Cycling and Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 59

Cycling and Motor Notes

BY DEMON.

FIXTURE. September 2.—Timani-Christchurch Road Race.

' It is generally understood that this year's B/unlop Road Race will start from Christcburch and finish at Timaru. The f tbousand-and-one details in connection with this great race are now..well in hand, an we may expect to see the programme, giving all necessary details, at an early date. The race, although being promoted by the Dunlop Rubber Company 1 , will be run in accordance with the rules of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union. Referring to the more stringent municipal control of the motor traffic, "Auto" in the Wellington Post, remarks: " The City Council is to be congratulated on the expedition with which it has attacked the problem of motor supervision. The appointment of a motor expert to inspect taxicabs will go a long way to improve the running condition of these public vehicles. Mr P 0. Spry, of the Central Fire Brigade staff, who has been given the position,, is regarded in motor circles as the right man for the job He will have plenty to do. There is urgent need for a crusade among taxi-cabs, as the Mayor suggested at _ the Council meeting. Drivers should be strictly: examined as to their qualifications, and if these are not satisfactory they should be suspended until they come up to the mark." propulsion is superseding the horse in fire brigade work. In New York the horse has gone, and in New Zealand it is rapidly going. The "Wellington Fire Brigode has now the following motor plant:—One Merryweather motor chemical engine and hose waggon combined (speed, 25 miles an hour); one Merryweather motor fire pump (capacitv, 350' gallons; speed, 25 miles an hour); " one Thqrneycroft motor (30-40 horse-power; speed, 30 miles an hour). A fourth motor (a Merryweather motor hose waggon, with 55ft sliding carriage escape and a Daimler engine of 55 horse-power, and a speed of 25 miles an hour) is exoected to arrive at any time. Christohtireh has four motors already, but two of them are snjall- There are a 70 horse -power Dennis motor turbine pump, 450 gallons capacity; a 30 horse-power Thorneyoroft motor chemical and hose waggon, and one 12-14 horse-power' Wolseley and one 10-12 horsepower Aster waggon of the same description. Dunedin has a Merryweather _ 55 horse-power motor with Foreman engine. The Auckland, motor outfit includes the largest arid most nowerfuj motor pump in the world—a Dennis 120 horse-power turbine pump, six-cylinder engine, with a speed 0f,40 milea an hour. There are also

an Aerial Simplex, 4 cylinder 30-40 horse-;] porwaar, and a Thorneyoroft .6 cylinder 4055 horse-power. .• ' Company of Paris will shortly market a new small model two-seater two-cylinder I car to sell at £156. Its cylinder dimensions are to be 73 x 110 mm; wheel base is to be 6ft 7in. It will have three speeds, wire wheels, thermo-syphon cooling, fixed firing point, and a combined dashboard, racaator,; and petrol tank. ——l saw a ludicrous sight while riding through Dulwiohi lately (says a Home writer). An elderly clergyWn—old enougii to be above such frivolity—was solemnly propelling a . heavy-looking, tricycle Mounted on some contrivance in. front ot him, with its paws on the handle bars, was a small, shaggy dog of the terrier persuasion. On its head was a specially-made college cap, or "mortar-board/ with a red tassel, and on its eyes, to protect them from the tremendous i<ush of air as trie parson flew along at seven miles an hour, was a pair of tiny motoring goggles—or should one call them " doggies ? It was an impressive spectacle, and the old boy seemed to be thoroughly alive to the act. I wondered whether he was a master at Dulwich College, and indicated the fact to th©' world when he was cycling by transferring his cap of office to his dog. Sentimental Daughter : Oh, father ! Look! Isn't the dying day beautiful?" Practical Parent (awakening from nap): "What? Where is it? -I didn't know we hit anything." . A motor show on a large scale is to bs held in Sydney next October. . The venue will be tihe Agricultural Grounds, and already 20 firms engaged in the_ motor and allied trades have signified their intention of exhibiting. Ip other parts of the world

motor shows are now an important annual fixture of great interest to the public, and assistance to the trade, and there is no doubt that there is room for similar exhi- _ bit ions in this country. —— Bearing on his bicycle a placard describing himself as swimming of the- world, an Italian was found cycling along- a street in Paris last week wearing nothing else, but a bathing suit. He explained that in preparing himself for a Channel swim he tried to harden himself to cold water, and rode the bicycle to warm himself. He was found to be out of his. mind. . A six-hours census of vehicular traffic was recently taken at one point in Piccadilly, London, the total number of vehicles passing between midday and 6 o’clock in the afternoon being 3514. Of this number 86.61 per cent, were motors, only 10.39 per cent, being drawn by animal power. Horseless London is evidently not many years ahiaad. event attempted between Paris and Madrid brings death and disaster in its train. In 1903 a big international motor oar race was organised from capital to capital, and attracted a tremendous entry. The contest proved a race to death, the loss of life, both to competitors and spectators, being so appalling that the authorities stepped in and the race was stopped at Bordeaux. Now, eight years later, an attempt to hold an aeroplane race over the same course has resulted in disaster, one of the aviators faling into an assemblage of Government officials at the .start of the contest, killing the French War Minister _ and seriously injuring M. Monia, Premier of France. After this second attempt at a Paris-Madrid race it is safe to assume that it will bi some time before a sporting'" wiU

