MOTORDOM.

Southland Times, Issue 19434, 24 December 1924, Page 12

MOTORDOM.

NOTES AND NEWS

(By “Self-Starter.”)

ENGINE EFFICIENCY. DEVELOPMENTS IN GREAT BRITAIN. CHRISTCHURCH TRADER’S VISIT. The motor building industry in Great Britain to-day is in a thriving state, despite the dropping of the M’Kenna duties and the consequent reduction in prices or foreign cars. Such is the state of affairs in the opinion of Mr A. E. Smith, of Smith’s Motors, Ltd., who returned last week from a visit to America and Great Britain. “Despite expectations, the dropping of the M’Kenna duties did not increase the sale of foreign care,” said Mr Smith. ‘The British public seemed to realise that it was a great smack at the British manufacturers and the result is that the sales of foreign cars has appreciably dropped. The British manufacturers do not expect the M’Kenna duties to be re-imposed, and they are content to let it go at that.” TRADE GOOD Trade in England is extraordinarily good at present, added Mr Smith. Practically every factory of note is working full time and in some instances orders are booked up for nine months ahead. The leading manufacturers are devoting themselves to the smaller type of high speed super-effici-ent engine. The result is that an engine of a given size which, a, year or two ago would develop, say 30 h.p., is now developing over 60 h.p. The result is that the public is now beipg supplied with engines of small size which develop speed, and retain that speed by the hour, far in excess of that of imported cars. British design is also tending towards the overhead valve engine. The system that is being developed by British manufacturers, said Mr Smith, is totally different to that which is seen on American cars. Efficiency is the main feature about these small engines, added the speaker. Petrol consumption has been reduced and an even pull has been given to the high speed engines. This all tends to reduce the wear on the chassis and the tyres. “What about the superchargers? Are they going to be used on ordinary cars?” Mr Smith was asked. “Superchargers are being thoroughly tested by many factories and quite a number have been successful,” was his answer. “Owing to the tremendous increase in power that the superchargers are giving,” he added, “it will be necessary to completely re-design the engines. Larger bearing surfaces and stronger connecting rods will be required.” Referring again to efficiency of the new engine Mr Smith said that an engine of 12 h.p. RA.C. rating was capable of developing over 100 miles an hour, stripped for racing. The high speed of the engines also gives a very high hill climbing speed and on second or third gear, the new cars can climb hills at thirty to forty miles an hour, as compared with the same engines of a year ago, which could climb hills at a maximum speed of only ten to fifteen miles an hour. BALLOON TYRES. The new low-pressure, or balloon, tyres have been thoroughly tried out by the leading manufacturers, added Mr Smith, and opinions as to their value are conflicting. Some of the manufacturers have arrived at a compromise by building a tyre that is virtually an oversize, which runs at a pressure of thirty to fourty pounds. This tyre seems to be successful, and seems to be an additional comfort in driving. With these side-slip on greasy roads has been practically obviated. “The majority of English cars will, in the near future, be equipped with this kind of tyre,” he added. “English bodywork is the best in the world,” continued Mr Smith. ‘The latest models show most ingenious inprovements for the comfort of the owner. The system of side-curtains, which has been adopted by many manufacturers, is quite new, and will practically turn an open car into a limousine.” COLONIAL MODELS. The British manufacturer is now fully alive to the export trade, he added. A considerable number of makers are now manufacturing models which wall be eminently suitable for colonial conditions. These models have a high clearance, a full track, and will withstand rough usage. Some makers have gone further and have built models with only three sizes of bolts used in the whole constructions. On these, every spring shackle is interchangeable, and accessibility has been studied to such a degree that repairs can be effected in a minimum space of time. AMERICAN CONDITIONS. Speaking on conditions in the United States, Mr Smith said that the full extent of the motor industry in the States was realised in New Zealand. In the city of Los Angeles, the ratio of cars to the population was one to every three inhabitants. Traffic control w’as a serious problem and accidents were of common occurrence. Parking on the angle was the rule in all American cities. As a guide to drivers, broad white lines had been painted down the centre of the leading streets in some of the cities. The speed limits in the American cities were high, but the police exercised good control and stoppages were every bit as bad as in London. The motor industry in America was suffering from the effect of last year’s over-pro-duction, and some of the smaller companies were being hard put to keep going. SIX DAYS’ TRIAL. RELIABILITY TESTS. Probably one of the most successful motor trials ever conducted by the Royal Automobile Club of Australia was a recent six days’ reliability and touring contest from Sydney to Kosciusko and return. Of the 24 starters, 13 secured full points for reliability—a wonderful testimony to the dependability of the modern car. Primarily the trial was one of reliability and not of speed. Cars were required to maintain a minimum average speed throughout the contest, but were allowed to exceed this by not more than 25 per cent, without losing points. Each competitor was credited at the start with 750 points, representing 500 for reliability, 25 for flying half-mile, 25 for slow running, 50 for flexibility, 50 each for the two hill climbs, decided by formula, and 50 for fuel consumption. Full points were allotted the winners of the flying salf-mile, slow running test, and flexibility, and 24 to the second in flying half-mile. At the conclusion of the contest points lost in any section were debited against him, and the competitor finishing with the largest total number of points to his credit was declared the absolute winner of the contest. The outright winner of the contest proved to be a 1924 model sports sixcylinder Buick, which obtained 728.41 out of a possible 750. It was shod with Goodyear cord tyres, which had previously done over 2,000 miles. These gave not the slightest trouble, and were not even blown up once during the whole six days’ trial Goodyear cord tyres were also used on the care which were placed seventh and eigth respectively, and the balloon pattern on the sixth to finish*

