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THE SELF-PROPELLED TRAFFIC ASSOCIATION Publication: The Automotor and Horseless Vehicle Journal Date: 17 November 1896 Topic: Self-Propelled Traffic Association |
The vice-president of the Liverpool branch of the Self-Propelled Traffic Association, Mr. Alfred L. Jones, on Monday, the 26 ult., gave a luncheon in the Exchange Station Hotel for the purpose of welcoming Sir David Salomons, Bart., president of the Association, on the occasion of his visit to that city to deliver an address before the members of the newly-formed local branch of the Self-Propelled Traffic Association. About 50 gentlemen assembled besides the principal guest, Sir David Salomons.
Invitations had been extended to the following :—The Earl of Derby, Princh Bhanuganger, of Siam ; Colonel A. H. Holme, Sir W. B. Forwood, Captain Wilson Wilson, Professor Hele-Shaw, Messrs. A. Bromley Holmes, A. J. Lyster, J. A. Brodie, A. Musker, G. F. Ransome, H. H. West, J. Wilson, J. F. Wood, E. Shrapnell Smith (local hon. sec.), G. H. Cox, M. Bannister, H. P. Boulnois (city engineer), C. M'Arthur, L. Jones, A. Sinclair, W. J. Davey, F. C. Danson (president), T. H. Barker (secretary Liverpool Chamber of Commerce), A. Cook, A. Elder, J. Dempster, Ellis Edwards, John Holt, J. Thorburn, E. Bindloss, W. J. Stewart, D. Jones, J. Pinnock, S. B. Cottrell, H. G. Clarke, &c. Public engagements prevented the Lord Mayor attending, and the Prince of Siam had left the city.
After luncheon, Mr. Jones, in his introductory remarks, said that much of the agitation and many of the facilities offered in improved road locomotion were due to Sir David Salomons's energy, foresight, and ability, both inside the House of Commons and out (hear, hear). He (the speaker) had attached himself to the society for the sole purpose of obtaining improved means of getting cargo to and from Liverpool and adjacent places. One of the most wicked expenditures of money had been the making of the Manchester Canal, which would not secure the object the Manchester people had in view—viz., taking steamships to Manchester, because the steamship of the future would be altogether unable to enter the canal.
Sir David Salomons acknowledged the cordial expressions of Mr. Jones concerning himself. Proceeding, he said if those who were going to start a system of transferring passengers or goods from one point to another could evade the purchase of land and the necessity of capital for the laying of the permanent way and its up-keep, they could do the work of transit very much cheaper than a railway company which started with those disadvantages at its back. Under the system he referred to they had the advantage of roads kept up and repaired by the ratepayers, and with it they ought to compete most favourably with the railways in the cost of conveying goods. A penny per ton per mile was an exceedingly reasonable figure to place on transit by road with any known form of locomotor. The chairman had a scheme before him of carrying goods at even a lower rate. The scheme was that of road trains not under the new Act, but under the old Act, to go at a speed not exceeding four miles an hour, carrying goods for less than a penny a mile between Liverpool and Manchester. It appeared to him if that scheme were going to be such an exceedingly profitable one—to say nothing of what the railways might do in consequence—they would have road trains innumerable between Liverpool and Manchester, sufficient almost to make the roads themselves impassable in a very short time. A question which arose was, would the county councils or other local authorities keep and repair the roads under those conditions without extra contributions from those who used them ? It would not be fair to ask the authorities to do so. There was a solution, however, for that. Those who benefited by that form of traction should, under the special clause of extra wear and tear, help the other unfortunate ratepayers in paying their rates (applause).
Mr. G. F. Ransome, a Liverpool engineer, believed the scheme mentioned by Mr. Jones to be thoroughly practicable. It was, he said, working in some parts of the country.
Sir David Salomons proposed the health of Mr. Jones, who, in responding, said his great object was to make Liverpool more successful than she had ever been.
The company then separated.
