Motors, Motorists and Motor Matters.

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 7, 1 May 1909, Page 241

Motors, Motorists and Motor Matters.

An American owner has given exact figures of the cost of running his seven-pass-enger car for two and a-half years — distance, 30,000 miles: — The statistics show the items of direct cost, which vary directly with the mileage. Cost per mile : tires, 5 cents ; gasoline, 2.7 ; lubricating oil, 0.2 ; incidentals, 0.9 ; total 8.8. The car averaged about 1,000 miles a month, and a yearly average of IY2 miles on a gallon of lubricating oil. Leaving out the interest and depreciation, which is largely a matter of judgment, and assuming the car to be owned in a New York city suburb and that it made an average of 1,000 miles a month, the following sums up the cost for a year: Tires, £100; gasoline, oil, acetylene, and repairs, £100 ; chauffeur and rental of private garage, £260. Total, £460. At a first glance it might seem that this is a rather costly business. It would seem that £450 for a year's running is a big sum. But a little consideration will show that this is not so. To start with, the car was a heavy a full-powered car that carried seven passengers. In the second place the distance run for the money was 12,000 miles, and the total cost per mile (including everything in the car, chauffeur's wages, and rent of garage) works out at about ninepence. The same amount of haulage by horses, over the same distance, would almost certainly have cost more, and the elements of speed and convenience would have been lacking. And it will be seen at once that a light-powered car of good quality, driven by its owner on an average of, say, a hundred miles a week, would cost very little for actual maintenance. Always assuming that the owner could drive. So much depends on the skill and care of the driver. $k -^ $fc There can be little doubt that a great deal of the blame bestowed on motor-car manufacturers is primarily due to this defect of bad driving; and there is equally no doubt that a big proportion of the worst accidents are directly traceable to the same cause. The careful man will not attempt to drive his own car until he can drive well. The man who attempts to drive before he has obtained an adequate knowledge of the car is doomed to smash and disappointment. It is fully time that the public realized the stupidity of the still prevalent idea that any fool can drive a motor-car. * -* * Here are points of interest to settlers in the 'waj'-baek districts where mud is plentiful and roads are bad. That is the case in the middle West of the United States, where very few of the roads are metalled, and the mud lies inches deep for days after rain. To meet these conditions, the motor-manufacturers have introduced the buggy type of automobile. The wheels are 36 inches in diameter, with iy 2 inch solid rubber tires. All the machinery is carried above the axles, so as to give the greatest road clearance. The tires are wedge shaped, so that in thick mud they cut their way down to solid ground, and then forward through the mud. A double chain drive with 52-tooth sprockets on the two rear wheels and 8-tooth sprockets on the jackshaft gives considerable leverage

