NEW MOTOR FUEL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 73, 19 December 1919, Page 9

NEW MOTOR FUEL

THE DISCOVERY OF A PETROL SUBSTITUTE A discovery which, if further tests prove it to possess the properties claimed for it, will be one tt overwhelming importance, was laid before several Nottinsthnm (tentleniDii iccently (says the "Westminster Gawttc"). The article in question is a new motor fuel, produced by mixing a mysterious compound with water. What that compound is remains at present the secret d the discoverer, a South American chemist i.amed Andrade, of Portuguese extraction; but'while it in jio sense resembles petrol, it is much more powerful, and, so the discoverer avers, c;in bo produced at <. lie-seventh- of the price now. demanded for fetrol in this country. A "NoHuujham Gvardian" re]iorter'(tbe only Press lepresentative) was pi-csent at the tost. Several other gentlemen were present, 'including two Nottingham experts in motor engineering and industrial chemistry, The inventor, who motored to Nottingham, carried with him a black kit bug containing bottles nid cans, and with them he retired a few yards into a corner of Mr. Ball's lawn, but remaining within full view of the spectators. First, however, Mr. Ball's ihauft'eur took him a bucket half filled with water, nnd into this Andnide, after spending five or ten minutes in mixing his compound, poured come of the stuff. Keturning, with the bucket, to the onlooker:?, he invited chein to inspect it, which they promptly did by dipping their nand into the 'bucket and smelling the. liquid. One noticed that it vapourised almost immediately on the hand, and that the smell did not in the least resemble petrol, being, mom like methylated spirits" of wine.

When Andrnde purposely spilt sonic on the damp soil, next, to the lath, nnd applied a match, it burnt vith a high clear, bright flamo for r>omo minutes, ana without any smoke. Some, which was next poured into a. tin dish, burnt in the same way, and left not the minutest sediment.

An adjournment was then made to the garage, for the more important part of the test. First, Jir. Ball's chauffeur emptied the petrol tank ami carburettor of Mr. Ball's own car, and wiped thorn absolutely <lry. . Under tho direction of An/lrnde, who now confined himself to the role of looker-on, he prj-i.rcd the linuicl from the bucket into the petrol tank, added a quantity of water, and Mr. Ball, accompanied by one or two ot the party, went for a trial spin. Tlie car travelled beautifully, and—fortunately, there was no policeman in si^lit —there seemed no limit to its speed power.

A previous test has shown, .it is said by those—soys the "Gimrdian'*-irrepresen-tative—who participated, that) from thirty to forty miles can be run on a gallon of the mixture, and that this can be mado' for 3d. ■ a gallon. ' ' ' The discoverer, wiho speaks rather broken' English, with an American accent), is accompanied by two or thieo Americans, one uf whom, a lawyer, he has brought with him to watch his legal interests on this side, but no one except fiinipclf knows the composition of tho stuff, which he expects will revolutionise) alt forms of. spirit-propelled transport. Incidentally, says the "Nottingham Guardian," it may bo wondered why, if tlie process is so valuable, it should hnve been brought to England instead of bein<! exploited in America. One explanation givqn is that net: ol is nothing , like so dear in the western hemisphere as it is here, and that consequently lihe discovery of a substitute over thero would not ho of so much importance as here. Thero arc oliher explanations, into which it is not necessary to enter, but on the faco of them they are not improbable.