Cycling and Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 67

Cycling and Motor Notes

BY DEMON.

FIXTURE. September 2.—Timarrc-Christcburch Road Race. ;

——Messrs Cooke, Howlison, and Co. have just landed a handsome four-seated Ford car, with a useful-looking hood. Mr Watson Shennan's 20-28 Siddeley landaulette car is a handsome piece of motor mechanism. On the top of the carriage portion is placed a roomy place surrounded with wirowork for the carriage of luggage, etc. A recent visitor to Invercargill reports that the Dacre road and the ClintonGore road are at present in a very rough condition. Mr Arthur Wimpenny is at present touring the goldfields in his big Overland car, and demonstrating its abilities to likely purchasers. Mr Arrowsmith, of Christchurch, is at present in Dunedin, and has brought down with him a handsome grey Dennis car, with worm drive. I understand the City Garage is securing the local agency for the Dennis car. Mr R. Paterson, of Roslyn, has just returned from a trip to-the Home Country, and has brought out a Rover car with him. Mr Paterson is at present on a trip through the goldfields in his car. Mr John Burns, President of _ the Local Government Board (England), is a keen lover of the wheel, and annually spends his holidays on a Lyoliins? tour. Sir Hiram Maxim (now resigned from the directorate of Messrs Vickers, Sons, and Maxim) constructed _ the first tricycle in America with suspension wheels —the principle of cycle wheels to-day. He was then only 19 years of age. French military authorities are of the opinion that the already large number of cyclist-soldiors should bo increased by the creation of five more cycling companies. The men will be provided with the latest type of folding machines. The authorities consider that the military cyclist can be most usefully employed in conjunction with cavalry. —— The new Swiss Budget contained an item of £2403 for 300 additional bicycles of the norcnal type for 250 eyeliner recruits. The figures show that the machines will cost £8 each. —— The Berlin Corporation imposed a tax on sports, indoor and outdoor, and the management of the famous Treptow racing track will pav a tax of 10 per cent, on gross receipts. The tax, however, was passed on to the spectators, and the slightly extra charge made no difference in the attendance. The Edinburgh Amateur 8.C.. r>er-

haps the oldest cycle club in Great Britain, ! held its forty-first annual meeting this year. It was thus inaugurated in 1870. I The club is strong both numerically and | financially. _ I —— Walter Rutt won £IOOO in Spain t j maces in Germany last season, and headed the list of sprinters. In company with Stol he won the German six days’ race recently, which added another £250 to his winnings. Not only in London, is the motor in its several forms displacing the horsedrawn vehicle. In Berlin, on January 1, there was 4620 bcn.ised cabs, as against 5078 a year previous—a drop of 453, or more than one daily, in spite of the protect.') ivi Which that class of cab receives from the authorities. On the other hand, motor cabs rose from 942 to 1049 during the same period, and the increase would have been much more marked but for the difficulties placed in the way. Motor ’buses, too, are f rowing in numbers at the expense of the orse-drawn type. Coronation ceremonies and processions, some members of the aristocracy have found themselves in an awkward position. After much official cogitation it was decided to adhere to the horse-drawn vehicles with reference to the great event at least, and it appears that many in the peerage had altogether disposed of their carriages and horses and all appurtenances in favour of the automobile, and w'ere in a quandary. If seems that not a few carriages, horses, 1 and, of oou-sc, footmen are being hired for the occasion—the only way, indeed, the difficulty could be overcome. The absence of any recognised procedure with motor vehicles and the non-existence of automo-' biles suh dale for such an occasion were the chief reasons for .vlhoring to the timehonoured horse-drawn equipages. The life of a motor engine and the oar depends to a very large extent upon the treatment they receive. The car’s failure, except as regards worn bearings, is almost invariably due to careless or rough handling in some way other than to legitimate, use. There is little or no choice between the two evils of “racing” and “labouring” the engine, both entailing a great deal of unnecessary wear and tear, and endangering the working parts, while it ’is going on. Another evil to be studiously avoided at all times where control of the ignition is provided is that of running with too early firing, as that rocks \the parts considerably, and, at the same time, detracts from the power to a surprising degree. At Dresden, Germany, during the

