The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 801, 13 July 1905, Page 14

The Motorist.

(By ‘

“ PETROL.”)

The motor Derby, the Gordon-Bennett }up race, took place on July 6 at Longihamps, in France, the course being 342 niles in extent. There were eighteen itarters, and the winner turned up in VI. Thery, who drove a Richard-Brazier :ar of 90 h.p., who had previously proved .uccessful in the French eliminating ;rail. and also won the big event last ear. The time occupied for the jourley was 7hr 2min 42sec, which makes M. ,’hery to have maintained an average oi , mile in Imin 14sec over the whole jouriey. The surprise of the race, however, ras the bold showing made by Italy, /■hose representatives finished second nd third. Senor Nazzari was second n 7hr 19min 9sec., and Senor Cagus was fliird in 7hr 21min 22sec, both these mowrists driving Fiat cars, which showed vonderfully even speed over the long ourney. England could do no better han get eighth and ninth. The winler’s time compares badly with last year’s lerformance, 321 miles, in shr >omin 3sec, but the course was more diffi:ult. # # For consistent motoring it would be lifficult to imagine a finer performance han that recently established in New fork by the old-time English cycling n-ack. C. G. Wridgway. Driving a 24 i.p. Peerless car, Wridgway covered close ipon a thousand miles in a day, his exact igures being 923 miles in 24 hours, whilst ;he 10 centuries were covered in 25 hours >omin Isec. Wridgway’s object was to lemonstrate the possibilities of the autonobile for fast and continuous driving. L'his long-distance record was accomplished on the Brighton Beach track, V r ew York—the track, one mile in circumference, was negotiated 1000 times, end the motorist had to drive around ;he track some Bft from the pole owing o the inner running being soft for trotting purposes, he covered considerably 'urther than the distance claimed. Durng the run seven stops were made by he car. the engine being kept continu>usly running. The first stop was at 04 miles to replenish petrol and water ;anks and have lunch; at 112 miles a stop of 14 minutes was made to put on a lew front cover; at 201 miles tanks were igain refilled—the operation taking nine ninutes; at 400 miles tyre replacements lad to be made, and the operation repeated at 700 and 845 miles, the heavy strain of turning so many corners at ligh speed being excessively severe on she tyre covers. At 900 miles a loose exhaust pipe required tightening. IVridgway’s average speed for the whole un was 394 miles an hour, including all stops. During the night part of the Irive the track was lit up with incandescent lights and red lanterns on the turns —the motorist practically driving ihrough an illuminated lane during the lours of darkness. Besides the track ights, -the Peerless car carried two big icetylene lamps, which illuminated 50 rards ahead of the car ? thus enabling IVridgway to keep up his average speed. The times for the intermediate hundred niles were : —lOO in 2hr 9min 44sec.; 100 in 4hr 43min 4sec.; 300 in 7hr 4min lOsec: 400 in 9hr 25min 19sec; 500 in .2hr 20min 34sec. • • • • The French eliminating motor contest leld over the Auvergne course resulted n a win for M. Thery, who subsequently von the big race itself, with Duray second, Caillois third. The winner cohered the course (344 miles) in 7hr 36min. This test race is held by the Automobile Hub of France to select the French team )f three cars to represent France in this rear’s race for the Gordon-Bennett Cup, et down for running over the Auvergne course on July 5. Great efforts were nade this year by the French automobile ndustry to place an efficient and speedy ;rio n the field for the classic “ Cup.” ind for this purpose 24 huge racing cars vere specially manufactured at an averige cost of £3500 each. The field was nade up of three Panhards, three Bay-ird-Clements, three Darracqs, three Relaults, three De Dietrichs, three Rich-ird-Braziers, three Hotchkiss, one J.V.G., one Gobron-Brillie, and one (kutomotot. M. Thery, who drove a 90 i.p. Richard-Brazier car, is the crack notorist of France, and last year he not pnly won the eliminating race, but subsequently won the Gordon-Bennett race ’or France from the German champion, lenatzy. Duray, who finished second, Irove a De Dietrich car, whilst Caillois Irove a similar .car to Thery. The lat:er driver finished sixth in last year’s french eliminating race, in which event Duray did not finish; he was then drivng a Gobron-Brillie. The winner’s ;imes averaged over 45 miles an hour, vhich is considerably better than it

looks, for the Auvergne circuit of 86 miles, which had to be negotiated four times, is practically made up of tui 7 ls .> there being 145 right angle corners that are distinctly dangerous. The race, however, practically resolved itself into a test of brakes and turns and skilful driving, for the strain of negotiating sharp turns at a high rate of speed is a terrific one on both driver and car.

