HIGH ROAD AND BY-ROAD

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17412, 26 May 1928, Page 23 (Supplement)

HIGH ROAD AND BY-ROAD

(By " Crank.")

CHEVROLET GLAZES TRAIL.

FROM CAPE TO CAIRO

TO LONDON VIA EUROPE

EQUIPPED WITH POWERFUL RADIO

Three South Africans accompanied by a dog were farewelled at the City Hall, Cape Town, at 1 o'clock on March 7, when the Hon. A. P. J. Fouric, Administrator of the Cape Province, bade God-speed to C. V. 11. Lacey and his two companions who started with a Chevrolet standard car and truck on a 10,000 mile trail-blazing, endurance run from Cape Town to London via Cairo; Stockholm and Europe. This run is being undertaken by Mr Lacey and his companions on behalf of General Motors, South Africa Limited, for demonstrating the durability and reliability of a car manufactured in South Africa. The first stages of the journey from Cape Town to Bulawayo will he comparatively easy compared with the thousands of miles through deserts, swamps and other obstacles which will he encountered on the remainder of the forty day's run to Cairo. The expedition will then continue from Cairo to Kantara, Gaza, Aleppo, Alexandretta, Konia, Kutaya, Scutari, across the Bosphorus to Constantinople, Adrianople, Ruschuk, Bucharest, Milan, Zurich, Paris, Amiens, Boulogne, Calais across the English Channel to Dover, London, back to Harwich, across the North Sea to Antwerp, Rotterdam, Cologne, Hanover, Potsdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and ending at Stockholm. The party carries with it a large batch of official letters of introduction including one from the Prime Minister to the High Commissioner for South I Africa in London, one from the Mayor of Cape Town to the Lord Mayor of London, one from the Secretary of External Affairs to the authorities of all countries through which the expedition will pass, three from the Commissioner of Customs to the Controller of Customs in Salisbury, Livingstone and I Mombassa, seven from the Chairman ! of the Board of Trade and Industries i to the South African Trade Commissioners in London, Rotterdam, Hamburg. Berlin, Oslo, Milan and Nairobi J and a permit, from Rhodesian Agents, i Cape Town to enable guns and ammuniI tions to enter Northern Rhodesia. Associated with Mr Lacey is Mr I Wilson, wireless expert, Mr B. Williams, motion picture photographer and j Mr G. Makepeace of Hie Johannesburg I Star who will make the trip as publicity j man for the Cape-Argus chain of I newspapers.

The truck is equipped with powerful radio receiving and transmitting equipment which will make it possible for the expedition to keep the world informed of its progress from day to day. London and other important radio stations have promised to watch out for messages from the expedition whose call sign is ABM, operating on a wave length of 20 and -ill metres.

Low wave enthusiasts will he interested to learn that Mr E. A. Shrimpton, so well known in radio circles, is following the progress of the expedition. A motion-picture record of the entire trip will he taken, which, when completed, will he one of the most interesting of travelogues.

Both the sedan and truck arc standard models but have been equipped with special screens to guard the party from the insect pests of the tropics. Rifles and shot guns are carried to guard against the wild beasts which will naturally resent the intrusion of man and his modern methods of transportation, disturbing, as it will, the sanctuaries of their mountains and marshes.

NEW DIMMING DEVICE. The most simple but probably the most effective dimming device yet put on the market*is a cup-shaped metal cap for placing over the bulb of the lamp. The cap is so cut as to throw the maximum light on the road, where it is most needed, with a faintly diffused light above. The effect is that while the full benefit of the lamp is preserved to the driver, there is an entire absence of glare against the oncoming motorists. The attachment can be adjusted in a few seconds by the motorist, himself. The little attachment in no way infringes the new motor regulations which prohibit dimming. Rather docs it further the intention of the regulations, which is to keep a full light on the, road, and to avoid the confusion caused by sudden dimming.