MOTOR-CYCLES. BRITISH FACTORIES BUSY. EXPORT TRADE BOOMING. The prospect that the year’s output will achieve a new record, a subject to which reference was made in a previous article, draws nearer every month. All the workshops in the motor-cycle industry are busy. The home market is, of course, the mainstay of the trade, and the present scale of production is likely to be maintained, for the motor-cycle seems to occupy a field that cannot be encroached upon by any other method of transport. Fears have been expressed many times that the motor-cycle was but a step towards the motor-car, and that as soon as cars became only slightly more costly than a good sidecar combination the motorcyclist would develop into a car enthusiast. This argument is now being urged again the statement being made that cheap motorcars will flood this country and greatly curtail the market for the motor-cycle. PERMANENT MARKET. Experience schows that this danger does not exist. The motor-cycle has an appeal of its own, and although a few owners graduate into car drivers, a greater number find in the motor-cycle a permanent source of pleasure which the possession of a car does not give. In addition to these, many cars owners find a solo mount of great advantage for purposes for which a car would be inconvenient, while a large number of motor-cyclists to whom cost is not important prefer to change one motor-cycle for another in order to keep pace with technical development, rather than purchase a car which by longer use would prove the more economical The permanence of the market may therefore be taken as assured. The writer has taken great pains to ascertain from actual riders the reason for their enthusiasm for the motor-cycle, and the answers are usually much the same. They say that there is a sense of pleasure derived from the use of a motor-cycle that is attainable in no other way. The rider is conscious all the time that his steed is of uncommonly good quality—speed and power are there in ample measure. The driver of a larger vehicle frequently has to “nurse” his engine in order to get the best results unless the car is extremely powerful, and therefore, to some extent, unwieldly This is not the case with the normal type of motor-cycle. Unwieldiness is the last adjective that can be applied to such a mount. No other vehicle is so responsive to the art of good driving. The motor-cyclist who has had considerable experience of his mount and has entered into the joy of good driving is extremely unlikely to relinquish it for the lazy luxury of a car. From the commercial point of view it is important to know whether this type of driver is likely to increase, and the answer is, undoubtedly, yes. The schools of the country are full of potential motor-cyclists, and so are our city offices. As the trade depression gradually gives way to increased national prosperity, so will the motor-cycle expand. Writing so soon after the Isle of Man week, one can hardly avoid mentioning competitions. There are now scores of motor-cycling clubs in the country which have their programme of events throughout the year, and the number of motorcyclists who would like to compete increases every month. Many makers of motor-cycles recognise the importance of this movement to their trade, and assist competitors in various ways. This question raises its own problems, which need not, however, be referred to here, for there are many intermediate grades between amateur competition riding and the professional type. COMMERCIAL MACHINES. A further direction in which an increase of trade can be expected is the use of motor-cycles for commercial purposes. The techinal papers are continually referring io fresh examples of enterprise in adapting motor-cycles to new trades. Even the icecream vendor, the knife-grinder, and the window -cleaner have all found assistance from the motor-cycle with a sidecar chassis and some form of apparatus for carrying their wares or their tools. Speed and geneal handiness are not always the deciding factors in the commercial use of motorcycles. The sidecar is probably the best sprung vehicle on the road to-day, and also the best insulated from contact with the mechanism. Goods which require gentle handling are therefore quite suitable objects for carrying in sidecars, while food products are all the better if carried out of contact with petrol engines. As vehicles for passengers or messengers sidecars have many advantages. It cannot be long before London joins the long list of towns and cities in the provinces where the use of taximeter sidecars is permitted. Experience shows that sidecar taxicabs are capable of a performance in every way equal to that of the usual four-seater cab, and a smaller seating capacity is often a convience. A type of vehicle for carrying messengers with important documents is already in use by Government Departments and municipal authorities, as well as by public utility companies, and has been found to possess great advantages. GROWING EXPORTS. In the meantime, export trade is “booming.” A return to normal conditions will mean many orders for British firms from abroad. European countries will take our lighter machines in greater quantities than the heavy weights but the Empire and other undeveloped countries will require also the more powerful types. There is a certain amount of competition between the two types. In the United States the larger machines are very popular. Present indications, however, are that America is losing hold of the market obtained during our preoccupation with more serious matters ‘and British light-weights as well as heavy weights are finding their way into markets which the Americans once regarded as their own. Certain manufacturers who are developing their export trade have recently complained of the Government policy of entering into treaties with foreign Powers on commercial questions without consulting the trades concerned. In the case of Czechoslovakia, a treaty was signed, limiting, amongst other things, the number of motorcycles to be imported into Czecho Slovakia It is now some weeks since the quota for the current year was exhausted, and until the next year opens in September this artificial barrier against export trade will continue. The point is that this barrier was created without the interest mostly intimately concerned having an opportunity of expressing their views. What benefits accrue to this country, if any, under the treaty are not clear, and a frank statement from the Department concerned would appear to be overdue.