In an attempt to cover 1000 miles within 24 hours, C. G. Wridgway, once a noted English racing cyclist, made a noteworthy motor record at New ork. Seated in a 24 h.p. Peerless car he travelled a distance of 923 miles in the time indicated. The object was to demonstrate that the automobile could be driven long and fast, and it was fully achieved. The course was a mile trotting track, with a surface that was not of The best for motoring. Still, an average pace of 394 miles per hour for the full distance was recorded. The engine was kept running continuously, but the car was tsopped on seven occasions o replace tyre covers, to refill with petrol, and for the driver to obtain refreshment.

English and French motor manufacturers are now fighting hard for supremacy in reliability, and the recent long trial of a Siddelev (English) car which covered 4500 miles last winter without a stoppage, has resulted in a challenge match being arranged between that and a French car, the Dietrich. The contest will be held in France over a distance of 3000 miles, 200 miles to be covered daily. The conditions arranged and agreed upon are most exacting, anc an official observer will be carried by each car.

Mr. C. J. Glidden, who is still touring in his motor in some part of the world, was last heard from in the Malay Peninsula, whither he went after leaving Australia. It may be remembered that in his trip across the American continent he utilised the rails of the CanadianPacific railroad, owing to the absence ot roads, and while on the metals his car was treated and timed as if it had been a special train. The result of this unique ride is a regular automobile service on the Sierra railway in California. Unaei the schedule issued by the company, the motors may also be hired at the rate o one full fare for the round trip, plus a charge by the hour and actual expenses for the chauffeur while in service. lhe cars will be handled under orders from the train despatches in the same manner as regular trains are handled. Lhe cars will carry three passengers each, and will run throughout the entire line of road, or over any desired portion.

It is anticipated (writes “ Fortis ) that next vear will see a diminution in the number of light cars having engines with one cylinder only. The two-cy-linder type is considered to be superior in many ways. It is said to score distinctly on hills, and that there is a marked absence of vibration, easier starting less wear on the driving wheel tyres, and greater flexibility through a given range of speed, which means that the use of the speed-changing mechanism is not necessitated 'to such a degree as with engines of the single-cylinder variety. ° • * * •

The only point on which a difference of opinion appears to exist is in the relative consumption of petrol. Natuially, the quantity of fuel consumed by the two-cylinder engine is the greater, because both cylinders are taking gas all the time, no matter how easy the going. If it were possible to work only one cylinder when moving under favourable conditions, there would be little difference in the amount of petrol used. It is not thought that the matter of the cost of fuel will greatly concern the average user of the light car. letrol has fallen in price during the past two years—in England, at least--and now now costs lOd, as against Is 6d at the commencement of 1904.

From the manufacturer’s point of view, it is very doubtful whether the single-cylinder engine will be entirely supplanted. It is easy, simple, and cheap to make, and its unkeep in repairs and replacement is very light, lhe many excellent performances by engines with one cylinder, both in Europe and in the United States, must not be disre-o-arded, and perhaps, it will be the matter of price that will keep the singlecylindered engine popular. It is thought cars averaging 64 h.p., a one-cy-linder engine, will be sold at £l-0 to £l5O while those with two cylinders averaging 84 h.p., will be available at £l5O to £2OO,

It has been suggested that advantage should be taken of testing what the automobile is capable of accomplishing, on rough Australian roads under most stringent conditions. A fine opportunity will be afforded at the conclusion of the

big inter-State motor reliability contest, to be held from Melbourne to Sydney, in November next. After this contest is finished there will be no doubt several powerful cars, hailing from Victoria, which will be returning by road to Melbourne. The suggestion made is that two or three of the cars shoulcTeach carry a military despatch from Sydney Government House to the Government House, Melbourne, a distance of 573 miles, such despatch to be handed to the drivers of the three cars in Sydney, say, at four o’clock in the afternoon, which would permit of most of the bad roads being met throughout the whole route in the daylight. The first car to deliver the despatch at its destination to be awarded some suitable trophy. Given fine weather, several motorists who have had experience of the overland road think that the despatch could be delivered in Melbourne in about 30 hours after its receipt in Sydney. By leaving Sydney at the time stated there would only be about nine hours’ night travelling over the hilly but good roads between Berrima and Gundagai. By the aid of several powerful acetylene lamps, good progress could be made over this section of the road, so that the inferior roads and bush tracks would be negotiated during daylight. To accomplish the distance between the two capitals in 30 hours, an average speed of 19 miles an hour would be Of course only picked drivers would be selected, and with ordinary care the trip could be accomplished without hurt to man or car. To make the “ Despatch Run” of more interest, no doubt some Sydney motorist would be willing to form one of the trio.