again be organised over this ill-fated course A discussion ot interest to cyclists is now going on in English °g»*SHl£ Terence to bene its said .to result from the cutting out ol a number of teethon the large driving sprocket of a bicycle. Many English experts claim that the «» toothless wheel gives sweeter runn and less friction, and, further, that *«*»**"* chain gives far Jess trouble on a sprocket fTom which most of the teeth have> been removed. Such an experienced cycling ournalist as R. J. Maoredy states that the wmi-toothleas wheel is an advantage, LJaa jffoper number of teeth to remove is said to be about two-thirds of the total number, the remaining teeth to be toft .evenly'distributed. Some advocates of the toothless wheel advise that the stump of the removed teeth be flush with the rim of the toothless wheel. So far none of our riders appear to have adopted the semi toothless wheel, /and it would be interesting to hear how the experiment pans out on our roads. For road racing under muddy conditions the idea certainly appears to offer advantages. ■ The Queensland Government has determined to order 5 MiUane-M'Keen petrol auto-cars at a total cost of ;b2I,uUU. The cars will have a seating accommodation for 75 passengers and a maximum speed of 60 milos an hour. The result of Queensland's enterprise will bo awaited with interest, for upon the success of then petrol cars will greatly depend whether all the Commonwealth States will adopt this type of car for special and light railway work. Tho petrol' engine has accomplished wonders during the past decade. It has enabled man to conquer the air and to record speeds on land and water that a few years back were practically undreamed of. Petrol is without doubt king of air, land, and sea. A speed of 100 miles an hour has been accomplished on an aeror piano; R. Burman has driven a mile on a motor car in 26 l-12sec, equal to 137 mfles an hour; and last,,but not least, tho . English-built motor racing boat, Maple L«af 111, has" just recorded speeds varying from 58 to. 60 miles an hour. The lastnamed performance brings home to one the remarkable development that has taken place in the petrol engine during the lash few years. Two or throe years ago 30 miles an hour on the water astounded tho world, but since then petrol has dethroned' steam and doubled the record. RACES AT NEW BRIGHTON. The North Canterbury Motor Cycling Club held a series of three motor cycle, races on the New Brighton Beach last Saturday week. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather about 1500 spectators assembled on the beach to witness the sport, which was of a most interesting nature. Following are tho results of the racing: TEN MILE HANDICAP. C. H. Harrison Triumph), 4min 30sec • ••■ :•• 1 K. S. Jameson (3i-h.p. Triumph), 4min 30sgc ■■■ ••• ■** *** A. F. Scllars (3£-h.p. Matchless, 3min 30sec "... •"•• ••• •■• ••• , 5 M. H. Rhodes, scr (7-h.p. Bat), made fastest time, llmin ssec. Harrison's time — 13min 26 2-ssec. THIRTY MILES RACE (Sealed Handicap). W. H. Jones (3£-h.p. King Dick), handicap lOmin 30scc, actual time 38min 39 3-sscc C. H. Harrison (3£-h.p. Triumph), handicap 9min 30sec, actual time 38min 30sec '•■• ,2 W. L. Taylor (2-h.p. Moto Reve), handicap 28min, actual time 38min 35see 3 . Fastest time—G. H. Nicholas (7-8-h-p. Matchless), time 34min 37sec. TWO-MILE SIDE-CAR HANDICAP (Gentleman and Lady). G. B. Brown and Miss Hooper Triumph), 403ec 1 B. F. Barnett and Mrs Barnett Triumph), lmin 2 L. M. Reynolds and Mrs Reynolds (5-h.p.- Matchless), ssec 3 ABOUT A. A. ZIMMERMAN. The visit of the once all-conquering A. A. Zimmerman to Australia in 1895, and his great sprint on the Sydney Cricket! Ground, when he made Australia's best of that day look like second raters, will be remembered by many readers of The Referee. Concerning him., F. T. Bidlake, himself a cvclist of no mean ability in tho 'Bo's and '9o's, says: " That champion of the early '9o's, A. A. Zimmerman, confesses that he has followed no- special diet except the avoidance of the indigestible. . . . But whatever his diet, what, marvels he did ! Loan, lithe, "sinewy, and long-footed, how nimbly ho ankled without the aid of nodal blocks, with toe-clips only as a preventive of slip. On 6gin cranks, with a gear of 64, his perfect action was a wondrous sight. He would crouch among tho crowd towards a finish. All would seem to be going- at top speed. Suddenly ' Zimmy,' and ' Zimmy ' only, would be going at tqpjnost speed, with many twinkling- feet, winning, not by a hair's breadth but by a goodly gap. When really fit h*\ mode hacks of thorn all. Men geared to 80 could not hold him in that final effort. . . . He was a nrinoe of stylists, a lightning' pedaller, with no disnlay of strength, but a marvellous agilitv." Of course, in Zimmerman's day the tubular racing tyre, with feather-weight wooden rim to match, were an unknown quantity. A detachable cover on a steel rim formed the racing combination, even for track purposes, and 80 gear was a high one for use on the very best tracks. Still, many cf our preeent-day cracks would b« none the. worse for cultivating eorne of Zimmerman's remarkably easy pedalling action.