In the evening, Sir David Salomons delivered the inaugural address in connection with the Liverpool branch of the Self-Propelled Traffic Association, in the Royal Institution, Colquitt Street. In the unavoidable absence of the Lord Mayor, the president of the Liverpool centre of the Association, the chair was occupied by Mr. A. L. Jones, who was supported by a number of leading engineers, members of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, and others. It should be mentioned that the local vice-presidents are Mr. H. Percy Boulnois, Mr. Alfred Holt, and Mr. Alfred L. Jones. The Council consists of Mr. Maunsell Bannister, Mr. John A. Brodie, Mr. E. R. Calthrop, Mr. George H. Cox, Mr. A. Bromley Holmes, Mr. A. G. Lyster, Mr. Arthur Musker, Mr. G. F. Ransome, Mr. H. H. West, Mr. John Wilson, and Mr. J. T. Wood. Mr. E. Shrapnell Smith is the energetic honorary secretary of the centre. The number present exceeded 400, and amongst those who attended were :--Alfred Holt, H. Percy Boulnois (city engineer), F. C. Danson (president Liverpool Chamber of Commerce), W.J. Stewart (Stipendiary Magistrate), Professor H. S. Hele-Shaw (University College), E. Hallon Cookson, C.C., W. H. Williams, C.C., Thomas Menlove, C.C., Charles H. Giles, C.C., Louis S. Cohen, C.C., George H. Ball, C.C., W. J. Carmichael (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway), J. Shaw (London and North-Western Railway), John Macaulay (Mersey Tunnel Railway), J. Audley F. Aspinall (chief engineer Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Horwich), M. C. Bannister, John A. Brodie, E. R. Calthrop, Geo. H. Cox, A. Bromley Holmes, Arthur Musker, G. Frederick Ransome, Henry H. West, John Wilson, C.C., J. T. Wood, C.C., Laurence Jones (solicitor to the local branch), T. H. Barker (secretary Liverpool Chamber of Commerce), Dr. Francis Melach, Dr. Proctor, Dr. Percy Marsh, Colonel Gamble, C.B., Colonel A. Hill Holme, J.P., Eustace Carey, Alexander Wall, Dr. J. W. Hayward, Dr. C. W. Hayward, A. R. Marshall, M. Zagury, Chas. H. Beloe, C.C., Major W. A. Pride, Dr. Henry O. Forbes, A. J. Pilkington, R. J. Glasgow, J.P., S. B. Cotterell (Liverpool Overhead Railway), C. H. Darbyshire, J.P., Geo. S. Hazelhurst, J.P., D. de Ybarrondo, Alex. Dalrymple, Percy Bateson, H. L. Higgins, R. E. Warren (Midland Railway), and E. Shrapnell Smith. Amongst the audience there were some 40 ladies.
The Chairman, at the outset, said he did not know any town in the country where the use of the self-propelled vehicle was likely to be more beneficial than Liverpool (hear, hear).
Sir David Salomons, who was very cordially received, after paying a graceful compliment to the energy and intelligence of the citizens of Liverpool, said :—The place I have occupied in regard to self-propelled traffic is so exceptional, that it is difficult for many to believe that I have not some ultimate interest in the movement. Business men cannot always appreciate the position of those who are devoted to the application of science, and whose pleasure it is to work and expend money in this direction, without the expectation or desire to receive interest in return. It is my good fortune that, by devotion to practical science, I can hope to influence others, for, with an engineer's training, and having studied the question to be dealt with to-night very closely for a number of years, I am able to speak freely, and without fear or favour. I should not refer to myself in such terms, but for the reason that I am anxious to assure my hearers that all I say is honestly what I believe ; and further, that it is not my desire to give offence in any direction. My object is simply to put the whole case fairly before you, without paying compliments to anyone.