progress of a six-days' race (on a danfgetv ously small track of 16 laps to a mile), Walter Rutt, the -well-known racer, fell at heavily that; he broke a collarbone and su* taincd concussion, and was hunried awaf in an ambulance. His tecum mate, Johan* Stol, a noted American rider, continued in the contest, and, remarkable to relate, bad an almost similar fall, bat was natiheJ more seriously injured, internally, it i< feared, and was taken away and placed alongside Rutt in the hospital. It seem* that at nearly every meeting held on ttaa Dresden track accidents, with more or lesi serious -results, have occurred. Thus a correspondent on the art of pedalling:—"Low gears and fast pedaling 1 will never return, not because the ridei will not take the trouble to master ths art, but because he is rarely or never ad? vised to. The novice u.p cycling is too frequently told that he should have a farrdy high gear, and a rather lengthy craink—7in or loncreu\—-so that he never has to learn to pedal lightly and rapidly, and so acquire the 'effective ankle-action, which, in the old days of the ordinary, meanft 'style.' A generation of boater ridairs would result were evciry novice required to use low gears and fixed wheels uatil they mastered the <rt of pgdalling." - The English Count _ of Appeal has iust given a decision which is of greafe importance to the hosts of men who usa cycles in. the course of their # employment; A man employed by a clothing firm was killed while cycling by coming into cob Hsdon with a tram. He had been in the way of using hii machine to get fmora place to pi ace. and this fact was known to . and not forbidden by his employers, who did not, however, encourage the practice, as they the work could be done just as well on foot. "When the case came on in the County Court the judge held that the riding of his bicycle was not incidental to the business oh which th?> man was engaged, and made ah award in favour of the employers. This finding was reversed in the Court of Appeal, the three judges holding that the machine was ursed in the course of the man's employment, which necessitated h»s being much in tihe streets. ■ It is obvious (says an English texehange) that a firm which employs a man in canvassing or other work of that kind stands to gain by his beinig a cyclist. _ for he can cover far more ground in a given time than if he had to walk. It is all very well to sav that the work could be done just >as well on foot, but such a con.' ifcention cannot be taken, seriously. The use of a cycle for the benefit of the ridrar'g employers is a large and growing rxrao-

Mce, and it is only fair that, when the cyclist conies by his death while, working for his firm his family should be compensated, as they would be if the accictonit were sustained during work in a factory or on a new building. —; — Motorists, especially those who. live m the country, require to be warned against a trick which (according to an English exchange) is being played just now with considerable assiduity. The " fake " consists, apparently, in arming oneself either with a single plug or a box of a dozen of the obwipest possible kind, costing, perhaps, wholesale, a shilling, or even less; then calling upon the unsuspecting motorist and volubly explaining the marvellous advantages of the "new" plug. And the price is ''only" Ss 6d, or, if the motorist looks particularly gullible, 10s 6d. The " fake" has worked in England in quite a number of Instances, and those who are working it nave been making a nice little haul, whilst the deluded motorist, who_ has flattered himself upon having obtained something good, finds that the plug is no better than any other, and, after a few weeks' use, he "discovers it is very much worse. The same trick was worked all over the country with gas burners, an ordinary common gas burner being hawked around with stories of the marvellous save in gas consumption, and sold at as much, in some cases, as 4e 6d. —— Four of the leading motor tyre manufacturing companies in the United States—the Continental Caoutchouc Co., G., and J. Tyre Co., Hartford Rubber Works Co., and fhe Morgan and Wright Co. have amalgamated, and made arrangements for the manufacture of automobile tyres to the number of nearly 750,000 per annum. CARE OF CHAINS. The severe conditions under which most driving chains on motor vehicles are used! (says the Motor Age) make it necessary that they should receive great care and attention. Unfortunately many drivers consider that, as the chain appears to be a robust sort of component, it needs only the very slightest of attention, and hence many chains are shortlived. It is evident that as driving chains are composed of a large number of carefuly-made small parts, there must be a number of little bearing surfaces, all of whioh require lubrication in their own small way. It is often difficult to insure that these parts shall be properly lubricated, unless a certain amount of trouble is taken. Once a chain is allowed to run dry, lasting damage of a serious nature is often caused, owing to the fact that the hardened surfaces gall. When the smooth faces of the rollers and pins are destroyed, trouble soon follows, and it is extremely difficult to get a chain to run well when this state of affairs has been allowed- to Chains should always be overhauled Bt least fortnightly, properly cleaned and lubricated. All the dirt and mud should be ofcrefully taken off with a good ©tiff brush after the chains have been removed from tne sprockets. The whole thing can be put into a trough of paraffin or turpentine, and allowed to soak for two or three hours. This method effectually removes all dust and grit from the inn*>r surfaces. A subsequent bath in boiling oil or tallow, or graphite, allows a nice film of this lubricant to pass into the inner surfaces of the whole chain. Another factor which does much to render the life of many a good chain a short one is that a large number or drivers have no idea as to what is the correct tension at which to run a. chain. Some like to run them tiarht, as they are under the impression that unless this be done there is a danger of the chain jumping the teeth. The riarht tension for a driving chain is that wElch would be considered just too elack for a belt drive. PERTH TO SYDNEY RECORD. That section of the overland route from Perth lving between Eucla (and along the Australian Bight) to Fowler's Bay, proved a trying stage for F. White, who Is attempting to beat F. Birtles's record from the West to Sydney. The 30 to 40 miles of sand stretched out to 60 miles, and White reckons that he walked 100 miles since leaving Eucla (on April 17), besides encountering head winds. He reached Penon.g on April 22, and reported that water was scarce all along the track, and from his lack