ULTRA LIGHT-WEIGHTS.

DANGER OF OVER-DEVELOP-MENT.

Light motor-cycles have been with us from the earliest days, but the product of the present day is a very different article from the crude velocipedes of 20 to 30 years ago. It is astonishing how few people seem to realise that for under £3O several makers

of repute market well built and reliable motor-cycles capable of carrying the average rider over any normal road. For a pound of two more, the specification may be embellished with the result, as proved in the six days trials, that the ultra-light-becomes a true “go anywhere’ mount capable of averaging up to the legal limit over any roads. Since the normal purchaser of a truly light-weight motor-cycle does not require great speed or freak hill-climbing abilities it is just this elaboration that requires care lest the ultra-light-weight develops into a heavy machine with a small engine. More speed involves stronger frames, heavier tyres and transmission. This means increased cost and so leads to over development.. Without doubt the low-priced reliable light-weight motor-cycle has arrived in no indefinite manner, but, whilst congratulating the far-seeing manufacturers who have brought about this state of affairs, we feel constrained to offer this word of warning against over-elaboration.—“ Motor-cycle.” LIGHTER CARS. A SWISS INVENTION. NEW ALUMININM ALLOY. If we could cut the weight of our motorcars in half, what a remarkable revolution in motor construction and motoring it would make. For one thing, we would require much less powerful engines to do the same work, and that would mean much less running expenditure in the way of fuel. Such a possibility would now, however, appear to be looming in the future, if we may judge by the physical properties of a new aluminium alloy, the invention of a Swiss scientist, who is now seeking ’capital support in Europe for his invention. Mr Henry Sturmey, in The Motor (England), states that he had some particulars of this new development, including the results of tests made both by the Department of Physics of the University of Zurich and by others, and the r®ults recorded are so striking that he is sure motor engineers will be interested, in view of the possibilities which an alloy with such characteristics hold out.

Speaking in round figures, although the alloy weighs only 10 per cent more than pure aluminium, which in itself, is approximately one-third the weight of cast-iron, it is shown to possess the strength of all but the very highest grades of - steel. If we assume that thickness and dimensions of parts and material remained as now', the reduction in weight of the metal is over 50 per cent. But, with greater strength in the material, smaller dimensions would be used, and the saving in weight should, consequently, be greater still. Of course other material thap metal enters into some parts of our cars, but when all is said and done, these portions only account for a comparatively small amount of the gross weight of the vehicle, and allowing for these other materials, the weight of which would not, of course, be affected, he does not think it is at all unreasonable to surmise a possible 50 per cent reduction in car weight.