One opinion from which I have never swerved upon this question is that no patent connected with self-propelled traffic is worth the paper it is written upon, whether the patents will bear the test of the Law Courts or not. All fresh capital required for the production of the new vehicles should be utilised by enlarging existing workshops, or for the erection of additional factories as well as for working capital. There is no reason for locking up large sums of money in patent rights except for the benefit of the company promoters and their companies. Any industrial concern heavily loaded with unproductive capital, must necessarily either charge the public an undue profit on their goods or fail, and since there is no impediment in the way of producing the best possible self-propelled vehicle (the question of patents not arising, except in some cases to an inappreciable extent), it would be unjust that any attempt should be made to compel the English public to pay an unfair price for an article, only to benefit the few who are feathering their nests. It must not be supposed from these remarks that I grudge the inventor a portion of the profits which might arise from the article he has devised or improved, but I object to the trading in patents by sale outright, which so often acts unfairly to the public as well as to the inventor himself. I have always contended that the equitable way of dealing with such property is for the patentee to accept deferred interest and, if required, a moderate sum paid down in money or shares according to the nature of the circumstances, the transaction being such that in the case of the manufacture (which all patents must be) the patentee, should his invention prove of value, would derive the benefit jointly with those who hold his rights, and vice versa. As a natural consequence the patentee and the manufacturer, in regard to the article produced, would stand or fall together. Self-propelled traffic, although it has in recent years been hampered in this country, is so old, so well known, and has been worked out by such able men in the past, that every form of engine, and every type of gearing which has a value, is public property. Further, every patent of any value in connection with gas and oil engines has expired, so that to the Englishman the world is now open for the production of self-propelled vehicles without let or hindrance, whatever may be said by interested parties to the contrary.
I have expressed myself very strongly, that steam and steam alone will be the future power of self-propelled traffic. You must not understand me to mean that there is absolutely no place for other forms of motors. This I fully recognise, yet I feel confident that within a short period, in nine out of every ten motor vehicles constructed, steam will assert its supremacy. You will see the point more forcibly when I deal with the subject in detail.
The celebrated 1881 Appeal in the Court of Queen's Bench decided till November 14th, 1896, the fate of motor locomotion on the highways, for the decision placed every vehicle self-propelled within the narrow limitations of the Locomotives Acts, which were created to deal with heavy traction. The definition of a locomotive in one of these Acts is such that the lawyer's well-known “coach and four” could not drive through it. Although many gentleman, including myself, have been given the credit of helping forward the new Act, it is only fair to point out that the first credit is always due to Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, who introduced a Bill in the final Session of the last Parliament, and that he did so without public agitation is a proof that he is a man ready to recognise the wants of a modern society. His Bill, however, was faulty in regard to one point. Had this Bill become an Act without considerable amendment, the question would have been left in the hands of the local authorities, and once more there would have been an Act, which would probably have been unworkable, in consequence of different districts adopting dissimilar regulations. The manufacturer might have had to consult the requirements of a hundred or more local authorities, whose demands might have been constantly varied. The user of the carriage would also have been hampered quite as much as the manufacturer.
The present Act is free from this blemish, and the high roads of England are made continuous under one system of regulations. The manufacturer, by the study of two sets of rules to be issued, one by the Local Government Board, and the other by the Home Office, will be able to conform to the requirements of the State. These rules will be framed in the interests of public safety, and therefore an advantage to all concerned.
From time to time I have published pamphlets and articles dealing with the subject of horseless traffic. I will, therefore, not weary you with a recapitulation of all that can be said on the matter, but leave the past and go straight to my recent visit to Paris on the occasion of the Thousand Miles Race, and from its results draw deductions according to my own judgment. About 50 carriages were entered, but on the day of the start 32 only appeared. So few, out of the total entered, arriving at the starting point was due to many manufacturers having found that their vehicles were not sufficiently perfect, or could not be prepared in time. The fact that steam was only represented by two carriages, and that these failed to make any headway, will by many be taken as an argument against this agency. On one point the French differ from the English, in not being so practical. The Englishman would finish his carriage long before the day of the race, and experiment with it. Our neighbours, however, leave matters to the last moment, although there are, of course, exceptions to this rule. I saw the two steam carriages 48 hours before the start, and at that time the wheels were not completed ! These carriages, so far as their build and system are concerned, were good, though heavy. The wheels, in consequence, formed an important element in the success of their running. My own opinion, from the first, was, that accidents apart, the race would lie between M. Levassor and M. Peugeot. The result was in accordance with my expectations. M. Levassor was successful in one class, and M. Peugeot in the other.