for heavy pulling. A very elastic transmission is used to ease the machinery, so that the chance for breakage in rough places is materially lessened. * =* ■* From America comes a useful automobile accessory in the form of a combination sixvolt cigar lighter, and incandescent repair lamp, made by the Metal Specialties Mfg. Co., of Chicago, 111., has now been on the market for two years, and has proven itself to be a most useful article for automobile and electric vehicles. The lamp is six inches in length, and always at your elbow. A cigar, cigarette, or acetylene lamp is easily lighted going 60 miles an hour. The repair lamp is very handy for purposes of inspection. The ten feet of cord attached is sufficient for exploring any part of the machine. Its use leaves the hands free. * # =* The world is still waiting for that amazing electric motor of Mr. Edison's, which is to run 300 miles on one charge. Meantime, electric cars are much better than they used to be. Five years ago, the average was 25 miles on a battery charge. Today, in the best cars, it is from fifty to eighty miles. The electric is not intended for high speeds, though it will go higher speeds than any road-law permits. But it has other advantages. It is economical, safe, noiseless, smokeless, dirtless, and it gives off no offensive odours. For city work, it is probably the cheapest car on the market, so far as running cost is concerned. * # # What shall be done in emergency when a universal- joint breaks? Which means, generally when the pin or bolt breaks, obviously, the thing is to get a temporary .;olt that will go through. But this is not always possible In that case, wire has been made to serve. Bunch your wire in as; thick a bundle as will go through the bole, splay out and turn over the ends. Then drive with the utmost caution and chance your luck. It has been done with success. * # # A test hill is being constructed on the Brooklands track — 275 feet long, an average rise of one in six, with a stiff pinch of one in three near the top. Official road trials being no longer legal in Britain, this test hill at Brooklands will be extremely useful to motorists. Its convenience is obvious. * # * In England, although motor offences are steadily decreasing, there is a proportionately heavy increase in fines imposed. The local authorities it seems, have come to look on motorists as a source of special revenue, and are bent on killing the goose thnt lays the golden eggs. One begins to understand more clearly every day why the stupidity of English local authorities has passed into a proverb. And the lesson of it all is — Tf you want sane magistrates, pay them. .** * * Mr. H. Y. Colver made a world's motorcycling six hours record at Canning Town, England, on the 21st January, despite the fact that bad luck with his tires caused him to stop six times. He rode a seven-h.p. Matchless. His record ran: first hour, 47 miles, 1,690 yards; second hour, 96 miles, HO yards; third hour, some tire trouble. At 141 miles he was inside record time. Tire trouble at 144 miles put him again out-

side the record. At 231 miles he was again leading the world. He kept the lead and finished at 270 miles, 1,170 yards. The previous record — 268 miles, 285 yards — was made a month earlier by Mr. 0. C. Godfrey. One hears so little about motorcycling these times, that facts like these are refreshing to read. The motor-hog in the past has never been more obnoxious than when he bestrode a motor-cycle, and the fact unfortunately damaged an excellent and exhilarating form of sport. * * * Even in England, the Police sometimes get the worst of it where motorists are concerned. At the Radcliffe Police Court, George White was summoned for unlawfully using a locomotive which did not consume, as far as practicable, its own smoke. The evidence for the prosecution was that on December 11th the driver allowed smoke and vapour to be emitted from the engine for a quarter of a mile, to the annoyance of pedestrians and others using the road. After being stopped by a policeman the engine was restarted without any emission of smoke. The defendant called evidence to show that the engine was of the most modern construction, and that under normal conditions no smoke or steam could be emitted. Any such emission must have had a temporary or accidental cause. The driver said the fire got low while he was taking in water, and one result of the firing up was the emission of steam, but no smoke. * * * The magistrates' clerk agreed that under the Act by which the summons was taken out the driver could not be proceeded against for carelessness. The case was dismissed. * * # The present British Government is a very tricky one. The Home Secretary has just announced that any conviction under the Motor Car Act will render a person ineligible for an old-age pension. A conviction may be for a very slight offence for which a chauffeur would be in no sense personally responsible, it will be at once apparent that this decision of the Government is flagrantly unjust. Among drivers of taxicabs in crowded areas, to take one instance, slight offences may easily occur. The drivers are generally very sober, industrious and deserving men, and to take away from them the one thing Government provides for the worker in case of infirmity is an abominable thing. Anti-motor hysteria is still at its height. * # #

The Nail of Destiny. For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, For the want of a shoe the horse was lost, For the want of a horse the rider was lost, For the want of a rider the battle was lost. For the want of the battle the Kingdom was lost — And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. But this, my child, as you doubtless know. Was a number of hundred years ago. Brought down to date the facts are these: The general chooses to ride at ease Tn a new six-cylinder automobile, And he punctures the tyre of his off -front wheel; So the battle goes bump — not for the lack, But because of a smallish carpet tack. —"Puck." Mr. George Alexander tells a story in the "Era Annual" illustrating the humour of