Now as to the metal itself. As stated it is an aluminium alloy, but it differs from all other aluminium alloys in the fact that it is an all-metal alloy. In other words it is a mixture of aluminium and other metals, instead of the infusion into a batch of aluminium of chemical substances. Most of the high quality aluminium alloys of to-day contain magnesium but there is no magnesium used, so that certain drawbacks in the use of this metal are not present. The material can be produced either as castings or in sheets, bars, etc., and so far as castings are concerned the inventor is making an experimental set of cylinder castings for the Maybasch (Mercedes) engine. In casting form—sand castings—it is claimed that the tensile strength, which can be regulated at will, can be made as high as 311 tone per sq. in. whilst, in sheet or bar form, a tensile strength can be attained of just under 45 tons, which it will be admitted is very high. In castings, elasticity runs from 1 per cent to 12 per cent in two.jnches, and in bar or sheet from 2.3 to 8’ per cent. These characteristics can be obtained as desired, with certainty within 5 per cent. Castings of this material are claimed to be harder than others and to be flawless whilst possessing superior heat—conducting, which would appear to make it particularly suitable for engine work. The metal is stated to machine cleanly and fast and to be perfectly uniform in texture. It can also be recast without loss in tensile strength, and shrinking has been eliminated. “Allmetal” (the name it has been given) castings ring and have a uniform grain like tool steel, with a yield point of approximately 80 per cent, as against 23 per cent to 40 per cent of other metals. In sheet, or bars, it has prinnell hardness of 95-104 and can be rolled, drawn, pressed or forged, and bent up to 180 degrees when required, whilst another great advantage which is claimed for it is that it has great resistance against sulphuric gases and carbon dioxides and it is stated that several pieces immersed in sea water for months together showed no signs of corrosion, so that it would appear to be also a rustless metal. Tests made at Stuttgart, in the German Government laboratories, with a sand casting after annealing to a heat of 300 degrees centigrade, showed a tensile strength of just under 381 b per square inch with an elongation of 14.3 per cent. It is also stated that the cost does not greatly exceed that of aluminium. If the last possession of the characteristics is correct, as they would appear to be, then this new alloy should be of very great utility in industry and in no industry more particularly than in motor manufacture.

BRAKE USAGE. ADDING TO LIFE OF CAR. THE PROPER USE OF GEARS. The inexperienced driver arriving for the first time in hilly regions is prone to think that “putting the car over the road” at a high speed covers all the rules for demonstrating driving ability. Good driving with due regard for engine and brakes, and conducing to long life of a car, means much more. 9 When a car is pulling steadily up hill it is natural for the driver to think chiefly of the engine which is performing the heroic task. As it tops the summit and begins the steep descent, it is equally natural for him to change his mental picture and think only of the brakes. So the uninstructed driver, seeing ahead of him a stretch of roadway sloping downward, usually suits his muscular movement to his mental shift, and transfers his foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal. But, as most drivers know, and as those, who do not know should learn, this is not always good driving, nor safe driving. Stopping a car on a 10 per cent down grade at a given speed is, of course, a greater load upon the brakes than stopping on a level at the same speed. Yet' in care with adequate braking systems properly adjusted it is not merely a question of being able to stop. We are talking about good driving, about using our transportation unit with due regard to long life and economical maintenance. What, then, is wrong in the practice of controlling on a steep down grade with brakes only? If one had on his farm or at his summer home a fifty-foot waterfall over which 4000 pounds of water passed every minute the amount of water power would certainly justify an attempt to use it. Now, a motor car descending a 10 per cent grade at twenty miles an hour drops 175 feet every minute. In doing so, one of the weight of a Cadillac car for example, develops over three times as much power as our imaginary waterfall; over twenty-one horse power to be exact. What becomes of this power? A small fraction only is necessary to overcome the friction of the tyres on the road and of the axle and wheel bearings. Something must absorb the remainder. It is natural to think

of the brakes for this purpose; but let us see. One would not expect on a level road to open the throttle, at the same time apply brakes to hold the car speed down to twenty miles per hour, and drive in this manner for a mile or more. Such practice, which anyone would certainly call absurd, would demand no more of the brakes th§n using them alone to control the car while descending a long steep grade. What, then, is the correct method of negotiating such a grade? Simply to supplement the brakes with the resistance offered by the engine while it is driven by the car, placing the transmission in gear. The engine is thus transformed from a producer of power to an absorber of power.

Using the motor in this way for braking purposes has become recognised by engineers as a technically correct procedure and the application of the practice is not limited to automobiles. On electrically driven trains of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul railroad, for example, on down grades the motor is so used for braking. In this case it has an added advantage in that the motor becomes a dynamo, and the power absorbed is transformed into electricity and put back into the line. In using the automobile engine for braking, it should be clear that the faster the engine is driven in relation to the speed of the car, the greater will be the resistance offered. On gradual declines, the resistance offered by the engine when the transmission is in high gear, or direct drive, may be sufficient. On steeper grades it is best to shift into intermediate gear before beginning the descent. On very steep mountain grades on which one should proceed slowly, it is advisable to shift even into low gear. In using the engine to assist the brakes, it is natural to think that it will help still further to switch off the ignition. Inconsistent as the statment may seem, this should not be done. Even when the throttle