The first mentioned gentleman very recently showed me over his works, and I cannot do better than pay him the compliment that his factory is organised on the best English lines, with the most modern machinery. The whole of the engineering portion of his carriage is as well and accurately made as a piece of watchwork. The engine employed is a modified Daimler, called the Pygmé, and is a great improvement on the Daimler engine. M. Levassor did not use any special carriage in the race. He employed the benzine motor and gearing which he has for some time past adopted, and was consequently well prepared when the day arrived.
A year ago M. Peugeot purchased his engines from MM. Panhard and Levassor. He then decided to make one of his own type, and after much experimenting, only reached a successful result a very short time before the race. Indeed, the carriages sent in from his manufactory only reached Paris a day or two before the start, and the “bodies” were in an unfinished condition. It is truly remarkable how well these carriages have run, seeing that there was no time to make the necessary experiments. In the Peugeot engine there are two cylinders, and they are horizontal instead of vertical, as in the Levassor type. The time was too short to make anything beyond a cursory examination of the Peugeot motor, but it appears to remove the objectionable points existing in the Daimler engine.
To describe briefly the construction of the Daimler engine, of which so much has been heard. It consists of three parts :—
1. A double-cylinder Otto gas-engine pure and simple, the patent of which has run out some years.
2. A cam arrangement for working the valves, which is similar to a method previously used in connection with gas and steam-engines.
3. A governing device which is an absolute copy of the Corliss trip gear.
This latter adaptation is the weak point of the engine. The Corliss gear is perfect for a steam-engine, but too delicate for these quick-running, small engines on account of the numerous springs necessary. Yet, although there is absolutely nothing novel in the Daimler engine, great credit is due to the designer for having made one of the first attempts to construct a very small, light, and quick-running oil motor suitable for a carriage or any other purpose. From what I observed in the Peugeot motor, the disadvantages of the “Daimler” have been overcome. The working parts are more accessible, and the multiplicity of springs has disppeared.
The difference in running between the Levassor and Peugeot carriages in the race has been so small, that, when allowances are made—for in the case of M. Levassor he was ready long before anyone else, and M. Peugeot was only prepared on the eve of the race—it is evident there is not much to choose between the two. Knowing M. Levassor personally, I am quire prepared to believe that he will still further modify the governor to simplify his engine. Of the other carriages which competed, those of M. Delahaye ran well, but there is nothing very novel in them beyond the general assemblage of the parts. Carriages of the type of the Benz were run by the Maison Parisienne, but notwithstanding the French name of the Company it was curious to observe that the conductors spoke in German. M. Bollée entered a carriage and two of his tandem cycles, which have been so well advertised. These latter I regard as dangerous from every point of view. They are complicated, and first engineering principles are disregarded. The single driving wheel at the back gives an insufficient grip on the road, with a tendency to throw the man out in consequence of the back wheel “dancing.”
In consequence of the great storm which occurred the day after the start, and owing to various little accidents which happened, considerable delays were experienced, which brought down the average rate of running in the race. But there is one point I would call your attention to. It must not be imagined that because the whole distance was traversed in a given time, at the average rate of approximately 25·5 kilometres per hour, that if you purchased one of these carriages you could do anything approaching the same record. In the first place, endless quantities of duplicates were carried in case of need. Secondly, a perfect army of workmen, the best that France could produce in this trade, accompanied the carriages. Thirdly, the speed attained down the hills was tremendous, to make up for the slow speed uphill. It would be impossible for anyone to perform the distance in the race time if he complied with the law of France as to a maximum speed of 20 kilometres (14 miles) an hour, carried only a reasonable quantity of duplicate material, and travelled with one conductor, who would naturally be a mechanician, unless the owner was one himself. In this case the time occupied would be double or treble that taken in the race.
