Motors Motoring

Progress, Volume VI, Issue 1, 1 November 1910, Page 441

Motors Motoring

Kashmir.

The Wonderland of India. Gardens and Mountains. Kashmir (North of India), has been called the Garden of the East, and those who have been fortunate enough to visit

this delightful country describe the valley as heavenly. We publish in this issue four views of Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir. During the summer months Kashmir is visited by many thousands of Europeans from India, and, indeed, from all parts of the world. Up to quite recently the only way.to get to Srinagar was by Tonga, or Ekka, but the journey of 200 miles by road from Rawal Pindi may now be accomplished by motor car.

The road from Rawal Pindi ascends up to 7400 feet, and then drops to 2500 feet (in 26 miles), again gradually ascending along the Jhelum Valley to 4200 feet. Both H.H. the Maharajah of Kashmir and his brother, General Rajah Sir Amar Singh, are motorists, and journey regularly to India by car.

The Petrol War in England.

The news that for several weeks, at all events, the prices for petrol will be lower than they have ever been previously will coinc as a most welcome piece of information to motorists all over the country. During the past few days the retail quotations have steadily dropped, until today it is pretty general to find that twogallon tins can be obtained at 2s. inclusive of the excise tax. Deducting this,

it will be seen that the actual cost of the petrol to the motorist is only 9d. per gallon, or a figure lower than has ever been recorded in the past. As a matter of fact, motor spirit is now being supplied to retailers at approximately per gallon inclusive of the tax, so that when it leaves the hands of the im-

porters it is commanding simply a price equal to that of illuminating oil. The recent reduction will come with all the more surprise; inasmuch as only a few weeks ago the retail price of spirit was advanced in order, so the distributers themselves stated, to make the trade a remunerative one. , The present situation has been created as the result of a disagreement between the Asiatic Petroleum Co. (who are the importers of the well-known Shell' spirit)

and the Standard Oil Co., whose English branchthe Anglo-American Oil Co.— ports Pratt’s motor spirit. An open war has been entered into, and both sides appear determined to outlast the other. So far as this, country is concerned, motor spirit to-day has no real basis of value to the dealer; he gets the lowest terras he can from one company, and then the other company openly comes forward to supply him with as much spirit as he likes at %d. per gallon less. The situation, therefore, is full of interest, even to the average motorist, who will naturally take advantage of the present opportunity to secure a good supply of motor spirit since, as must be well known, the reduced price is such as necessarily spells loss to the importers and distributers. The retail price of motor spirit throughout the majority of countries in Europe has simultaneously been reduced, and this fact lends weight to the opinion that the present “war” in prices is almost worldwide in its effects. The following are the current retail prices per gallon supplied to us by two leading firms, the prices including the 3d. per gallon duty: * Carless, Capel and Leonard.—London, heavy spirit, .735-.7G5, Movril, .715-.720, 11%d.; country districts, Id. to 2d. per gallon more. Standard petrol, .700, Is. oy>d. in London, Pratt’s perfection. London, liy>d.; Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Hull, Birmingham, Bristol, Is. oy>d.-ls. Id.; Scotland, Is. oy>d.-ls. 3yd.; Ireland, Is. iy d.-ls. 2i/ 2 d.