is “closed” enough fuel is admitted to the cylinders to drive the engine at a speed of about 300 revolutions per minute. If this fuel is not burned, it condenses on the cylinder wall and washes off the oil by which the pistons are lubricated. At the same time, the power developed by the burning 7 of this small amount of fuel is insignificant compared with the power absorbed. Switching off the ignition when coasting, with the car driving the engine, does not appreciably increase the resistance and is almost sure to have injurious results, even though the throttle may be “closed.” In climbing hills good driving so far as the car is concerned is wholly a matter of engine control. There is always a thrill of achievement in taking a difficult hill “in high” Sometimes this is a mark of good driving, sometimes otherwise. There is a tendency among American drivers to avoid shifting gears. European drivers, who shift gears on the slightest 1 pretext, find it hard to understand the ! American attitude. Some of 'the highest grade multiplecylinder engines have a great reserve powed and exert an enormous amount of it without detriment. Even in some of the lighter cars, in which there is a favourable power to weight ratio, good results are also obtained. However, in places where deep sand, mud or steep up grades make excessive demands upon any engine driven in h’gh gear, waiting too long, and allowing the car to lose its momentum before shifting gears may make it necessary to esort to low instead of second gear. If drivers will learn these two lessons about driving in hilly regions to use the engine for braking purposes, but not to turn off the switch, and to sense the moment at which to shift into lower 'gears . when climbing, they will be rewarded by better performance from the engineBRITISH CARS. ; FEATURES OF THE NEW MODELS. ■ From what is gathered from British automobile journals, there will not be any great external change in the motor models for 1925, nor does it seem likely that any very unusual design, or radical departure from conventional practice will appear. t This condition might be expected, since the more cars are brought towards the ideal the more difficult it becomes to effect a great improvement at one bound. The changes that have been effected, however, are distinctly marked, and also are very important, and there is a general tendency to change the character of certain components of the chassis when a new model is under consideration. TYPES OF ENGINE. For example, it is becoming certain that the six-cylinder engine is gaining ground, slowly, it is true, but nevertheless sureiy, as the designers understand and overcome what used to be considered defects inseparable from the type. Most of the designs produced naturally are for engines of the most popular sizes, two litres being the upper limit, but in the larger fizes sixcylinder engines are on the sto&s. In detail, much attention, has been devoted to forged connecting-rods of aluminium alloy, and no fewer than three cars now have these as standard. Pistons are much less troublesome than they were, valve springs are more reliable, and cooling is noticeably improved. There is a decided tendency to adopt gears made of hardened or toughened steel other than case-hardening material, and either to adopt right hand control or once more offer it as an alternative. Writing of the prospects of 1925, especially so far as comfort on the road is concerned, the Autocar says that suspension is now the subject for investigation, and, though there has been improvement during the last year the cars for next season should be much'better sprung, and that it looks as though important developments in this direction are pending. Wrapped up in the problem is the matter of the lowpressure tire, which is achieving no small measure of popularity among manfacturers, if the programme for next year may be taken as a guide. It is true that these “balloon” tires have been found to entail additional attention to the design of steer-ing-gears, and certain defects have been discovered; but the great advantages of the soft and large tire are hastening its adoption. BRAKES AND MECHANISM. But, most of all, it is obvious that a great deal has been learned about brakes and brake mechanism, since, with a few exceptions, considerable, though minor, changes are being made for the next year. The result is that the braking power of the 1925 cars will be considerably greater, and what is as important, less pressure on the pedal will be needed to achieve the maximum result. The notable increase in speed to be obtained from some of the larger models, demands this greater brake power; it is supplied by having all four wheels braked for which there are several excellent and reliable systems. These, together with the supercharger, have been thoroughly tested in various speed competitions. The improvements noticeable for 1925 can be summed up as more power from more flexible engines, greater riding comfort, . better brakes, and improved details generi ally. AFTER A SMASH. TEST OF DRIVERS, A SUGGESTION. | “The way to eliminate preventable acI cidents is to remove from the road the j driver who has to stop to think what to do | in an emergency, as well as the careless, the I callous, and the selfish road-hog,” states a j writer in an American paper. | “This can be done almost to perfection, i when measured by human standards, within a few years, provided unified effort can be brought to bear on the subject. It is simplicity itself. “The method to be used is the examining of all drivers of motor vehicles who are concerned in a motor vehicle accident, with a proper psychological and practical driving test, which will ascertain their fitness to drive. Prohibit them from driving after such accident until they have passed their test, and thereby proved to the properly constituted authorities they are, first, mentally and physically fit to be allowed the privilege of driving a motor vehicle on the highway, and, secondary, that they were 1 blameless in the accident which preceded j the examination. I “By this procedure sooner or later all j who cause accidents will be brought under j stricter control, those who were at fault will be eliminated, and even those who j cause a series of minor accidents will be ] located. Thus the driver who is mentally lor physically incompetent will have his • license taken away and will be forced from j the highways. Those who are competent ! and careful and do not cause accidents will | not be disturbed.” LONDON STREETS. NON-SKID SURFACES. In London, the authorities have found ! that the bitumen coated streets are a danger to motor traffic in wet-weather, said { Mr A. E. Smith, of Christchurch, in con- ' vernation regarding his trip to Great BritI ain, He said that when new roads are j now laid down, they consist of a founda- < tion of concrete, upon which is laid wooden blocks, the surface of which is covered with tar and screenings. The tar used is not a coal product, but is the residue obtained from some of the oil refineries of the United States. The effect of the. screenings is to give a practical non-skid surface and it is hoped | that this will prevent traffic accidents in I wet weather.