Technically, in regard to the carriages which entered, there was absolutely nothing new of engineering interest, beyond the fact that makers have learnt that more careful work is required, and that the horse-power found to be necessary has been raised from three or four to six. This power is still insufficient for a hilly district such as is found in parts of Kent and elsewhere. Anything less than 8-horse power is not of much service for an average speed of 12 miles an hour, if the legal maximum is not at any time to be exceeded. The vibration produced when the carriages were standing has not been remedied, nor has any fresh arrangement been devised for stopping and starting the engines in the traffic.
Much surprise was caused by the recent appearance of an article on the self-propelled traffic question in one of our leading engineering papers, condeming both the steering properties of the present motor vehicles as well as the new Act. The writer of the article must either have been biassed or have been ignorant of the subject. A proposal is therein mentioned to attach ponies to motor-driven carriages to give the direction whilst employing the motor to do the work ! Now, anyone who has the smallest experience of motor traffic knows perfectly well that it is far easier to guide such carriages than any horse, and I was able to prove this to the complete satisfaction of Major Tullock, C.B., who visited Paris officially at the insistance of the Local Government Board.
I will now deal briefly with the various types of carriages, that you may judge of the advantages and disadvantages of each form. The ideal heavy oil motor for light work has not yet appeared on the market. To volatilize or to spray the oil, a special form of carburetter, or some equivalent, is necessary, less simple in form than that required with the lighter spirits like benzine. Besides this, the exhaust gases have a very disagreeable smell. Many attempts have been made to scent the oil, but the success met with is somewhat doubtful. That a suitable heavy oil motor will eventually be made, no reasonable man can doubt. Petroleum motors using mineral spirit such as benzine are the favourites at the present time. A large number of engines of this type are on the market. In every single instance they are ordinary gas-engines. The carburetters are very simple. Water is necessary to cool the cylinder, except in those cases where the power is small, and in these the heat is dissipated by means of metal webbs cast on the cylinder, or by making the cylinders exceedingly thin, so that no large mass of metal is required to be cooled. I do not consider that any engine of this type is satisfactory when the power exceeds ½ horse, unless water for cooling is used. Many engines of a larger size have been shown without a water jacket, but an expert would be very sceptical in regard to their performances if put to real work. Such engines may run round in a room or yard very well, but if placed on a hilly road on a hot day the chances are that they would come to grief, or give off very little power. Only those who have had considerable experience with a carriage driven by a benzine-engine can realise the little difficulties which arise. All the working parts are placed so closely together, that should any slight accident occur when on the road, and the engine pull up, it is, in most instances, impossible to remedy the defect, because all the working parts are so hot, that even with thick gloves, the hands cannot be inserted between the machinery. It is absolutely necessary to grind the valves periodically. Otherwise, in a comparatively short space of time the engine will give off little or no power. The grinding process is by no means easy, except for a mechanic. The best form of benzine motors have two or more cylinders, and the working parts generally are fairly complicated ; consequently there are a large number of screws, nuts, bolts, stuffing boxes and connections, which the rattle of the road is liable to loosen. Should this occur, as it does pretty frequently, and tightening up is not at once resorted to, portions of the engine may be lost, and the occupants of the carriage landed high and dry miles away from home. It is absolutely essential that the owner, or his man, should be a mechanician, and anyone purchasing a carriage on an assurance to the contrary, will soon discover his error, though after many sad experiences, the owner or his man will, by force of circumstances, become a workman, unless totally devoid of mechanical sense. This experience will also have to be paid for, because, at the beginning, a practical man will have to be called in from time to time to put matters right. In regard to benzine, the difficulty of storage enters, which will always be a source of trouble in large towns. To sum up the foregoing remarks, I would never advise a friend to purchase a benzine-driven carriage, unless he was made well aware of the disadvantages.
The advantages may be summed up in the following manner :—If the vehicle is supplied with a powerful motor, is constructed by a good maker and the driver is a mechanician, he will be able to travel immense distances at a good average rate of speed—an advantage which is not possible with the horse. Further, in the winter, he need not fear slippery roads, and he could drive his carriage from within a glass canopy. When calling anywhere he would have no qualm as to keeping his horse standing. If he has a suitable arrangement, something like a condenser, for cooling the water, there is no reason why the carriage should not travel 24 hours and more at a stretch without taking in supplies of any kind.