a London cabdriver. "Being in a hurry to get home from the theatre a few days ago, I walked to the corner of King Street. An old ca,bman with his hansom was the first on the rank, but I shook my head at him, and called a taxi. As I approached it the hansom cabby said: 'So, Mr. G. A., you've no use for 'osses now, but you'll 'aye to 'aye one to take you on the day you're buried.' "I went home in that hansom after all." * * * While tracing in the dynastic histories of China the numerous allusions to a curious • hariot in which there was an arrangement for registering the distances traversed, strongly suggestive of the modern taxi-cab. Dr. Giles, Professor of Chinese at Cambridge UnivershVy, has recently unearthed a complete specification of its mechanism, according to which it is quite possible to reconstruct such a vehicle. It appears that these taxi-cabs, to use a convenient term, were first mentioned under the Chin dynasty (a.d. 265-419), and from that time down to the middle of the fourteenth century frequent allusions to such vehicles, known as "measure-mile-drum-chariots," are to be found in the dynastic histories. Under the year 1027 a.d. 7 and again under the year 1107 a.d., full particulars are given as to their construction, the number of wheels, their positions, the number of cogs on each wheel, &c, being all definately stated. On completing a translation of the specification. Professor Giles placed it in the hands of Professor Hopkinson, of the Engineering Laboratory, with the sat;sfactory result that, from a specification recorded by the Chinese some 900 years ago. Professor Hopkinson has constructed a model of a wheeled vehicle wlrch accurately registers the distance traversed. At each li, or Chinese mile, which is about one-third of an English mile, a drum is struck, while at every tenth li a bell is rung. * * * The marauding policeman is not yet a pest in the path of motorists in New Zealand ; but his time is coming. As motoring increases in a country like this, oppression of motorists will follow naturally, a? the night the day. Then we shall have constables stating on oath what some luckless motorist's speed was. If the reader is ever in that quandary, let him compel the constable to say how many yards the car went in so many seconds. Divide the yards by the seconds, and multiply by two ; and you will have approximately the miles per hour. This little formula has more than once worked the overthrow of constables on oath. In one case in England, it was proved that the constable was swearing to a speed of 150 miles per hour. * * * Over in America, in certain districts, the police have introduced what are known as ''Glencoe bumps" for the undoing of motorists. These are raised, brick-built footways across the main road, four inches high in the centre, and cambered to the outer edge. When a motor-car going anything over, eight miles an hour strikes one of these pleasant obstructions, it leaps and bucks. Before motorists grew wise, many springs were broken, and many passengers thrown out. Now the locality of the bumps is known, the public opinion is against one of the most barbarous police tricks that even America has seen.

Some idea of London's traffic may be gained from a few figures published recently. During the first three weeks of this year, the London General Omnibus Company. Ltd., took £30,709 in fares; and during the first two weeks of the year, the London County Council's Tramways took £34,228. As many other companies and corporations are operating, these figures only stand for a small part (comparatively) of the whole traffic. Cabs, motor-cabs, tubes, shallow railways, and the various other great 'bus companies are not touched. # * # In England, steps are being taken for the protection of deaf cyclists. The suggestion is that they should carry a plain distinguishing badge and number — only to be supplied on full inquiry. Overtaking a cyclist bearing such a disc, motorists and others would be required to drive with special caution. Which is all very well, and certainly humane. But why should deaf persons cycle at all ; It would bf just as sensible for blind men to go mountaineering among crevasses # *& #