BLEMISHES IN WOOL.. THE NECESSITY FOR A SOLUBLE MARKING FLUID. Cabled reports of the recent conference atßradford, England, between empire woolgrowers and representatives of the wool trade indicate that much interest was focused on the question of the marking of sheep. * It was pointed out that the presence of tar in Australasian wool, due to tar branding of sheep, had a serious |ffect on the value of our wool. Wool growers were urged to use a marking fluid which would wash dut in the scour and thus overcome this difficulty. Such a marking fluid has already been available to pastoralists in Australia and New Zealand for a number of years. The Vacuum 00l Company Pty. Ltd., after considerable research, produced a sheep marking fluid Vacmark, which is being used extensively with excellent results and is gaining popularity, and more and more pastoralists realsie its advantages. Vacmark does not contain any tar, tar oil, or any other product which will spoil the fleece. The use of a marking fluid which is guaranteed to meet the conditions demanded by the manufacturers will well repay the wool grower. PARIS SALON. A RECORD DISPLAY MORE COMFORTABLE CARS. The nineteenth International Motor Salon, which opened in October at the Grand Palais, has established a record in the number of exhibitors. On this occasion the whole show is to be held in the Grand Palais instead of, as was done last year, cycle-cars and commercial vehicles occupying an annexe on the Esplanade des Invalidies, but, owing to the great demands on the available space, the salon is to be split into two sections. Passenger vehicles are to occupy the Salon from to-day until the fiinth instant, when they will give place to a second edition of the Salon devoted to industrial and agricultural motors from October 22 until the end of the month. In all there are 1213 exhibitors this year,, of whom 250 are showing only in the heavy section. Of the 963 exhibitors in the section now opened thirty are foreign firms. Rolls-Royce, Morgan, Austin, and Morris represent the British motor industry; there are twelve American exhibitors, nine form Italy, and four Belgians. If last year’s salon was described as one of steady developments rather than novelties the present show is still more so. There is little in the way of innovations which will appeal to the interest of the general public, but there is certainly abundant evidence of the steady progress that has been made along established lines. In a general survey of the whole display four points stand out prominently. Four-wheel brakes are now fitted on the great' majority of cars. They have become almost a standard fitting on cars of the 10 h.p. class. The second point is the popularity of balloon tyres, which are now being fitted on vehicles of every size and power down to the popular 5 h.p. two-seaters. Allied to this contribution to the comfort of small cars is the development which has taken place in their coachwork. The inside drive has been adopted more widely than ever before, and many quite small cars are now fitted with the bodies which make 'them look like complete and comfortable miniatures of the high powered and luxurious saloon cars. The fourth thing which strikes the observer is the headway which appears to have been made by the 5 h.p. and 7 h.p. two-seaters in competition with the cycle-cars, which were such a feature of last year’s exhibition. If this show may be taken as an infliction of public taste, then it is clear that the man who wants a small cheap car of the runabout type at the same time demands a rather more substantial vehicle than a very light cyclecar. The industry is therefore offering him a choice of small cheap two-seaters with tyres and a type of coachwork previously found only on more powerful cars. MORE POWERFUL ENGINES. There are few novelties in the way of engine design, but the great majority of the exhibitors have concentrated on perfecting standard types, with the result that in many cases engines in which no important change has been made are more powerful and more economical than last year. Rolls-Royce are among the firms who are in future fitting all their cars with fourwheel brakes. They have four models on their stand this year, one a 20 h.p. with Rothschild body. Renault, too, has adopted four-wheel brakes for all models from 6 h.p. to heavy commercial vehicles. The 6 h.p. Renault chassis is being made slightly longer than last year, so that it can carry comfortable seating for four people. The 10 h.p. of this house is now fitted with springs which permit a lower slinging of the chassis, and consequently the body has undergone improvements. The 18 h.p. and the 40 h.p. Renault chassis are of particular interest by reason of two important novelties which they display. On both is fitted an oil purifier, which ensures that the lubricant shall carry no impurities as it circulates through the engines. As the oil returns after passing through the engine, it is passed through a small turbine apparatus, in which the action of centrifugal force separates it from all the extraneous matter it has picked up before it returns into circulation, and in this way greatly reduces friction of all lubricated parts. Another novelty, fitted only on the 40 h.p. chassis, is a small radiator on the front axles, the function of which is to cool overheated oil to the proper temperature. Another interesting novelty is an automatic self-adjusting radiator shown on the Lincoln stand. The surface of the radiator is composed of a series of shutters controlled by a thermostatic apparatus, which automatically opens the shutters when the temperature rises and closes them again when necessary. The strength of the cooling current of air Is thus always perfectly regulated. SOME BRITISH MODELS. Morris motors are represented by two Morris Oxford 14-28 h.p., one, a four to five-seater torpedo, and the other, a fourseater inside drive. Their other exhibit is a four-seater 11 h.p. Morris-Cowley. The Austin Motor Company shows a cabriolet and sporting model of 7 h.p., a Windsor de Luxe, and torpedo of 12 h.p., and in its 20 h.p. class a limousine and a landoulette. The Benjamin firm has a new model in a 5 h.p. cycle-car, the engine of which is fixed behind and above the rear axle, the whole space enclosed by a short front bonnet being free for foot room. The price of this little runabout is approximately £7O. The Citroen stand as usual offers at least one popular attraction. This is in the shape of an all-steel, inside-drive model on a 10 h.p. chassis. It is displayed in section, so that every detail, from the mechanism of the engine to the stuffing in the seats, is laid open to view at a glance. The general appearance of this all-steel body suggests an excellent combination of lightness with strength, thpugh the question whether there is really any need for all-steel bodies or any great advantage in them is, of course, open to debate. The price of this model is 25,000 francs. It may be noted in passing that balloon tyres are now. a standard fitting on ail Citroen cars. The cheapest car in the show is one which is to be had for 4000 francs (£5O), while at the other end of the scale in regard to prices is a beautiful limousine valued at 500,000 francs. Among big expensive cars there seems to have been less striving this year after superlative luxury of upholdstery and appointments, and there is nothing strikingly new about the coachbuilding exhibits for this class. In this, as in everything else about the present display, efficiency and comfort are the ruling notes rather than novelties of more jpectacuiar appeal.