To give an idea of one of the troubles least anticipated, which may arise with a benzine motor-carriage, I may mention that I was stopped last month on my road to Paris, in consequence of a tube leading from the reservoir to the engine becoming blocked up with deposit from the benzine. Accidents, similar in character, have been reported to me by friends. The consequence is that I am now changing the pipes for others of larger section, and so connected that they can be cleaned from end to end at a moment's notice. It has been supposed that the deposit in the tubes is due to the use of inferior benzine, but this is not the case. About 23 years ago a Company was formed to enrich coal gas by passing it through benzine. It was intended to place in every house a cistern of benzine, which liquid would be changed from time to time by the Company, an annual charge being made for this purpose. I declined to place the apparatus in my house, until I was convinced that the pipes could not become incrustated, and after making some experiments I soon discovered that a deposit was formed in the shape of crystals, in appearance like cotton wool, as well as a condensation. From these experiments and my recent experience, it is quite clear that all pipes employed for benzine should be large, and so arranged that they can be cleaned from time to time, quickly and with ease.
Some makers use the well known gas-engine ignition tube, and others the electric spark, to ignite the gas in the cylinder. The lamps have the disadvantage of being troublesome in very windy weather. No doubt, in time, this will be remedied, though it is not so easy as anyone would be led to believe, in consequence of the large amount of air necessary to keep them burning. I have myself been stopped on one or two occasions, owing to the lamps blowing out, and great difficulty is experienced in re-lighting them, because the lights are generally extinguished at an exposed place, and they must be heated first before they will burn. When an electric spark is employed there is the risk of the accumulator or primary battery becoming exhausted when far away frmo any place where a fresh store can be taken on board. For a long journey a duplicate source of electric energy should be carried, and in a strange land, where renewal is impossible, lamps are preferable, because primary batteries are always troublesome, and, as a rule, are not fit for use until they have stood several hours after being charged.
There is one type of bezine carriage which is worthy of special attention. It is the De Dion and Bouton tricycle. This carries a little engine of about ½ horse-power. The ignition is electric, and the pedals are employed as an auxiliary force. Both muscular and engine power are necessary on hills, and on fairly level country there is no fault to be found with these tricycles, but in hilly districts they are tiring. The machines are good and well made. I have two of them myself, and they answer the purposes for which they are required in an admirable manner.
It has often been asked, Why should the horse-power required to be carried by a carriage be greater than that necessary when the horse occupies his place in front? This is due to the position of the motive power. When it is placed without the carriage, as in the case of the horse-drawn vehicle, the wheels are lifted over the various impediments existing on the road. When the power comes from within, the tendency is to push the wheels into the ground when an obstruction is met with. This disadvantage may be partly overcome by the employment of very large wheels, but, no doubt, in course of time, our present notions of design in regard to these carriages will become modified. In theory, to obtain double the speed, four times the power is necessary, yet with the motor-propelled carriage, within the limits of the speed permitted on the highway, the increase of power for a given increase of speed is almost in an arithmetical instead of in a geometrical proportion. In other words, to obtain double the speed, In other words, to obtain double the speed, instead of four times the power, very little over twice is needed. It must not be inferred that in practice the theory is upset. The reason is that at a greater speed the obstacles on the road are overcome in a different manner, and therefore offer less resistance to the advance of the vehicle, than when travelling at a slower rate.
Carriages driven by electric energy have not yet come within practical range for general purposes. The weight of the accumulators and the necessity of charging stations are the stumbling blocks. The comparatively light accumulator, capable of being charged and discharged rapidly, must require frequent renewal, and this expense few are willing to face. Electrically-driven carriages may yet have a limited use.
