CYCLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13180, 13 January 1905, Page 6

CYCLING.

■ —The--holidays in Victoria were, unhappily, marked by a tragedy which cast a gloom over the whole of the, cycling community. Charles Mayman, 'a clever andgenial motorist, who know tho intricacies of the motor well, fell a victim to a motor accident, and died from tho effects of the injuries sustained. The tragedy occurred at Eaglchawk, wliero Mayman was training in tho morning, for tho motor race to bo run that same afternoon. was testing tho track on a 2J horse-power motor cycle, in company with Mr A. E. Sutton. He found the track to his liking in a three mile epin, and after , a spell started off again to tiy the truck at ifs limit of speed. Soon ho had ihe motor going at its top, and suddenly something went wrong with the works. What it was may probably never be known, just as a somewhat similar fatality on the St. ICilda Cricket Ground, many months ago, is still enwrapped in mystery. The - maehino turned up the banked track anil smashed into the picket fcncc. Mayman was hurled through the air for a distance of 12 or 15 yards, and pitching with his head into the fence, was shot thence oil to tho asphalt track. , He was insensible when the horrified spectators pickcd him up. Dr Wells was summoned, and his examination showed the case to be utterly hopeless. The skull had been fractured, and the brain was exposed. In addition, the body, was battered ami j bruised. The poor fellow lived long enough to allow of iiis admission to a private hospital, but no longer. Deceased was 23 years ot age, and one of the cleverest of motor mechanics in the States, and one of the most fearless of drivers. With Mr 11. 13. ,lames lie usually figured on. scratch in the motor rates held in Melbourne.

A. J. Clarke, the winner of the Austral Wheel Race and £100, was practically an unknown rider prior to this victory. After winning his heat, Clarke was regarded as the eventual winner, and he was one of the hottest favourites known in connection with the race. Clarke is only 19 years of age, am) is the son of a farmer at Shepparton (Victoria). He is one of the most promising riders seen out for many seasons, and is oxpected to develop into one of the best sprinters in Australia. By his Austral win, he has jumped to first plaoe in the prize-list .for the season. With oix wins and one second his prize money amounts to £411 7s 6d. l'ye is second, with 10 wins, three seconds, and fivo thirds, and £142; J. M'Mahon is third, with four wins, totalling £123. Farley £90, Ivor Lawson, £85, 11. Thomas £77, GByeliehl £56, S. J5. Gordon £48 10s, and G. E. Morgan £48 are next in order. The news of the death of Michitol, the great pace follower, will come as._a shock to the worlc). Ho was never out in the colonies; ncverlhclcM, everyone who follows cycling seems to have known him so frequently was his name mentioned in tho press. It is thought that he was probably seized with hemorrhage ot the brain, an old complaint as the result of a bad fall received porno tiino ago. Michael in his day was the most celebrated paoo follower England ever produced, and during his first and second season's raoing he defeated ai | one time or another all the best lviropean I and American ridors, including AValthour, t Linton, Floyd MaeFarland,, Chase, Mkc6, [Leauder, etc. When in racing trim the little wonder, as he was called, scaled only s eight slone, ami in height he was barely l sft Sin. At tho time of his death Miohael was on his way to tho United to ride a series of races against the invincible Waltliour. He was only 28 years of age, and had been racing for over 14 years. Miss -M. Bcyard, a -female cyclist, competed fin an event ,in America. S.ie entered sinwly as. M.. Bcyard,. ana. was placcd in the 25m division. Her sex was i discovered shortly before, the event, started, land she was told that she would bo disqualified if she . secured, a place... fcho started, but raced unplaced. -. Tho Qar, England, relates that an ' Indian rajah'contemplated organising a raco j from Bombay to Poonah and back,. and ' with this view ho proposed io buy the old ! jlors racer driven by Henri Fournior in the 'Paris-Bordeaux contest. Mr GrallJiinoWliite, to whom the car' belongs; took . the rajah for a trial trip in Franco,' and S was gratified to find that the liars was up to tho top of its form. But the rajah s hair stood on end, and lie abandoned racing on the spot.. A chatTeur named W. Bate, m Chicago, frustrated the plans of bank robbers, and shortly, afterwards was found dead, with a bullet'in his head, in an automobile. It is surmised that he was ehot by the robbers. • *—The world-renowned French motor manufacturing firm, Panhard and Levassor, hold an unique financial position. Tho whole of the firm's vast workshops, plant, land, and good-will, stand in the company's books at the value of one franc (less than tcnponce). The question of limiting tho size of engines or. machines for racing purposes during the English racing season, 1905, has been much discussed in English motor cycleraeing circles. The limit imposed during this year was 76 mm. x 76 mm. (approximately Sin by 3in), but as the majority of machines in use exceed that cylinder capacity, this limit practically barred Uio average private rider from taking part in any open raw, with a consequence that in the majority of cases such events were won by representatims of tho trade, who kept such manhines almost solely for racing purposes. This, however,, is not altogether desirable, and what is wanted' is a limit that .will enable private riders who only-.possess one machine to take part in events on the track.' There is, of course, the question of skill in driving also to he taken'into consideration, for' where a machine with an engine of 85 mm. x 85 nun. will lie perfectly wife ill (he hands of a skilled rider on existing tracks, an unskilful rider will lie likely to cause trouble with an engine of the smaller size.