TRAILER ’BUSES. MEETING WITH OPPOSITION. Efforts have been made for some time, says The Commercial Motor, to obtain the sanction of the authorities to the use of passenger-carrying vehicles of the tractortrailer type. How long it will be before these efforts are crowned with success it is at present impossible to say, but it is not the first time design has advanced beyond the law. Even the motor car, when first placed on the road, was an illegal vehicle when designed for speeds above walking pace. Why the tractor bus should still be barred from use is somewhat difficult to understand, now that its progenitor the tractorlorry has advanced so considerably in design as to be a recognised means of goods transport and one considered quite safe for use on our roads. There have been suggestions that accidents might be caused by separation of the trailer portion from the tractor, but we have yet to hear of anything like .that occurring with the commercial vehicle carrying loads far in excess of those which could possibly be imposed upon a passenger carrying vehicle. DRUNKEN MOTORISTS. LONDON TRAFFIC PERILS. PRISON IN EVERY CASE. MANY SUCCESSFUL APPEALS. Magistrates in all parts of England have been declaring that the drunken motorist must be drastically dealt with. They advocate prison without the option of a fine in every case. Owing to the rapidly increasing number of cars on the roads, the peril caused by improper driving is growing, and the problem of the drunken motorist is rapidly assuming alarming proportions. London magistrates are incensed by the frequency’ with which their decisions have been reversed on appeal and a fine substituted. Recently, however, two out of four prison sentences were confirmed at the London Sessions. Dismissing one appeal, Sir Robert Wallace, the chairman, said: “It is no use saying that a man should be imprisoned in any particular case until all the circumstances are known. This is about as bad a case has come before the Bench for many years. Here is a man who admit/ that he had six drinks, and they produced a condition so that when he went to the Leicester Lounge the management there declined to allow him to remain. When he gets into his car he is* warned by the police that he ought not to drive. They try to save him from the situation in which he was placing himself, but he insists on going on and knocks a man over. The appeal is dismissed with costs.” In another case, in which the defendant’s conduct had lost him a position at £2,000 a year, the appeal against fwentyone days’ imprisonment was also dismissed, the deputy-chairman, Mr A. J. Lawrie, K.C. remarking: “If it had been put before us that in consequence of the offence he would lose £2.000 a year, we might have considered that far too severe, but he has already lost it. These punishments being chiefly to deter other people, and that punishment having been already inflicted upon him, the question is whether he ought to serve his sentence of imprisonment. In the circumstances we think he should.” FUTILE SENTENCES. “You might have killed or mutilated people. My duty in a case of this sort is very plain. According to your own confession you had a great deal too much

