CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 845, 17 May 1906, Page 12

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

(By

“Petrol.”)

The Germans claim to have discovered a new variety of fuel gas, said to be unequalled for power purposes. “ Homogenal” is the name given to it. It is the result of the discovery that benzole of a high specific gravity, 90 degrees or over, may be gasified, and has been given this title owing to its homogeneous qualities. In addition to being far cleaner as well as cheaper, the new gas possesses the added advantages of being non-poisonous and nonfreezing. It is free from soot, and, being produced cold, dispenses with the necessity for cooling-water. Its comparative efficiency is claimed to be 50 per cent, in excess of the fuel commonly used, while its cost is greatly lower. The exhaust is invisible and entirely odourless.

The hour record of the motor cycle was altered twice on the one day— March 11 last —on the Parc des Princes track, Paris. The record stood at 55 miles 1520 yards, and Rene Thomas raised it to 56 miles 1685 yards, and covered the 100 kiloms (just over 62 miles) in lhr smin 27 l-ssec. Shortly after, another Frenchman, Pernette by name, attacked both records on a machine weighing but 1101 b, and covered 59 miles 801 yards in the hour—a world’s record —and the 100 kiloms in lhr 3min 52 l-ssec. A third attempt was made by Auzani, on a heavy motor cycle, but he fell. Although moving at upwards of 50 miles an hour at the time, he was practically uninjured.

As to the value of the automobile in the time of war, Germany seems quite aroused. Recently an order was issued to all owners of motor cars in Munich, commanding their appearance before the Minister for War for mobilisation purposes. The cars were required to be in the hands of good and efficient drivers, to be in proper running condition, and to be furnished with sufficient supplies for a journey of a hundred miles. France, it is understood, has long since perfected arrangements for the rapid mobilisation of motor cycles and cars, which is possibly the cause of Germany’s activity in this direction.

The recent wonderful performance in Paris by the crack long distance French pace follower, Emil Bonhours, in his triangular match with Contenet and Vanderstuyft, two of the long distance champions of Europe, was

still the talk in European cycling circles when the latest mail left. For the past seven years Walter’s (England) wonderful ride of 634 miles 674 yards was considered impregnable, and Bonhour’s latest achievement in covering 815 miles 1459 yards in two rounds of the clock came as a considerable shock to the cycling world. The immediate new world’s records established during the race are as follows: —88 miles 1126 yards in two hours by Contenet; 131 miles 849 yards in three hours by Contenet; 173 miles 1165 yards in four hours by Contenet; 213 miles 367 yards in five hours by Contenet; and 248 miles 663 yards in six hours by Contenet. Bonhours from this out took the lead, and started making new records, his most important one being 475 miles 241 yards in 12 hours, and 673 miles 721 yards in 18 hours. Towards the end of the contest Bonhours, who had a big lead, went very groggy, he only covering 14 miles in the last hour, but this is hardly to be wondered at considering the terrific pace set in the early part of the race, when nearly 47 miles were covered in the first hour. Bonhours’ wonderful ride afforded a unique instance of what a light pair of single tube Dunlop racing tyres will stand, for the French crack rode one pair right through the race without puncture or attention. The cycle used was a Gladiator, a well-known French machine.

A challenge has been issued in America by a Mr. W. J. Morgan to match Demegeot and his Dunlop-shod 200 h.p. Darracq against any locomotive in America on any railway road track from one up to one thousand miles, for the supreme speed championship of the world. The idea of the challenge is to fit light metalflanged wheels to the two miles a minute Darracq, and race it either on parallel rails with a railway engine or on the same track, for Mr. Morgan is quite agreeable to either start the car ahead or behind the locomotive, and make a pursuit race of it. The challenger suggests that the race should take place in May or June, the loser to pay for a £lOO cup, emblematic of the speed championship of the world. Although such a match would be full of interest, it is doubtful whether any of the American railway companies will accept the challenge. In the first place, there is a big doubt whether a locomotive by itself would stay on the rails at a speed of 125 miles an hour, the rate attained by Demegeot and his Darracq on Florida Beach last January. The same risk, if pot a greater one, would also apply to the car, which would weigh only slightly over one ton, and would be inclined to fly off the rails. There is no doubt that if a racing automobile could be kept on the rails a very high speed could be attained, for during Mr. C. J. Glidden’s motor tour across the United States he gained the consent of one of the railway companies to drive his car along the railroad track. Steelflanged wheels were substituted for his Dunlop-shod ones, and the car acted with great success, and, .although only a touring Napier car fitted with a heavy body, Mr. Glidden found that he could more than hold his own with the express trains, one of which he overtook.

A company, to be known as the Newman Hydraulic Motor Car Co., Limited, is to be formed in Sydney, with a capital of £IO,OOO in £1 shares, to purchase the rights of an Australian invention for propelling by hydraulic pressure motor vehicles of every description, from the very small car to the traction waggon, including motor ’buses and trams, with the object of selling or otherwise dealing with such rights in London, or some other large manufacturing centre. Applications for patents have been lodged in Great Britain, the United States of America, France, Germany, and elsewhere. The invention is said to entirely do away with the present inefficient trans’mission ’ffiecli'aiiismf comprising the clutch, shafts and change speed gears, with their complicated attachments, and substitutes an hydraulic piston gear of extreme simplicity, which Mr. Henry Deane, M. Inst., C.E., Sydney, the well-known engineer, states in his report on the invention has considerable advantages over the present system, starting being particularly easy, and any change of speed from zero to the maximum obtainable, forward or reverse, being effected without jerk. Should the invention be all it is claimed to be, there will be a. tremendous future for it, but the best

test would be to see a car, fitted with the new driving mechanism, travel a thousand miles, say, ovei’ the SydneyMelbourne Road, and then allow the new hydraulic piston gear to be examinel. Further particulars of the Newman gear will be awaited with interest by all motorists.

An interesting series of races were recently held between ice boats and an automobile on the frozen surface of Toronta Bay, Canada. Although wonderful speed is obtainable from the ice boats, the car, which was of 32 h.p., proved an easy victor.