Motoring and Cycling Notes.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 December 1911, Page 4

Motoring and Cycling Notes.

(From the Dunlop Itubber Company).

The forthcoming six days' bicycle race—to start at tho Sydiiey Cricket Ground on Now Year's Day—is attracting considerable interest, anu from present appearances Australia's first six days' event should .produce an interesting contest. NVhilst there has not been the response anticipated; from over-sea long distance champions, still a good entry ilias already been received, for twelve icaius of two riders oaoli nxe s<ud to have already nominated for the 'Sydney event. So iar tho followteams have been announced as likely startersA. T- t _ Goullette i (Vic.) and P. Helm- (Vic.); Dick \rnst (N.Z.), champion sculler or the world, and R. J. McNaimma (N &W ); A. F. Grcnda (Tas.) and Gordon Walker (Vic.); Ivor Lawson and W. L. Mitten (U.S.A.); Rodgors and Sullivan (Queensland); U. H. Brook and F. D. Dnlcott (N.S. W.); P. 13. Henry and A. L. Crook (N S W.) ; E. Briestlev and H. H. I Viekcrv (N.S.W.); S. E. Senhouse (N.S.W.) and F. T. Keefe (las.) ; B. Kirkham .and A. C. Colvin/(Vie.) ; F. Foxover (N.S.W.) and another. There is also another good team which desires that its personnel shall not be made public just yet. Keen disappointment will bo felt at tho absence of the Australasian cliaivtpion. A. J. Ckr.k, from tiio above list, but it is evident thint the inducements offered have not been sufficient to tempt Clark to visit Australia. This is a pity, for he would have 'been a. big draw in the forthcoming race; hut his absence■ will be partly set off by the re-ap-pearance on the track by two wellknown riders in R. Arn-st ami 0. H. Brook. The former won the last "Sydney Thousand " before taking to sculling, while Brook also rode with success on tho track before liis retirement from racing somfc. five years hack, Arnst- having ridden prominently in the Dunlop road race of. 1903 (Warrnambool-Melbourne), whilst Brook won the Goulburn - Sydney race of 1903, when he was only 17 years of age; so they are just the type of riders to figure prominently in a six days' race. The question is whether they can strike lor in again. The strongest team on paper looks to lie the American combination, Lawson and Mitten, hut the supporters of several of the Australian teams are very confident of success. The prize-money totals over £1000.

The question of the practicability of inventing a cycling aeroplane is 'one of great interest, not only to all cyclists, 'but to the general public, and it is ono that is likely to be sot •at rest shortly. Hitherto the chief objection to the feasibility of human air-propulsion has been tho fact that the most successful heav-ier-til an-air machines are engined with very powerful motors. Hence it has been argued that,, as a. cyclist can at most develop but. 4-h-P.j a-humanly-propelled aeroplane is out of tho question. Some remarkable glider flights wore recently accomplished by the well-known aviator Orville Wright, ho demonstrating that it is possible to remain _ in the air for long periods at a time without any motive power 'whatever, the airman being supported by tho wind, even trnvpllina: against it. like a kite. Briefly, this is what "Wright achieved. There was a. gale blowing of an estimated velocity 'of 50 miles per hour. He started from the side_ of a hill, ftigainst the wind, and without any preliminary run. The glider is fitted witli side wings, end planes, and a roar rudder. The inventor is*" reported to have worked the " warping levers" at a speed; of a man rowing a bo>at. At each gust the glider rose higher and higher until it reached a height of 150 ft., when it floated quite steadily and motionlessly for two minutes. Then it moved slowly backwards. Wright then dipped tlio machine forward and took a " vol-plane," coming to ■a. few feet of the ground. Tilting the plane, he rose again and then remained motionless at a considerable height for s'fhin. Usee., and +>V.»n descended. Ho was in the ai>; altogether 9 m in. "4osec.. and traversed a distance of 700 ft. Such marvellous stability has never been achieved before—except by birds.. That the tremendous gale blowing was responsible was obvious; but that it is only a question of experiment before a plane requiring little or no • propulsion power will be able to remain in the air is beyond question. Subsequently Orville Wright performed another series of marvellous gliding flights in a wind of the velocity of 25 miles per hour only. He made no fewer "than 40 flights. Taking the air from the crest of a sand hill, he mounted gradually higher by swinging from side to side, like a soaring bird, until he was? 70ft. in the air hovering motionless over the crest of the sand hill, remaining like this for a, full minute, in spite of strong contrary gusts. Such flights — entirely without propulsive effort—have become possible by the aicLof a stabilizing device of which few details are yet available. Briefly, it consists of a vertical plane, 3 =Vft. in length and: 12in. wide, which is pushed out or drawn in in front of the glider, its full extent being 6ft. The Wright Brothers — Wilbur and Orville Wright—have made, and are still making, history in connection with aoroplaning. Th'eir gliding flights in America in 1900 were .the preliminary to flights with petrol motor propelled aeroplanes which nobody believed until they came to Europe in July, 1908, and demonstrated' their conquest of the air in I -unmistakable fashion." Since then, |as everyone knows, the heavier- [ tban-air machine has accomplished the apparently impossible, and flights of great duration and speed have taken place. Little has been c*, Wright Bros, publicily of late, but those who know how they are quietly experimenting have little doubt that they will one day once again take Europe by storm with such an improved type of merit of danger in the sport, and with such' an improved tppe of plane that the comparatively weak x - an owlinru 'y cyclist will be all that is sufficient to maintain equilibrium in tho air.