AVIATION NOTES.

It is stated that almost every military Power in Eurone sent expert commissioner? to the Olvmpia a.<?ro show to inspect the latest designs exhibited there, and particularly those of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, the Sanders, and the Dunne. The Australian Government commissioners were also in evidenoe. In conseauence of these inspections, it is said that orders have been placed for aeroplanes, which will make the exhibition a very remunerative enterprise for the leading British constructors. LONDON, May 22. The naval dirigible Mayfly was successfully launched at Barrow. She has a lilting power of 17 balloonettes, is inflated

with hydrogen, .and weighs 21 tons. Shw can be moored upon the water during strong winds. May 25. Mr Winston ChurchiJl is introducing a bill to prevent aeroplaning over London during the Coronation. May 24. At a meeting of the Aerial League -at the Mansion House an appeal was made for £250,000 to establish a National Institute School of Aeronautics. Sir E. Shackleton supported the movement. May 25. Gilbert, one of the aviators in the Panis-Madrid race, was attacked by an eagle. He fired two pistol shots at it. A pupil named Benson while aeroplaning at Hendon fell 100 ft and was killed. PARIS, May 22. Garros, who ja competing in the ParisMadrid flight, covered 281 miles in 227 minutes, which is a record. May 23. M. Vedrines monoplaned from Paris to Angouleme in 225 minutes. May 24. M. Verdrines is ahead in the aviation raoe. He covered 219 miles to San Sebastian in 3hr 43min. May 27. Vednine's actual flying time was 738 minutes (12hr 18min), and the distance covered was 737 miles. May 29. Thirteen aviators started on Sunday on a Parift-Rome-Turin race"for prizes aggregating £12,000. Lieutenant Conneau and M. Garros r'eached Avignon within an hour of each other. BERLIN, May 24. Herr Laemmlin, an aviator, was killed at- Strasburg, falling 200 ft. 'ST. PETERSBURG, May 22. An aeroplane fell among a crowd of spectators at Kursk, injuring many. It is feared that* five will succumb. MADRID, May 27. Vedrines won the Paris to Madrid race. He oros-sed the pass of the Some Sierra at a height of 6600 ft. During his flight above the mountains an eagle attacked him, but he escaped by descending and rising suddenly. The last stage of his flight was very arduous,. and he ended half stupefied.

THE FRENCH DISASTER. LONDON, May 22. .Mt Fisher telegraphed M. Monis his profound sorrow over M. Berteaux's death, and his condolences with the relatives. He hopes M. Menis will' have a speedy recovery. M. Monis's condition is satisfactory. The Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph recall Mr Huskisson's death at the opening of the Manchester and Liverpool railway in 1830, and the six deaths in the Paris-Madrid motor race on May 24,1903. PARIS, May 23. M.. Monis's condition is reassuring, lie is still unaware of M. Rerteaux's death. A SHOCKING FATALITY. ST. PETERSBURG, May 28. On the opening day of an aviation week here V. Smith, an Englishman, fell from a height of 150 ft and was kilted. His bride witnessed the catastrophe. May 29. Smith omitted to slow down his motor, which was one of 75 horse-power. His body was completely buried in the soft soil. ANOTHER TRAGEDY. ROME, May 29. Cirri, an Italian aviator, was making a flight at Carneri. His motoir exploded at a height of 600 feet, wrecking the aeroplane. Cirri was instantly killed in the presenoe of an immense crowd in the vicinity of the aerodrome, including his wife and two children.