THE "SPEED KINGS"

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 85, 20 October 1928, Page 29

THE "SPEED KINGS"

NOT PETROL JOCKEYS A TIMELY TEIBUTE "I do not know whether it is necessary to defend speed itself," wrote Sir Charles Wakcfield in "John o' London's Weekly." "Like many other attributes of modern life, it is to be judged by attendant circumstances. Although tho Home Secretary in a recent speech was more than tolerant in his attitude towards speed in motoring, I imagine that his official action .in the case of embryo Campbells and Seagraves who might attempt to dash along Piccadilly at untold miles por ' hour would still be severe—and rightly so. Nevertheless, Sir William JoynsonHicks was emphatic in his appreciation of tho services of high-speed motoring as a form of practical research. That aspect of racing motoring, however, I will deal with in a moment. "Let mo first of all try and meet a type of criticism .that is not by any means uncommon. There are- some who would seem to decry all attempt!? to test tho possibilities of mechanically-<

achieved 'Speed, whpther on land or sea or in tho .'air. -.They say that such adventures; ■''■.^should bo forbidden—although who"is to forbid them it is rather difficult to see. It is only too evident that, life'may be lost in these gallant endeavour's, and it would be foolish to shirk the fact that grave risks are run.1' ; Both;, iii, motoring- and aviation there ■has' -been )a rapid development in the iiatter of speed, and speeds that we're' thought to be impossible a year or 'two ago are now actually achieved, the number of fatalities involved, however, is not so great, as. to suggest. that "these attempts havei been either reckless: or. impracticable. Fatal accidents, in motor racing occurred, but in racing-■.ihe;; aeeidents.have"been mainly 4he result ofycpl]isiohs,: or.of endeavours to avoid collisions, -rattier than the'effect of speed as such. ,In individual Speed efforts the chief factors of risk found in racing are eliminated, .'tc ;";■ ■■■'■ ■."■• . , ■ , "The 'poinfrat issue is really.one of deep-rooted principle. If we are to say that this?or '-'that risk should not bo taken by : persons who are willing and indeed anxious to put themselves to the test£.,'what becomes of the spirit of adventure? .If no.one is to try to do anything that ia not safe and strictly according to precedent, what becomes of the idea of progress? The question cannot be confined to high speed in motoring, and it is surely historically true that many of the great achievements which | have 'opened up new worlds and revealed riew truths would have been imp'osisible in a world rigidly: bound by the*'principle...of "safety first." This would be a poorer and a narrower sphere if the great heroes of exploration and scientific experiments had been prevented from- venturing into the unknown.' ■It is necessary to be just to the memory of such brave men as Mr. Parry Thomas and Lieut. Kinkead, and, more, 'recently still, .Mr. Frank Lockhart,who are indubitably to ho classed as heroes in the grand man- j ncr, whose* memories rightly -be honoured in-our national' Sails of Hame. CAREFUL AND THOROUGH. ! " Those .who., know something of tho ! men. w|o'have these remark-1 able iriuinphs over time and space can smile fit the,, idea .that there is any-! thing at ; merc.!.Eupert-]ike recklessness about them or their achievements. They ..take ris.ks, -maybe, but no chances. They know from long experience and careful study what special dangers attaoti to these phenomenal speeds, and they havo no intention of being taken by surprise. In the design and manufacture of thciri-machines: a Reasonable margin of safety. ia always kept well in view, and every factor as regards the materials employed,'■■ the .track to be used in the attempt, gradients, consistency, direction, and force p£ wind, and so on, is thoroughly con■idcred. "■ .. ) : , "The victory that the world's speed, ■kings win are the results of extraordiniiry care and thoroughness in preparation, calculations to the last degree of exactitude, and the devlcopment of a marvellous technique of driving. Recklessness is generally tho result of ignorance, and is displayed by the tyro motorist (often quite unconsciously), never Toy the crack racing driver in pursuit of records. "The garage of Captain Malcolm Campbell's house in .Surrey is indicative of the man. It is a remarkably well-equipped workshop; and even to the non-expert eye it -is crystal-clear that he is a keen and tireless experimenter, and that every aspect of the technical planning and equipmeut of liis high-speed cars has been the subject of much thought and constant practical research. In building his famous 'Blue Bird' car he hart the co-opera-tion of experts in tho selection of every single part of tho machine. In the course of each of his successive speed records ho devised-and employed new ideas, so that it might bo said that oach achievement was made possible because Captain Campbell profited by lessons learned as a-result of the previous attempt. "The-latci Mr. J. G. Parry Thomas fvas also a "practical motor engineer, and his name as a designer of genius became of world-wide fame through the original and highly efficient car which bore his name. It is not too much to say that such men as these 'race-' not at aIL They aro scientists. They try £vi on track and road the results of

theories and ideas gleaned from ceaseless workshop experiments. The final value of their work is reflected in' the steady, improvement of normal engine design. WHAT IS ACCOMPLISHED. "Wo are fortunately able to ratify our judgment-of these bravo and skilful men in the ease of Major H. O. B. Segrave, whoso book,..'' The Luro of Speed,' recently published, is an authoritative summary of ■ the aims • and ideals of, the. speed kings of motoring.l Ho states that 'Great Britain stands supreme in tho production of the light, economical form of touring car rated roughly at from 8 to 12 horse-power,' and adds that ' this position has been obtained solely because of the long series of racing events which havo been I promoted for light ears.' 'By virtue of racing,' he says, again, 'designers | have learned how to got al) the power they require from an engine of this size .('the typical 11.9 h.p. engine) without in any way sacrificing the quality of reliability.' Here are some of the practical results of years of speed tests— the simultaneous reduction of weight and increase of power (obviously the very foundation of modern motoring); tho wonderful power of acceleration in the engine of to-day; aluminium pistons;' improvements in steel produc-

tion, as evidenced in the longer lives of valves to-day; four-wheel brakes; and, finally, the super-charger, which Major Segrave prophesies will inevitably be adapted, to ordinary touring car design. .....-'".' , "These are some of the practical improvements which we owe almost entirely.j to racing ..experience, and", for. fuller information on these andt other points I can only refer the reader to Major Segrave 's extraordinarily interesting book. Incidentally, we gain from it an enormous respect for the character of the writer and of his many, brilliant predecessors and compeers. The,story of his long apprenticeship in tho pursuit of speed is a sufficient answer to any who imagine that the speed' kings of motoring are merely, petrol .jockeys. His wonderful records have been the fruits of arduous labours, and havo only been made possible by unusual determination and persistence. . "As I write, it is clear that we are not yet/at the end of the long series of achievements in the domain of speed. It is reported that the records of Major Segrave and Captain Campbell have been eapp.ed by an American driver, and the world learns that both the Eng- j lish_ champions' intend to enter the lists again in: order to win back the record i for Great Britain. What the ultimate limit to speed on land may be no one can say, but the attainment of that unknown X miles per hour is a very practical and logical ideal towards which every kind of motoring ability will continue to press for some considerable time to come. These further efforts will doubtless yield other practical results of value to the motor engineer, which will in due course affect the design of the ordinary touring ear of to-morrow.. It is thereforo. only, just to ,pay a final tribute to all the speed pioneers of the past and to our presentday champions, through whose endeavours the, path of the private motorist has been made both smooth and safe."