Two competitors in the Sydney six days' bicycle race, in F. Keefe (Tasmania)", and D. KrikKam (Victona), are keen on making an effort to capture the £20 and gold medal offered by the Dunlop Bub-

ber Company to the first Australasian cyclist who betters L. Meredith's (England) 100 miles' out-ancl-homo utnpaced road record of 4hrs 52min 51 4-ssecs. Keefe mado an attempt in California (U.S.A.) some time hack, and recorded shrs 2min—American record. He is convinced that he can better that performance, and will make an attempt during the mid-summer mouths. D. Kirkham, who is recognised as one of the finest road riders Australia; has produced, has a;lso notified tho Dunlop Company of his intention to make, an attempt next month on the Western district roads of Victoria.

Several English' critics have of lato been drawing attention to the overcrowding of tho torpedo body now so much' in vogue amongst motorists, and particularly to the tubby looking "body fitted to many single- seated cars. The chief objection is the boring in of the passengers, in some instances only the head and neck of the driver being visible. The result has been that many English motorists are complaining of a disagreeable feeling of closeness and stuffiness when motoring in hot weather that was absent from the old typo of body. Tho same objectionable feature \s to bo soon, in many of the bodies now being constructed in this country, the exaggerated style of somo of tho Ensrlish-built torpedo bodies being copied out here. There owners will have ca:use for dissatisfaction and complaint before the present summer is over, owing to need of ventilation. .Tn this country there is really no noedf to box "oneself in like a sardine. Fresh, air is one of the greatest blessings that motoring bestows, but tho coachbuilder appears to be doing his best to deprive motorists of the enjoyment. The torpedo body is all right if tho sides are kept down and tho overhang of tho souttle dash reduced, while provision should be made for adjustable ventilators in tho dashboard. Properly designed, the torpedo body is attractive with its external symmetry and general comeliness, but at the same time its a poor policy sacrificing health and fresh air for the sako of following a fasliJon set by a few extremists.

A. H. Slieperd, the well-known N.S.W. racing cyclist, has announced his intention of making an attempt to improve all tho Australian paced track records from a quarter milo up to tkie hour. The former stands at 20secs, held by W. McDonald (Sydney) and the hour at 31 miles, 1,425yd5, established by W. Martin (Adelaide) as far back as 1901. The last named figures are absurdly out of date and Shepherd, who is one of the best riders behind pace in the Commonwealth, should have no difficulty in putting up a substantial increase behind motor cycle pace. He intends making his attempt early in January on the Sydney cricket-

ground