Motor Industry in Australasia. Mr. Ben H. Morgan, special trade commissioner of the Manufacturers' Association of Great Britain, has something to say in his latest report regarding the prospects in Australasia as regards commercial motor vehicles, tractors, and traction engines. "Theie will be a good market for motor delivery vans within the next few years in Australia and New Zealand, but very little headway seems to have been made with them up to the present time. Petrol and paraffin can b ? obtained at prices very similar to those prevailing at home, while, though horses are comparatively cheap, fodder, strange to say. is dearer than in England. The post of stabling and labour is also higher. Another consideration is that at times of the year it is difficult to work horses in the streets owing to the excessive heat. Under these circumstances there is no doubt that motor vans will be very largely used in the near future. "Lorries are also growing in favour, not only for distance work, but for handling goods between the warehouses and docks, which one finds in such magnitude in the large cities in Austialia and New Zealand, countries which are to a very great extent, dependent on external trade. Owing to the condition of the roads motor waggons and lorries are not used to any great extent outside of the towns and suburbs. "The recent veais of prosperity which Austialia has enjoyed has placed her agricultural industries in a stiong position and owing to the dearness of labour and fodder the Australian is enterprising enough, and what is more has the means to purchase any machinery that will show him a saving in the cost of pioduction. For this reason it will be found that there is a good market for tractors and traction engines, especially the former, but the farmer prefers a paraffin engine in peference to petrol driven. In many districts owing to the sandy nature of the soil a traction engine is too heavy, while the lighter traction can be got about much more readily. "There is certainly business to be done in the large towns in motorcabs and cars for street work, as well as in motorbuses. In the main street of Adelaide there are always to be seen a number of cars for hire Those I saw were of various designs, from Bh.p. to 25 h.p., but were all fitted with Cape cart hoods On my putting questions to two of the proprietors, who had a number of cars in use in this trade, I found that they were doing an extremely good business. I do not think there are motor cars for hiring in the streets of any other towns, but at several places I was questioned as to the most suitable British motorcab available Several schemes are now on foot to start a cab service in Sydney and Melbourne, and British firms should be extremely active, as I found two foreign firms already looking into the business, and one had booked the first order for 15 cabs for Melbourne. There is also a small amount of trade to be done in motorbuses, al-

though the failure of the Melbourne motorbus service has raised a good deal of prejudice against this type of vehicle. "The Manufacturers' Association will be glad to give any of its members interested full information about any of the items referred to.

1 ' The last three items might, and possibly do, refer in a measure to horse as well as motor vehicles, while the last item though including motor parts obviously refers principally to parts o* horse vehicles, as used in the manufacture of vehicles locally." * # #

Travelling Theatricals. The inevitable has happened. Theatrical companies will no longer depend on the railways for their journeys from town to town. They will be able to time their departures and arrivals to suit themselves. Their baggage will go from theatre to theatre with one handling only. A big company in France now does all its travelling m a De Dion motor-bus, with the roof .specially arranged to carry the properties. 1 he 'bus runs smoothly and at high speed. There are no worries about strayed trunks and overcrowded trains. It is safe to assume that companies travelling in Australasia will soon be following this excellent example.

This reminds us of the adventures of Captain Fracasse, the hero who Theophile Gautier thought would one day immortalise him. When the Captain started from his home in the same poverty stricken condition as the later and far more famous hero D'Artagnan, he fell in with a troupe of strolling players, and had many adventures, humorous and otherwise, in his memorable trip through the provincial towns of mediaeval France.

Messrs. Norman Heath & Co., have supplied two County Councils during the last month with Straker Waggons. These are Horowhenua and Waiau counties. The machines are of the latest type, but have been fitted with winding drums, so that they can haul themselves out of river beds and soft places. They are both to be used for remetalling the county roads and it is anticipated they will soon pay for themselves.

Classification United Kingdom France Germany United States Motors Vehicles, n.e.i. Minor articles for vehicle . . . Vehicles, n.e.i , parts thereof £ 95,233 7,996 £ 46,627 20 £ 9,161 5,406 £ 7,776 11,856 4,888 210 486 8,282 31,526 1,373 1,970 25,404

One caught little more than an impression of the state of foreign competition from the official statistics available, owing to the difficulties which statisticians have to contend with in the way of "classification," and "country of origin which it is almost impossible to trace The following, bowever, are the figures for 1906 for Anstialia, as recorded under certain headings:—