of knowledge of the camps en route ho lost much valuable time, altnough there was no difficulty in following the track. According to advice received April 26. he passed Denial Bay without being reported. On April 25 a splinter from a stump pierced his tyre —the first puncture, —while, later, owing to a bad fall, he so twisted his DaoK wheel that at Yardoc he was delayed half a day effecting" repairs. From that point he was about 200 miles from Port Augusta, and ho hoped to make that place in two days after leaving Yardoc. Owing to the sparse settlement between Belladonis and Port Augusta, he had, of course, to carry a deal of impedimenta, in case of emergency, buit at the latter place he will unload and travel comparatively light. Thus with better tracks, he is in hopes of accelerating his pace and making up much of the time lost in walking. Notwithstanding the hardships and the many miles covered on foot. White reports himseilf in excellent condition. The latest wire states that he gained Port Augusta. April 29, very footsore from walking, and hopes by riding part of the nights to make up for time lost on the v<lrj bad tracks and roadb west of Port Augusta. White has since arrived at Melbourne and is now travelling on to Svdney. White's time to Adelaide from Perth was 2 davs behind' that put up by Francis Birtles. To secure the record White had to reach the Sydney G.P.O. before 11 p.m. on the 10th inet., and had 312 mike to cover in two and a-half days.

SOME NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS. A correspondent to .the Field makes the following; pungent remarks: "Makers add yearly little _ requirements to their cars, but an examination of the system of petrol will almost invariably disclose inconveniences. To supply the tank frequently involves the disturbance of a passenger, and very often, indeed, where the cushions are in one piece, the disturbance of more than one. Again, the tank is often placed so low that, unless there be several inches of head, a steep hill will drain the carburettor and stop the ear. TMs can be under certain conditions of road surface quite a dangerous position. Then the filter is often placed in an awkward spot, where there is insufficient light to inspect it, and insufficient space to drain it without taking the whole apparatus down. When it comes to the petrol tap grumbling is rife. It is so frequentlv Jeaky, and hardly ever are the tank and tan so placed that they can be removed bodily for examination or renair of joints without a great deal of trouble. In manv cases the tank can only be removed by previously taking off the whole body. This means unnecessary work and expense, and by reason of it owners put up with leaks and consequent waste and peril of fire. When the oetrol reaches the carburettor, an examination of several cars has shown that the latter cannot be conveniently cleaned. The under screen in some cars actually touches the base of the carbureifor, and it is impossible to drain it off without taking it a'l down. Rarely aye means surjplied for varying the hot air intake, and yet with some carburettors this auestiom of temperature is vital. Now that thermo-synhon circulation and a large amount of water is omploved. some engines do not work up to thh suitable temperature fov the fire* three or four miles at the len«t. When the driver has to gtart off ouickb'. and_ ha« to mount a stiff hill straight off. it is disconcerting to note the weakness and popping occasioned by a. temporari'v cold and overweak mixture. M.akei-s would do well to reconsider their netrol supply arrangements from the tin to the engine. REMINISCENCES OF EARLY MOTORING. Mr W. t M'Neil. from England, delivered a most interesting lecture on "Some Reminiscences of F-arlv Motoring, with Some Comoarisons of Early and Modern Mechanism." to a Sydney audience. Mr M'Neil is well ciualined to speak on the subject, as he dates his personal connection with motoring from earlv in 1896. just after the passage of thle Light Locomotives Aot In England. He was brief and succinct In his remarks, which were well illustrated bv means of lantern slides. He mentioned that he drove the celebrated "Tel'ow Panhard," which Chasbon drove

