The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 790, 27 April 1905, Page 14

The Motorist.

(By

“Petrol.")

France appears to be the only country in Europe where the Government authorities approve of, and encourage automobile racing. The manufacture of motor vehicles in France has assumed the importance of a national industry, and the French Government thinks it worthy of special care to enable France to maintain the premier position she undoubtedly holds in the automobile industry of the world. The municipal authorities and other influential people co-operate in assisting the French industry by providing line roads and liberal prizes for competition. Instance the Grand Prix de I’Auto to be run for middle of July, and which will be worth something like .C4OOC cash to the winner, with substantial money prizes to the driver, mechanician, maker of the car and tyres. Everyone who is chiefly interested in the success of a particular make of car is encouraged in a practical fashion to do his best to win. Then the Marquis De Dion has offered a superb trophy for a race which fulfils the conditions he recently laid down in his proposal to- alter the existing Gor-don-Bennett rules. The distance is to be 1000 kilometres (670 miles), to be decided by points, each country running a team of three cars. All repairs to mechanism or tyres will have to be done by the driver and his mechanic with tools and spans carried on the car. Itwill be a contest of regularity and reliability, in which a practical type of car will succeed better than racing machines entered on the chance of their being lucky enough to get through without trouble. 1 he first contest will be held in 1906. The cult of the automobile has spread over the whole civilised world, and it is only to be expected that the opportunities offered by its wide range of latitude and climate are availed of by enthusiastic motorists. Hence it does not come as a surprise to hear of races being held in January and February on the IToricla Beach and in Cuba. Our readers may not be aware that the Daytona-Ormonde (Florida) sea beach provides at certain times of the year an ideal track for speed -• work by racing cars. It is composed of tiny shells, and at low tide a track of about eighteen miles long straight away, with a width of half-a-mile, and as smooth and hard as cement, is left bare by the waves for a space of four hours. It is important to have favourable weather conditions, since a rough sea works ripples on the surface on the beach, and makes high speeds impossible. Some wonderful speeds were attained by the big racers, and several . new world's records were established. The new 120-h.p. ISiapier racer set up new official records by covering a mile with a flying stfart in 34 2-ssec, equal to a speed of 104-J miles an hour, the mark set last year by the 100-h.p. Darracq in the flying start kilometre. This six-cylinder car also attacked the kilometre record during the meeting, but missed it by 1 2-ssec. However, the car made new figures by covering five miles in 3min 17sec, and ten miles in 6min 31 4-5 sec, both splendid performances. At the same meeting a De Dietrich racer of 90-h.p. covered fifty miles in 38 min 37sec (80 miles an hour), and 100 miles in lhr 18min 24sec (76 miles an hour), both being world's records for the respective distances. Even greater speeds than those mentioned above were attained, but they

could not be officially recognised on aecount of the car which made them being over the maximum weight allowed for heavy racers, viz., 22001 b, by 4001 b. r l his car was propelled by two 60-h.p. motors, coupled up in tandem, giving a power of 130-h.p., with a total weight of 26001 b, but it covered a mile with flying start in 32 2-ssec, equal to miles per • nour. This speed takes one s breath away, but it does not represent the highest attained by racing cars, for the Darracq and Gobron-Brille cars of 100-h.p. have each attained a speed of 111 J miles an ; hour over a short distance. When some of the 150-h.p. cars get properly going this season, we may expect even this stupendous speed to be surpassed, if the cars hold together. The great Cuban Road Race was held on a 100 mile stretch of beautiful limestone road, as level and hard as a billiard table. The rolad is a military one, and is maintained in perfect order by no less than three men to every mile. It is narrow, being only 16 feet wide, but there is not a bump in its whole length. It makes a motorist’s eye light up to think of it. The De Dietrich car which performed so well at Daytona Beach was favourite for the race, but it met with trouble, and finished out of a place, The race was won by a Cuban-owned and driven 60-h.p. Mercedes car in lhr 50mm 55sec, equal to 54 miles an hour average speed throughout. —Melbourne Punch. 1 * * * *

One of the French papers gives the respective times for a kilometre which have been made by motor cars since UO2. It then stood to the credit of the Mors car, which had covered the distance in 35 2-5 sec. It had been gradually cut down to 21 3-10 sec, which was made by a Napier on the beach in Florida recently. It only beat the Darracq record, which was made in Ostend last year, by l-10sec. This means very nice and over an end-on course I wonder how it is done. Yet that minute fraction of time means the difference of a kilometre per hour, the present rate of which is 169 kilos, or about 105 miles.