My faith is more than ever pinned on steam, after seeing the recent carriage of M. Serpollet in Paris. When writing about his carriage, and of steam generally, I had pointed out that complete success could only be obtained when a good heavy oil burner appeared, and M. Serpollet accepting this view, set to work assiduously, and his labours have been crowned with success. The carriage I rode in is a light voiturette for two persons, with the boiler placed behind and out of sight. One large heavy oil petroleum burner serves for the fire. The engine of this little carriage can give off 10 horse-power with ease. The carriage is on three wheels, but I understand that four will be employed in the new ones. It runs up the steepest hills as if on level ground. The ride from Paris to Versailles is very hilly, and with my carriage I required an hour and twenty minutes to make the journey, but the little Serpollet carriage covered the distance in somewhat over half an hour, and on the long steep inclines it rushed in front of every other vehicle, whether motor or horse drawn. The only fuel necessary to be taken in upon a long journey is water, and this is required but every three hours. A sufficient store of heavy petroleum can be carried for a very long journey. In the new carriages, which will be made after the model of the experimental one, a condenser will be added capable of condensing a portion of the steam, and thus enabling a longer journey to be made before obtaining fresh water. The carriage requires a few minutes' preparation, say four or five, before it is ready to start. The time is occupied in the combustion of a small quantity of methylated spirit to warm up the burner that it can be lighted. The speed is regulated by a pedal, and the price is so reasonable, viz., £120, that this vehicle must have an enormous future. There is not the slightest doubt that the steam-carriage, as solved by M. Serpollet, is the coming one. The machinery is simplicity itself, and of a character known to almost every village smith—the ordinary steam-engine. The boiler is small, non-explosive, and self-cleansing. The burner has nothing in it to get out of order, and the power given off is enormous compared with the size and weight of the vehicle. Larger types will be made on the same lines as soon as the numerous orders, which are pouring in, can be got off hand. The weight of the carriage described is between 8 and 9 cwt. It is unfortunate that the experimental carriage was not completed some months ago, instead of but one week before the race. Had this been the case steam would probably have competed successfully with benzine-driven carriages. I think it may be fair to point out that many boilers of this type are in existence ; indeed the principle of only admitting sufficient water into the boiler to supply the steam needed is much older than M. Serpollet. The chief credit which attaches to this gentleman consists in the fact, that after experiments extending over many years, and after repeated failures, he has, by his persevering efforts, probably attained a better knowledge of this class of boiler than anyone living, and his advice, guided by his experience, therefore, has far greater value than his patents, whether they be good or bad. Three weeks ago M. Serpollet left Etreat at 8 a.m. in his experimental steam-carriage, and arrived in Paris at 6 p.m., thus covering the distance of 240 kils. in 10 hours, at an average rate of 24 kils. the hour, which speed is equivalent to nearly 16 English miles per hour. The actual rate of running must have been greater, but the times of the various stoppages are not given.
Those who have read what I have from time to time published on the Self-Propelled Traffic question may think that my views have somewhat changed, and that having been in favour of petroleum motors I now prefer those actuated by steam. This is by no means the case, because steam has always been my favourite, but I have simply discussed vehicles as they existed, and until recently the difficulties in the way of applying steam to this class of light traffic on highways had not been overcome. I still believe that motors employing light or heavy petroleum will have a considerable future, although eventually steam is likely to supersede them. For the moment electricity is out of the running, but it is quite possible that improvements will be forthcoming which will place this agency on an equality with steam, or even before it.
In France, motor-carriages have been taken up as a kind of sport, and in general the class of men who purchase them care little whether they throw away £100 or not, but the great and immediate future of self-propelled traffic in England will undoubtedly be in connection with trade. The sporting element of society will never be induced to give up their horses, and the poorer gentry and small tradesmen cannot afford to purchase motor-carriages until they are assured that a really satisfactory vehicle can be obtained. There will undoubtedly soon be seen on the roads a very large number of motor delivery vans for railways, factories, shops, and other business houses, for the simple reason that they will not wait for the little refinements required in a private carriage, and the cost of replacing their vans at a later period will not be an important matter. The reason for this is that every motor-wagon or cart will be doing the work of from four to six horses per day at a far lower cost. The rent of stabling for horses will also be saved, and these economies will cover the cost of the van in a comparatively short time—say two or three years. The trader will not only reduce his expenses but add to his profits, because his circle of delivery will be much increased, since his vans will travel greater distances. Each van could accomplish a fifty mile run from the shop or warehouse in the course of an afternoon—a journey which no one would dream of attempting with horses. One other advantage, a motor-van can be left standing in an open yard, and at the end of a day's work may easily be sent to the outskirts of the town for shelter, where the rent is low. This point does not exist in the case of horse-drawn vehicles, since the horse cannot be left standing in the open and in all weathers. In winter especially, heavy traffic will be relieved of a great deal of the cruelty to horses which accompanies it at the present time, when on a slippery day we see horses losing their foothold in all directions.
