MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2545, 20 August 1915, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

: [By Clutch.] Motor Drivers Wanted. It According to recent issue? of the Auto-car," there is still a big demand for motor transport drivers in Britain. Enlistment is for tho duration of tho war, the pay being Gs. a day, all found, m addition to tho usual separation or dependents' allowances. Our contemporary says:—Experienced drivers are urgently required for this important branch of the Service, and the demand can only be met by the ready personal assistance and loyalty of car owners who may be at the present time unwittingly employing chauffeurs of military age and fitness. Application should be made, with original testimonials, 'to Captain H. Kay, recruiting officer, Coventry. Owncixli'ivers, of collide, are also eligible, and those desirous of enlisting should forward: references as to their ability to drive a gate-change touring car. Twelve months' experience is usually to qualify a man for acceptance. A limited number of experienced car drivers are also required' for the Motor Machine-Gun ServicOi The cars in this case are mostly touring chassis with transport bodies. Tho pay is the same as mentioned above, and applications for tho positions, mentioning briefly age and ' experience, should be sent to Mr. Geoffrey Smith, Inspecting Officer, South Midland Divisional Area, 19 Hertford Street, Coventry.

The War Office is still calling for moro cyclist recruits, and from the number of cyclist battalions being formed in England it is very evident that tho value of the soldier-cyclist is appreciated, not only by General' French, hut by Lord-Kitchener. It is stated that <if the two hundred motor cyclists who wero attached to tho First British Expeditionary Force less than fifteen per cent, have been, killed, wounded, or missing. Eighty-five per ceait. of the men are still serving, and many of the original contingent have been promoted to commissions and transferred to other departments of activity. The figures, if correct; would seem to confirm tho reportsthat all dispatch riding is by no means us dangerous a game as one would think.

Motor taxation in South Africa. The new Motor Vehicle Ordinance foi South Africa is published, and its principal provisions are the following:— From January 1, 1916, licenses have been, fixed at 105. a year for motor cycles, ss. for sidecars, and for motorcars at £1 plus 6d. for every unit of horse-power calculated on the formula D2SN+I2, and Is. for every 1001b. of weight. Drivers must have licenses from an examining bJard. The minimum ago for a motor cyclist is fourteen years, and for the driver of a motor-car seventeen. The fee for tlhe license will be Us. for a motor cycle and 10s. for a car.

Road Mileage in the United States. In 1904 there were only 153,000 miles uf surfaced roads in tho Dnited Steles or America. Since that dato 96,000 miles of good roads havo been complefo>J, bringing the total to 249,000 miles. .Of this number 18,000 miles ivero completed in. 1914, and 34,000. in the past, two years, which, proves' the rapid growth-of road construction during the last .vear or two, the average growth over tl.o whole period from 1904 being oulv 9600 miles per annum. Tho motor, has v- strong intHience on voting in tlic States and it will undoubtedly straugihei! thai position as its use extonds.

The Caro of Inflators. Quo satisfactory life of tird pumps depends .upon the amount of attention which they receive. Important as this js with the common single-acting pump, it is absolutely vital with the more complex double'and _ triple-air compressors if permanent satisfaction is to bo expected. With these latter, failure on the part of one of the barrels to perform its share of the work results'ill a quite disproportionate return for one's labour. The main point of neglect is forgetfulness in the matter of lubrication. In use, as we know from experience,- tho outer barrel gets :• decidedly hot as the result of friction' and air compression, and, as-the original lubricant on tlie leather washers becomes dried up, the leather shrivels, so that it no longer forms an air-tight band.. If matters have not gone too far, it is geneMly possible to restore tho compression by taking out the' washers and soaking them in neatsfoot or olive oil. But lubrication should be attended : to ; regularly and periodically. This is best done by drilling a-small bole'in the top cap of the pump (if this holo has -not already been provided by the maker) and injecting a few drops of cither of tho above-mentioned oils. Tho first washers that Kill probably require renewal are those at the top and bottom of the pump, which act as buffers t and^take the blow: when tho pump is being iised by a too vigorous operator. Their faultiness always makes itself noticeable by tho metallic noise. They can be replaced, quite easily, by washers made from a piece of soft leather. • Excessive lubrication will, in time, show itself in increased difficulty .in working the pump, owing to oil getting into tho rubber connection and causing disintegration of the imper surface. I. have tried clearing away the mixture of oil, rubber, and canvas with a red-hot wire. but it is not worth the trouble, and it is far better to buy a now connection.—"Aeolus," ill the ('Light Car."

Here and There. Legal lightiiig-up time for' motor-cars and motor-cycles: To-day, 5.17 p.m. Next Friday, 5.25 p.m. Speaking broadly, nearly every motor cyclist has his petrol level sot too high for really economical running; By employing a larger jet, and setting a lower level, a far bigger fuel mileage average will be obtained. The overlanding cyclist, J. E, Fahey, left Port Darwin, Northern Territory,' for Adelaide at 6 a.m. oil Moudav, 2nd instant. He is riding • the ■ same machine as E. Reichenbach used, when he lowered tho record last year—a "Turner" shod with "Dunlops." Reichenbach accompanied Fahey down as far as the Pine Creek Railway Terminus. A telegram receivod by tho Dunlop Company from Kathcrine'River. (215 miles) on August 4 stated that' Fahey reached there aftor a heavy ride against a strong south wind. The record which Fahey is endeavouring to lower is 28 days lo hours 46 minutes. The British Ambtilanco Committee, says the "Figaro," has already given the. French Army 100 motor-cars and 220 men, and does not intend to stop at these numbers.

The members and supporters of the Automobile Club of Western Australia, I'orth, have cabled a sum of £1000 to t'lio British War Office for the purchase of two motor ambulances for the British Army.It is announced from Tokio that a commission has been organised by tile Japanese War Office to investigate and draw up a report as to the use of motor vehicles in the Army. After an uninterrupted custom of 22.i lears, tho old horse-drawn State coach used in the Lord High Commissioner's procession at Edinburgh on the occasion of the opening of tho Goneral Assemblies has been replaced by a motorcarriage.