Cycling and Motoring.

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 930, 9 May 1918, Page 23

Cycling and Motoring.

Speaking recently in regard to the remarkable Hight of a liandley-Page biplane from .London to Constantinople, -inr; iiasil Jonnson, or J&olls-Jtioyce, J-itd., jjjngland, said that when the war started, tne automobile Urms who turned their attention to engines' for aircraft ;rery naturally on an engine of 100 horse-power as "a useless, cumbersome, noisy, and very heavy monstrosity used either for racing "stunts' at iirooklands or for the 'knut' to swank in JLondon."

It was at this time, however, . that Mr. Hoyce struck" out on a line of his own, to produce a motor of considerably greater power, as he believed-the Jttoiis-±ioyce factory could produce an air motor of this high i' power, which would be suhiciently light to be used m an airplane. He get to work forthwith and produced the 12-cylinder KoilsKoyce engine, which gives over 350 horse-power. The record-breaking flight of the Handley-Page biplane was made possible by. its two Jjolls-lioyee engines.

The American authorities estimate that the Germans have 1000 aeroplanes in operation on the Western Front on any single day, but they argue, that as Germany has standardised practically since the beginning it is impossible for her to continue increasing her production to the extent needed to keep pace with the Allies.

The death is announced of Hen Jellinek, proprietor of the Mercedes motor-car firm. Before the war he was one of the principal German spy agents in France, living chiefly in Paris and Nice. Jeliinek was the principal proprietor of the Hotel Astoria in Paris, where the Kaiser was to have stayed in August, 1914,, after his triumphal entry into the capital.

- Empty petrol tins are converted by the eolaiers in France to uses which can be numbered at over a hundred. To mention only two: Filled with sand or water, they serve as building blocks; while cut in two, lengthwise, they are said to form excellent paper trays for office tables.

' A few years ago Graha-me' White was considered crazy when he patiently persisted in forecasting aviation. Today Grahame White has succeeded in establishing huge works for manufacturing aeroplanes. In them 3000 workers find employment. A staff of 55 builders alone are kept constantly employed on extensions, and every piece of wood work is made on the premises. What was once a big flying ground has now grown into this huge aeroplane factory. Soon the site of these great works will be a self-contained township with a model village, theatre, picture palace and restaurant, and all the comforts of the day. Gralxame White will have converted a barren waste into a centre of industry. /