in the Paris-Bordeaux race in 1896, and which, although crude, established many principles of motor construction in vogue to-day. The car of those times weighed 30 cwt, but only had 4g h.p., and was minus a radiator. About 16 gallons of water, which boiled away every 15 (miles or so, and had to be replaced, were carried for cooling the engine. There were four speeds —4, 8, 12, and 14 m. p. h.— changed very frequently by means of a heavy levor, which had a playful babit of chopping a piece out of the operator's hand every time it was operated. Steering was by means of a jerky and uncertain tiller. The ignition, of course, was of the ancient burner and hot tube method. Mr M'Neil traced the history of motor cars through the graduall evolution to the magnificent vehicles of to-day, but concluded by remarking that there is still ample room for improvement.

A RECORD TRIP. SYDNEY, May 11. F. White, a Westralian, cycled from Perth to Sydney, 3077 miles, in 36d 13hr 3min, lowering Birtle's record by lhr 57min. The country was rough. , MOTOR CYCLIST FINED. TIMARU, May 11. Mr Day, S.M., to-day fined a motor cyclist £3 for furious riding in the town, remarking that the practice of high speeds in the town was almost criminal. ANOTHER TRIP 7 BY BIRTLES. SYDNEY, May 15. Birtles, tine overland cyclist, accompanied by Plimmer, has left Sydney for another ride round Australia.

AVIATION' NOTES.

LONDON, M.ay 10. When biplaning over Hayward’s Heath the aviator Morrison and a companion narrowly escaped death. The engine stopped suddenly, and as a result the machine fell, landing on the tops of a clump of trees. The spectators procured ladders, and both men were rescued. SYDNEY, May 10. General Gordon sees four distinct advantages for the aeroplane in war time. The pilot will be able to do exactly what ha likes over the area of ground under observation from a height of 1500 ft, which ie more than sufficient to disclose to an observer the movements of the troops. The aviator also can make topographical sketches, and by wireless telegraph impart the fullest information regarding the movements of the enemy. It would be most valuable if an aviation school were started in Australia. Mo-. 9. An aviator named M‘Donald, with one of M,r Hammond’s, mechanics, took aloft different newspaper photographers in order to secure bird’is-ey© view pictures of the city. Mr Hammond declined to take passengers carrying cameras. Mr Hammond’s engagement with the Aeroplane Company has ended, and Mr M‘Donald had charge of the biplane which made several trips over the city, carrying as a passenger on one journey Brigadier-general Gordon, the military commandanj>. The streets were crowded with people watching the flights. May 15. A rudely-constructed airship, 30ft long and 4ft wide, was found on the beach near Yamba. It was evidently built in the vicinity, but there is no trace of the builder. BRISBANE, May 15. A mysterious airship, carrying two men, passed over St. George a few days ago, coming from the direction of New South Wales. MILITARY EXPERIMENTS. ANOTHER MACHINE WRECKED. LONDON, May 12. The Duke of Connaught, Lord Haldane, Mr Asquith, Mr Lloyd George, Lord Kitchener, and 200 M.P.’s, also representatives on behalf of Australia, witnessed the aeroplane demonstrations at Hendon. There were bomb-throwing, despatch and machine-gun carrying, quick starting and alighting, and other military exercises. Mr Drexel, the aviator, fell 40ft, but was unhurt. His machine, however, was wrecked. Mr Balfour was a passenger with Mr Grahame White in the latter’s biplane. May 13. Mr Hamel, an aeroplanist, left the flying school at Hendon at 3.55 with a message from Mr Haldane, and alighted at Aldershot at 4.20. He brought Mr Haldanes reply at 5.35, after a delay of 40 minutes, which was due to a slight breakdown.