The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 841, 19 April 1906, Page 13

The Motorist.

(By

“Petrol.”)

Mr. C. B. Kellow, the well-known Melbourne motorist, intends at an •early date making an attempt to establish decent figures for a 24 hours’ car run on the road. The car selected for the test will be one of the new 10-12 h.p. four-cylinder Humbers, shod with Dunlop tyres. Given decent weather, a respectable mileage should be recorded, for if only a 20 miles an hour average is maintained, the 24 hours’ tally would closely approach 500 miles. The route selected will probably be from Melbourne, around the Western district up as far as Hamilton and back. Complete arrangements will be made for picking up food and petrol supplies, so that as little time as possible may be lost during the 24 hours’ run. At the present time no authentic figures are available for an Australian all day car run, the longest that the writer knows of being 257% miles by Messrs. W. J. Proctor and -H. B. James, who last May covered the distance stated in 10% hours’ driving time on a 12 h.p. De Dion car. On a motor cycle the Australian and world’s road record of 24 hours stands to the credit of Mr. H. B. James, who as far back as November, 1902, covered 460% miles in the full day, his riding time being 19 hours. Continuing on, 507 miles were negotiated in 27 hours’ gross time, or 22 hours’ riding time. Mr. Kellow’s run will be watched with interest.

Many busy brains are at work devising appliances which will lift a man’s weight and transport it with certainty through the air, and not the least curious is that of M. Vina, who recently attempted a series of experiments at Montesson, in France. The machine used was a four-wheeler steerable car, with a superstructure supporting a specially light 25 h.p.

motor running on carbonic acid; and the supply of fuel that can be carried being small, the motor can at present only be run for about five minutes. Coupled to the shaft of the engine is a two-bladed propeller about 7ft in diameter, which will haul the car at about 12 miles an hour on grass. This speed is sufficient in the estimation of the inventor to enable the aeroplanes (which are of canvas on steel and have a total spread of 33ft) to lift the machine and its occupant. When the power of the machine is exhausted, the further movements of the machine are controlled by the aeroplanes, which, on the descent, act as parachutes. A rectangular rudder is mounted aft. Stay ropes are taken to the centre of the aeroplanes, their anchorage on the frame being just shown against the rudder. The total weight of the machine is about 4401 b.

Considerable interest has been taken in this latest motor flying device, but strong winds have so far prevented the prosecution of the experiments.