MECHANICAL TRACTION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1947, 2 January 1914, Page 7

MECHANICAL TRACTION.

« -- ITS VALUE TO THE AH MA. c< . At the present time a most import;; ant test of types of motor lorries suit-.' able for military needs is being 'niado at Aldershot, under the observation..of the War Department Committee,w.l the object being to cncourage iiial;eiß.;'to construct swell lorries for ordinary commercial uses and then by a system of subsidies to hold them ready for the use of tho Army in an emergency. Al-, ready by, means of these annual trials, a large number of suitable vehicles have been taken into use by firms , all over the country and something liltfi a standardisation of parts and controls has been reached, and the present trials, for /which six new types of light motor lorries have been entered, will, it is honed, increase the sourco from which such vehicles can. be drawn in time of need.

Tho six types under trial are tho Clayton (HucTdersfield), Demi is (Ouilclfoi'd), Dorm.iii (Stafford), Walker (Wigan), and Wolseley (Birmingham) two types. Already a week has been spent bv these vehicles on the road, each carrying a full load, and the road, tests will go on till the end of tho month., the distances and description of roads to be traversed varying each day. Main roads, side roads, hills, etc., have to bo negotiated, to the satisfaction of tho oilicial observers.

All tlio trials are being conducted from tlie Mechanical Transport Depot at Aldershot-, and will conclude with a speed trial at Brooklands. It is expected that by tho time the «)d of the trials are reached, each of tho vehicles will haro covered 2200 miles. With reference to this matter of mechanical traction it is interesting ,t-o recall tho success of tho Mechanical Transport Companies during tho last manoeuvres, when all the food and a greater part- of the stores needed for the whole of the troops in the field were transported from rail head, often 50 or CO miles, behind the lighting line, to the rear of each division, where horsed wagons took on tlio stores for distribution to tho troops, and a feature of the work, was the punctuality with which tho supplies arrived at the refilling points and tho rapidity with which they were handled and dispatched. Tho number, of roads used by the armies during the course of the actual' operations was so limited, wliilc tho transport moving along them was so large, that it was very fortunate that strict orders had been issued, and were enforced, restricting tho presence on tho roads within the manoeuvre area to those who had some official connection with tho operations, so far at least as movement by horse or motor vehicles was concerned. ' During the four days that tho scheme was being worked out some 1400 tons of supplies were brought up front railhead, 40 to 00 miles in rear, by motor vehicles, each division having its supplies brought to it by twenty-fire lorries, each of a capacity of three tons, while .a separate service of thirty-five similar machines did tho same servico for tho cavalry ,moving in front of the two Brown armies. At each base there was stationed a. mechanical workshop, hauled by small traeliou-ingiiips, whw temporary breakdowns emikt bo dealt with.

Tho manoeuvres demonstrated in striking fashion tlio great -. a.iu-S'of petrol as a military commodity. 'J'ha spirit proved as important to tho Army in tho field, as breed, meat, or other stores, and was utilised in a variety of ways. Not only did it drive the lorries, but it was the power behind the wireless installations, tlio aeroplanes and airships, the electric light which was installed in tho portablo field offices, tho travelling workshops, tho motor-cars for the. staff, and last, but by no means least, the large number of motor-cycles, used by tho various signal companies, and tho dispatch riders of the divisional and Army-headquarters. A.