Cycling and Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 44

Cycling and Motor Notes

BY DEMON

—Mr J. B. Clarkson, who recently returned from a trip round the world, stales that the use of tho wheel was widely extending m both the United States and Great Britain. In America, he said, the aid of the opress was secured throughout the United States to popularise the wheel with all classes, tho endeavour being to dispose of a million machines this year, and that great feat, declared Mr Clarkson, was being accomplished. The word "streamline," used in regard to the smoothness of contour in carbodios, has been superseded by the term " brcezelinc " in America.

A well-known firm of English carburettor manufacturers, replying to a motor cyclist who was in some difficulty with the engine of his motor cycle, the tendency being for it to knock on the slightest provocation, state that, contrary to tho usual impression held by motor cyclists generally, a high-gear ratio always means a heavy petrol consumption, simply because the engine is running on too rich a mixture nearly all tho time in order to prevent it from knocking.' and it is frequently found that with single-cylinder side-car outfits the speed, as well as the petrol consumption, is vastly improved by lowering the gear ratio. They express tho opinion that in the case of a side car machine any top gear ratio higher than 5 (o 1 is excessive. If it is confined to single-cylinder machines of from 3£ to 44 h.p., this view is probably correct; but; experience has shown that gears higher than 5 to 1 can be safely employed with a big twin engine, whilst some long stroke singles of 5-6 h.p. rating give most excellent results with a top gear of about 4 to 1 and a side-car attached. trenches, to France to London and back again in the Mime day is becoming a not uncommon experience for officers of tho British army. Tho sfory is told of how a soldier recently left the trenches in Franco early in the morning, took a Turkish bath in London some three and n-half hours later, lunched at one of the leading hotels in tho British melr polis. and returned to tho trenches in the early evening. Receiving wireless messages on board aeroplanes has heretofore been almost impossible because of the intense noise of the engines and propellors, and the faintness of tho signals in the telephone receivers. With a view to making possible tho reception of wireless signals by aviators, two Americans —Messrs Cutting and Washington—have developed a brass helmet which, when ivuti by aviators, is said to eliminate effectually the noiso of tho engines and tho propellers. The helmet covers the head of the wearer and rests on his shoulders. A telephone receiver headband is worn in the usual manner. Virtually, the wireless operator is now using a sound-proof booth.

ing borues of motor cycling sport recognise no distinction between amateurs unci professionals. In some Australasian competitions we have a separate class for private owners. In America it is otherwise, and the Federation of American Motor Cyclists included in the programme of its championship meeting at Columbus a scries of championships for amateurs. A special prize was offered for the best performance amongst the amateur riders, of whicti John Hess was declared the winner. Now comes the news that protests have been lodged, and the chairman of the competition announces that cross-accusations place tho amateur status of all the competitors at Columbus in doubt.

sensation was provided throughout tho motoring world by the late Percy Lambert, when he negotiated 103 miles 1470 yards in 60rnin on a Talbot on the Brooklands track, England. Now this wonderful speed is exceeded in competition with a number of contestants on the track. When J. Aitken. on a French-built Peugeot, recently won the " Hackness Trophy" on the Sheepshead track. _ New York, he covered 100 miles in 56min 37sec, equal to 105.9 miles in the hour. Had Aitken been pushed towards the latter end of tho race he would certainly have beaten J. Chassage's world's hour record of 107 miles 1672 yards, which he only missed by the narrow margin of 74soc. From time to time the desirability of tho fitting of larger wheels to motor cycles has been urged. Small wheels lead to an excessive amount of vibration, and anyone who has ridden a machine fitted with 28in -wheels must have realised that they arc far more comfortable when ridden over bad roads. Twenty-six inch wheels have become standard on all British-made motor cycles, and two-strokes are almost invariably fitted with even smaller wheels. Riders of pedal bicycles have long since recognised that 26in wheels are not worth the saving in weight that is effected by their use, save on almost perfect road surfaces. For Australasian conditions, nothing smaller than 28in wheels should bo used, and then in conjunction with largo-sized tyres. making it compulsory that a light shall bo carried in front of any aJiimal or animals on tho roadway. If the herd exceeds moro than 20 head of oattlo or 100 sheop,_ a second lamp must bo provided. If similar provision was made in this country, it would add to tho safety of travelling on our roads during night hours, and bo greatly appreciated by motorists and cyclists, After making a record run from San

Francisco to New York, as mentioned in these columns a few weeks back, the sixcylinder "Hudson" car, with the same three drivers, was driven back to the Pacific Coast. The car remained in Now York 14 hours and 20 minutes, and the return journey was made in five days 17 hours and 32 minutes. The record run had taken 10 hours lees, but a longer road had to be traversed, going west owing to bad roads. The mileage was 6952. a daily average of about 700.

