor power, but what renders tho performance more remarkable is the fact that the haulage was carried out by ordinary touring car chassis of standard design. This experiment took place recently, and was carried out by Earl Fitzwilliam and the staff of the Sheffield-Simplex works. A number of Sheffield-Simplex cars were employed, and the guns, complete with limber wagons, were towed from Sheffield to Grimsby at the speed stated. Arrived at their destination, tho guns were manoeuvred into position over rough ground by the cars, and were in action without delay. Had horse traction been employed, at least three days would have been required for the same manoeuvre, instead of about four hours. So exceptionally severe a race as the Grand Prix must obviously bo prolific of/ strange happenings, such as are unknown in ordinary everyday driving, and, therefore, one -would not be surprised at first sight at the following, quoted from the Daily Telegraph report of the race:—"— 5 retired after two laps with a gearbox that had gone wrong -from carburetter mixture troubles and bo continual low speede at high revolutions of engine settled it.V Now, making due allowance 'for the unexpect- | ed happening, we do not think, says I The Motor, this statement quite lepreI scnts the facts as to what happened. We heard from a hitherto credible I source that the following is a more cor- ■ rect representation of the incident. After two laps it was found that the engine flywheel was showing signs of wear, and [ a stop was made to fit one^ of the spares — which were wisely earned. On restarting it was found, for some reason or other, that the extra inlet of the magneto had been left open, and, consequentJy, the top gear could .not be engaged. This was not all the ill-luck, as theTe was strong evidence that the circulation! water was going to boil. An examination of the radiator with a magnifying glass showed the cause of the trouble to be a dead fly obstructing s the free passage of air. After it had been remov<d by the aid of a jack and a. couple of tyre level's it was decided that it was scarcely worth while going on — especially «as it was nearly lunch time.