drink, and drove along the street at 30 to 35 miles an hour.” So spoke Mr Chancellor the Marlborough street magistrate, in sending to prison for a month in the second division a motor engineer, who was accused of driving a car while drunk An appeal was entered. Every day similar cases come before the magistrates. In many, how’ever, an appeal is entered, and the rehearing before the Quarter Sessions results in the substitution of a fine of £2 for the original prison sentence. It is because so many cases are , thus dealt with on appeal that some London magistrates have decided merely to inflict a fine of £2, however gross the case, so that by a sort of passive resistance they may get an amendment of the law which would make it possible for them adequately to protect the public. As the law stands, the decisions of the stipendiary magistrate, trained and experienced lawyers, are subject to reversal by lay magistrates at Quarter Sessions. This anomaly is condemned by the whole legal profession, and it is viewed with the greatest disfavour by the police, who find that at the Quarter Sessions they have to face what is practically a new case, with additional witnesses, medical evidence, and a defence conducted by counsel. “The only hope we have in the present crowded state of the streets,” said a Scotland Yard official, “is the support of public opinion and the courts in bringing that troublesome motoring minority, the drunken driver, to book. It is disheartening when, after proving a gross and inexcusable case, the offender slips through our hands with an absurd fine.” MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY . Sir Lyden Macassey, K.C., president of the Institute of Transport, said: “ The drUnken motorist is a menace to the community, and should be sent to prison without the option of a fine. The reversals of sentences at Quarter Sessions encourage convicted motorists in the belief that they have but to appeal to this court to escape prison. I do not think that the decisions of the Metropolitan police magistrates, who are professional lawyers and men experienced in dealing with the everyday dangers of London streets, should be liable to reversal as they are at present.” Sir Robert Wallace, K. C., chairman of the London Sessions, points out, however, that at the police courts it sometimes happens that it is not possible to hear all the evidence, and the defendant may not be represented by counsel. At the sessions evidence is given in full and legal aid is available, and it is on this full evidence I that the court makes its decision. It is also pointed out that the lay Bench acts more as a jury than as experts, and that whenever the evidence supported the original charge the Quarter Session magistrates favoured imprisonment as the sole deterrent. AUTOMOBILE OFFICIALS’ ATTITUDE. Officials of the Royal Automobile Club and of the Automobile Association also favor more stringent legislation against the drunken driver. Nobody sympathises with the drunken motorist. But as the law stands he can laugh at a system which mulcts him in a fine of £2 for sriminal recklessness, damage to property, and endangering the limbs and lives of all users of the highway. Mr Arthur Henderson the ex-Home Secretary, in a reply to Mr Stranger, who called his attention to the unequal sentences passed on drunken drivers, says: “I am aware that the sentences passed for this offence vary greatly. This is inevitable if due regard is paid to the varying circumstances of the individual cases, and while I agree that the stringent exercise of existing powers in serious cases is very desirable, I should not be in favor of making the withdrawal of an offender’s license a necessary consequence of a conviction in every case.” ‘BUSES BEAT TRAMS. ELECTRIC SERVICES ABANDONED. Another Pacific Coast City has adopted motor bus street car service exclusively, Astoria, Or., was first with this honour, and Pomona, Cal., a city of 15,000, thirtyfive miles from Los Angeles is second. Pomona has chosen the Mack street-car type of bus, the same as was done in Astoria. The history of public transportation in Pomona, which led to the adoption of buses was similar to what undoubtedly will be in many cities in the United States within two years. Electric cars succeeded the horse-drawn type. The service was operated by one of the largest and financially strongest organisations in the country. , TROLLEY PATRONAGE DROPS. The patronage in recent years decreased, citizens claimed this was due to poor service. The electric lines declared they could not furnish better service because so many of the citizens were using their own automobiles and the company was losing on its investment, states the San Francisco Chronicle. In order to give the electric lines an even break they were permitted to raise their fares to 10 cents. According to the company, this did not relieve the situation, and a few months ago the service was abandoned, leaving Pomona without public transportation of any kind. SERVICE INSTALLED. The situation looked good for the operation of motor bus street cars. The City Council offered a franchise, but stipulated certain requirements among them being a fixed amount as deposit and further participation in the profits. The franchise, was awarded to a group of men who immediately began an investigation of the various types of motor equipment. Their decision was to install six Mack street car buses, three of w r hich are of twentynine passenger capacity and three of twenty five. A seventh bus, a Mack sedan, operates on a short interurban run connecting two adjacent towns with the Pomona city service.