England is possessed of splendid roads as compared with France, although it is true that in the latter country fine roads are to be found, but in village districts they are paved with stone in the roughest manner. Whatever our local authorities may say in regard to economy of expenditure in road-making, it is a benefit to a district that the roads should be good. Anything which will induce people to travel through a locality, must be an advantage, since it leads to more money being spent there ; and even where this is not the case, good roads must lead to increased business and a general reduction in the rates and taxes.
I can picture to myself that in the next ten or perhaps five years, the whole of the heavy traffic, as well as the public conveyances of this country will be propelled by motors, probably steam, instead of by living horse power. Tradesmen and country doctors will also have called in this method of locomotion to their aid, and those whose occupation requires them to go to daily business by rail, will be able to live at greater distances from a railway station, thus paying a lowe rent, which will more than compensate the expense of the motor vehicle.
One of the most difficult points with which the Local Government Board will have to deal, is that of speed. My contention is that since “furious driving,” and “driving to the public danger,” apply to all light locomotives, whether bicycle, tricycle, carriage, or wagon, the police have complete power, in accordance with the Act, to control the traffic for the public safety. Consequently, when dealing with speed, only one other condition is required, which the new rules will probably, in some form, provide for. It is, that the speed of any vehicle, at any time, shall not be greater than that the brake may bring it to a standstill within a given distance, say 50 feet, which is about twice the length of a horse and carriage.
I can only conclude by expressing the hope that all those engaged in trade will give motor traffic a fair chance—not by rushing into the subject as enthusiasts who spend money without regard to profits—but as business men who exercise their judgment, and prove by a true balance sheet, that motor traffic is the right thing in the interest of the community, adding not only to the prosperity of the manufacturing classes, but extending also a helping hand to the working population. (Loud applause.)
At the close of the address several questions were asked and answered, and a vote of thanks was passed to Sir David Salomons, on the motion of Mr. F. C. Danson, seconded by Professor Hele-Shaw, and supported by Mr. W. J. Stewart.
On the following day Sir David Salomons left Liverpool for London. Prior to departing he paid a visit to the Town Hall, and was introduced to the Lord Mayor. The Earl of Derby expressed his regret that municipal engagements prevented his presence at the meeting of the Self-Propelled Traffic Association. Sir David Salomons afterwards visited the Overhead Railway and docks, and was accompanied by Colonel A. H. Holme, Professor Hele-Shaw, Messrs. S. B. Cotterill, W. J. Stewart, and E. Shrapnell Smith. It may be mentioned that Mr. Lawrence Jones has been appointed solicitor to the Liverpool branch of the Association.
The proceedings throughout were most successful, and the reception accorded to Sir David Salomons was very cordial. Not content with the official luncheon, which we have reported, some of the members entertained him to a quiet dinner at the Palatine Club, prior to the delivery of the address, and many necessary details of organisation were discussed and to some extent settled in this pleasant fashion.
The local branch intends to practically disseminate all the information it can amongst its members, and various papers will be read before them durng the session of 1896-7. The first of these (illustrated by experiments) will be by Professor H. S. Hele-Shaw, M. Inst. C.E., &c., and will be delivered on Tuesday, December 1st.
All interested in Self-Propelled Traffic, who live within a convenient radius of Liverpool, should make it a point to join the branch, which bids fair to being a stawart offspring of the parent Association.