The rocontly-cstablislied hour worldpaced record oE 51' miles 722 yds by E. Brimi has not been allowed to stand long. ...First of all tho Freiich. paco follower, Brecy,' made an attempt behind a 24 horse-power lineing machine, which will probably cost him his life. Brcey pnt up a marvellous performance by riding 37 miles in 39min 43 2-sscc, nearly a mile a< minute, and then camo a, terrific smash . through,,tho front forks'of !iis pacing machinebroakjng. Brecy wa« pickcd up in a pitiful condition,! and the surgeons report that his caso is hopeless. The pacemaker wns not seriously injured. Another French rider named Darragon, undolerred by Brooy's accidcnt, made a successful effort to increase Brum's figures, and succeeded in adding another 130yd6, tho record now standing at 54 miles 852vrls. But for Brccy's accident ho would probably have accomplished over 58 miles in an hour.

Italy is going in extensively for transport by motor, the Government having recently ordered 600 of these vehicles, 300 to have omnibus bodies and 300 waggon bodies, which are to be interchangeable, so t.lwt, if occasion should arise, in half, an hour one. 1 typo of vehicle can ho converted into the. other. Awkward corners 'fon the roads are to be altered, .bridges ibuilt- across'ravines to shorten existing routes, and at-fixed, stoppmij-places the 'municipal authorities will -build waiting rooms. The internal "diligence" transport of Italy at present-is said to lw very poor,' and i the introduction' .of' - the .nsotor will bo particularly pleasing., to ih&" visiting touriste. ' ■'■ — — The horse-power of the pacing motors liied upon the- Continental racing tracks for record racing purfwscs have this year become exceedingly 'high, and steps are being taken to keep thcin within a certain limit. Motors of 18 to 24- horsa-power are not at all uncommon, and are used by several French pace-followers, but Robl, the German, tops the tree with a tandem which -has a two-cylinder motor of 32 horse-power:-This niaohinc, it is reported on good authority, has attained a speed • of. 85 miles an hour. , '

An automobile train, with four cars, was tested at Berlin on November 17; with Field-marshal Connt von - Sehlieffen, chief of the general staff, and several Cabinet Ministers and generals as passengers. By means of special couplings the cars were drawn after the automobile round the sharp curves, keeping this same track. >' The velo-. city'was 15 miies an hour. The train went over meadows at the rate of eight miles an hour. The object of such trains-is trans* 'portation. for war or industrial purposes. V: :: ThfS board of directors of the New. York; State Association of Automobile Clubs, believo that automobile casualties can ho avoided by making it a misdemeanour for a rnotorman to drive a machine without the presence or permission of the owner of the machine. The legislative committee ..was instructed . to prepare a bill to that effect, to be presented at the coming session.. -It .was' f=aiij-. tJUafc*.'the;*groater:*.share o(-:'araid^nUloccu)^;>.wbemiMl9rigien-not:- under direction. . . The : discharge ' or /black-listing .-of the mechanics' bad liti-Ie effect on thsir pcrsonal uso of the machines.

By irituking it an offence-forthem to operate th<j machines.without owner's pcrmis"sib'n 'lift association hopfs for some reform. All' English mechanic, * dissatisfied with tho existing forms 'of motor tyros, has introduced ono wluoh is' soniow.hat wider than usual, in order jo nccommodato two ■ inner .tubes, arranged by side. . A eoriies of segments'. compriso tho treatl, there being no rubber outer cover or rubber tread" to protect the inner tubes. On the inner faco of, tho segments are two semicircular grooves, separated by a ridge, tho tubes lying snugly .111 these grooves. Tho segments are of thin steel, or'of wood, witha steel, thread, and they are held in.posi-. tion by moans of ft- loug ccnfial bolt passing between t.ho two air tubes, and through tho wooden felloe of the wlieou