It is not commonly known that the Darracq cars are made in France by an English company, of which Sir George Newnes, of “Strand Magazine’’ fame is chairman of directors, with its head offices in London. The company turned out and sold 2300' cars last year, paying a dividend of 15 per cent. Of these 943 were sold in England alone. This year the Darracq Co. will make 3COO cars, and even at this early stage the English demand has absorbed over a third of the output. Such is the reward of thoroughly deserved popularity. It is estimated that at present there are fully 3500 Darracq cars running in Great Britain. The recrudescence of activity on the part of the police in the direction of taking action against motorists for alleged breaches of traffic regulations, brings once more into bold relief the striking incapacity of the average individual to estimate speed (writes “Auto”). It is amusing in the extreme, notwithstanding its serious side for motorists, to hear such opinions as “going 50 or GO miles per hour” applied to motor-cars running in the city and suburbs, when such speeds are utterly beyond the powers of any of the cars, and a matter of impossibility on ordinary roads. Motorists have altogether too much consideration for their own lives and propertv, leaving those of other users of the road out of the question, to desire such excessive speeds,

and only a stripped racing car with 50 h.p. engines could attain a speed of 60 miles an hour. The utmost speed that the average motor-car can attain, when loaded with full complement of passengers, is under 35 miles per hour, but the conditions of the roads round Melbourne do not permit of a great speed than 25 miles an hour without sacrificing comfort and running grave risks of injury to valuable property. To a person who has, never travelled on the road faster than 10 miles an hour, a speed of 20 or 25 appears like 60 miles an hour. So well is this fact understood in England, where the sport of motoring numbers the highest personages in the land among its patrons, that to secure a conviction for exceeding the legal limit of speed the police have to prove the offence. Mere estimates or opinions from irresponsible and probably incompetent individuals are not accepted, but the actual time taken by two independent stop-watches, in which a •measured distance was covered, must clearly show a speed above the legal limit to justify a fine. It should not be difficult for the motorists here to secure an alteration in the present system by which they are at the mercy of caprice or prejudice. Then they should also move in the matter of the strict and impartial application of the law regarding use of lights after dark. Let the unfortunate cyclist or motorist be out after dark without a lamp and no excuse will avail to save him from a summons. Yet the roads at night are full of horsed vehicles, mostly drays and market-carts, mooning along without lights, to the great danger of other traffic. A collision from this cause took place recently, and the matter is likely to be taken to the law courts by the motorist.

Marquis de Dion, one of the leaders of the automobile industry in France, speaking of the recent motor show at Olympia, London, said he was disagreeably surprised when he realised at the exhibition the immense strides accomplished by’ the British makers. Another visitor, of a large German house, said that Great Britain is racing neck and neck with Germany in industrial vehicles, and France has been left behind. He says, however, that a lack in design in pleasure automobiles is the main British fault. France views the position with alarm, and in order to meet the keen competition she will hold a magnificent sports competition and exhibition in 1907. The Automobile Club of France is the moving spirit, and has called together a syndicate of the Paris newspapers (not the cycle press), and these together are collaborating to organise an exhibition of such magnitude as the world has never seen. It is proposed that this exhibition shall be held on the spacious Champs de Mars, in Paris. The following statement was made at the meeting of the club and the press : — “Foreign manufacturers are overtaking us by leaps and by bounds, and are making supreme efforts to pass us in the race. They possess that all-important qualification, perseverance, thanks to which they are accomplishing marvels. For this very reason it behoves French constructors to make every r effort to prove that their goods are superior to rival produce.” A large building is to be constructed in the Champs de Mars, in which every section of automobilism

will be shown to advantage. A hugedock is also to be formed, in which motcr boats will be floated.

1 he London cabmen are keenly alive to the possibilities of an up-tc-date motordriven vehicle (saj s the “Sportsman”), and the Cab Drivers’ Union h.s undertaken the practical instruct on of its members in the care and adjrstment cf a motor. For this purpose a 6i-h.p. Humberette has been acquired and placed in the boardroom of the union, where instruction classes will be held throughout the day and evening, under the tuition of a practical man who has had actual experience of rir.v.ng a motor cab in London. The Loi d n r.l t r Cab Company and London Motor Express Company are working in conjunction with the union in this matter. The former company expect to have a large number of cabs running on the streets within a few weeks’ time, the experimental vehicles which have been tried having ’ roved entirely successful.