The use of petrol substitutes in this country is, so far, limited, but in Great Britain the practice is common, and many motorists there who have used these substitutes have been surprised to find that the engines require special lubricating oils. In several cases it has been found that the petrol substitute has worked its way past the piston rings into the base-chamber. Such a result might easily lead to trouble, and it has induced one of the oil companies to earrv out a lengthy road tegt to ascertain which is the best oil to" be used -with mixed fuels. The petrol situation in England has eased considerably, as in November the allowance had been increased to 16 gallons per month to license-holders. It is further stated that the Government is to manufacture a petrol substitute tunnel scheme is a trans-Atlantic oil pipeline. Its estimated oast is approximately £10.000.000. and, all things considered, the cost of transporting 10C0 gal of petroleum products would not exceed 2s per 1030 miles. The, kind of piping in view would be constructed of mild steel ribbon on the helical tube prnciple, the helices being packed with asbestos twine, and with a protective metal alloy, the completed pipe would withstand an internal pressure of 20C01b, and an external pressure of IO.OOOIb per square inch. Finally, a cotton casing would be woven over the outside of the pipe, and coated with a preservative compound. To give longitudinal strength, a stranded steel cable or hawser is to be placed inside the pipe The originator of the idea—an Irish merchant—calculates that a single Anglo-x\morieaii pipe-line 3000 miles long and loin in diameter, would deliver about 7Oogals p' v minute, or about a week, with a pump pressure of 2O00:b per square inch. HISTORY OF PETROLEUM. Few motorists are aware that petroleum has been known to man from the earliest vestiges of civilisation. Ancient records' point to the existence of sacred shrines where ever-burning fires, obviously of a pctrolific origin, wore points of veneration, and to the use of petroleum and bitumen (which are kindred substances) for more practical purposes in the life of those far-off ages. Its first commercial development dares from the year 1859, when an American named Colonel Drake drilled the first oil well at Titusville, in the State of Pennsylvania, thereby causing considerable commotion among the natives of that village. The erection of the tall derrick over die well lid to persistent inquiries as to its use, and, apparently on the principle that people who ask questions deserve to be told lies, they were informed that this was the place where the Tower of Babel had originally stood, and that a New York man was erecting a monument to mark the spot! Drake was lucky enough to strike oil at a depth of 70ft. and in a short time the who!r\ region was in n. fever of drilling, buying and selling of drilling plots, and all the reckless speculation incidental to any new commercial development containing, as this did. the potentiality of vast fortunes for thos.". participating in its inception.

it is rather ironical to observe that Drake died a poor man in comparative obscurity, and this is scarcely compensated for by the magnificent monument, costing about £19,000, which was subsequently erected to his memory by one of the leading men of tho Standard Oil Company. From that commencement tho_ petroleum industry became ono of tho important enterprises of American commerce, and was developed in characteristic fashion. Quito early in the history of tho industry the celebrated John D. Roekfcllcr came, into the business; this man soon became tho dominating and controlling factor in American petroleum circles. From Pennsylvania tho development of oil spread to other States, including Western Virginia, Illinois, Kentucky,

Tennessee, and Kansas, and enormous quantities of oil wore found in Texas and, later on, in California. About the same time Russia began to develop the potentialities of the oil which was known to exist at Baku, in Russia. As the original States in which the American oil was first produced began to decline, other petrolifie fields were found in Oklahoma and Louisiana, and the Galkinn and Rumanian developments came soon after. The use to which petroleum was put at this time was chiefly for pro■dtioing lamp oil. There was no electricity and little gas. in America, or Europe in those days, and the advent of vast quantities of' a cheap, efficient illuminant was undoubtedly cf great hen. lit to the population of those countries to which American oil soon began to flow in a continuous and increasing stream.

Tho work of the last 50 years has demonstrated that petroleum is by no means confined to the United States of America, and throughout the world vigorous exploration has been conducted, and has disclosed the existence of large quantities of petroleum in many directions. Notable among theso are the Dutch East Ind : cs (Borneo, Sumatra, and Java) and India (Burmah, Assam, etc.). Egvpt, Trinidad, and other territories have also contributed their quota towards the output The most recent and important development is that of Mexico, which gives cverv promise of rivalling Russia in tho abundance of its output. It is by no means to bo taken for granted that we have come to the end of the story in tho development of new petroleum deposits and tho future may reasonably contain developments as important and sensational as those briefly referred to above. Suffice it to say that while in 1859 tho world's total production was just over 6000 barrels, for 1913 it totalled over 381.500,000 barrels, and the figures grow uniformly larger every year.