The Aut .■mobile Asscci t:on has decided that the entries for the second annual race for the W. K. Vanderbilt, jun., Cup close on May’ 15, by which tine both the American and foreign makeis will have had sufficient opportunity to decide upon plans for the contest. The 100-mile road race for a gold cup. value £2OO, offered by the Cuban, authorities, was won by 7 Ernest Carricaburo, a Cuban, who drove a 60-h.p. Mercedes 94.92 miles in lhr 50min 53 2-ssec.

Mr A. Cleave, hon. sec. of the A.A.A. from his Northern trip on Friday. Unfortunately, a good deal of rain was experienced, this having a bad effect on the clay roads. Despite this drawback, the 15 h.p. Darracq came through in good style, and no mishaps ■of any consequence were met with. HE * 4. * The 10 h.p. Speedwell car recently purchased by Mr Warren Blythe, is giving him every satisfaction. It is a very handsome machine. * * * * The latest is a motor milk delivery car. We are going ahead in Auckland. a « w * Mr Glidden, of round-the-world fame, motored 2109 miles in Australia, and has now gone to Java. This story is told of a doctor in a New Zealand town, who owns a motor, but is not very expert as a driver. He was travelling down a street, when he ran into and capsized a pedestrian. He looked behind, and seeing the man still prone, made a circuit and ran back, intending to stop beside and help him. But the motor shot a yard or two beyond the mark, anh hit the man again Just as he was about to get up. The doctor turned his car once more, and was cautiously stealing near to the prostrate sufferer, when an excited spectator rushing from the side walk, and shaking the victim, exclaimed, “Look out, he’s coming at you again.’’ Whereupon the man scrambled up and started to run. In this world it’s not sufficient to have good intentions. You must also be able to drive.

Writing of the great show at Olympia, “The Country Gentleman” says : —The ■exhibition has undoubtedly proved an unprecedented success. I fancy, from what has chanced to be said, that a satisfactory amount of business has resulted, to those firms at any rate who have anything reasonably saleable to dispose of. At one stand I was told that the cars —they were, it is true, of a kind in the zenith of fashion —literally sold themselves, and that purchasers came in and wrote out their cheques for £1,2C0 with a readiness which made the agent wonder whether all the talk about bad times was founded on fact. In this connection, too, it is remarkable that cars of less than some 20 or 25 horse power are scarcely looked at ; that is, of course, with the exception of little two-seaters ranking in a category

of their own. This is exceedingly nice from the vendor’s point of view ; but it is perhaps open to question whether all those enthusiasts who gaily order a powerful, long-frame, side-entrance carriage like this, as their introduction to automobilism, quite realise what it is going to mean in upkeep and general responsibility. Such a universal augmentation of power as the present season will witness on the roads makes still more urgent the widely-expressed opinion that some guarantee should be required of competence on the part of owners and drivers to handle and look after a motor.

Then apart from buying and selling, the enormous crowds which have continuously pressed into the show are an evidence that an entirely different view of motoring is being taken by the general public from that which has been adopted hitherto. When an assemblage of twenty-five thousand persons pay their money, and scrutinise with sympathy the motors, their detestation of which a year or two ago they had no

words strong enough to convey, it is certain that the tide has turned. The old prejudice is passing away ; it is being exchanged for popularity. The decision to keep the doors open a day longer than originally announced was justified by the numbers who availed themselves of the additional opportunity ; and as the price of admission was raised, it may be inferred that it was not the least influential classes who were anxious to see more.

The motor show has now become a society event as well as the climax of the manufacturers’ year. In the latter regard, the arrangement now agreed upon for holding the exhibition in the month of November next, instead of in the early spring, is, no doubt, judicious. No secret is made of the fact that the idea in this alteration is to cut in before the French Salon opens. It is regrettable that for sq long foreigners have been allowed to skim the cream of the year’s trade, but it was to some extent inevitable until the products of our country could fairly challenge com-

parison with anything produced abroad. This they can do now ; and, therefore, they are entitled to all the advantage of the earliest market. * * * * “France has learned,” says a Chicago Motor Journal, “that she does not control international automobiling. Having been properly spanked by the other countries for her high-handed endeavour to run the Gordon-Bennett and Grand Prix races together, she has now promised to be good, and run those events to suit the majority.” From the same source we learn that proprietors of garages are now leasing old church building for use as automobile stations ! For vivid imagination, however, a Denver paper comes easily first. It says : — “Automobiles will soon be* a drug on the market. In a speed contest at Los Angelos, Baldwin’s airship made the swiftest auto look like a deuce spot: The auto speed cranks are disgusted with their machines, and are purchasing airships as fast as the factories cg,n turn them out.”