BLENDED SPIRIT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 670, 24 October 1933, Page 2

BLENDED SPIRIT

FRANCE FINDING TROUBLE. .. The p etrol -alcohol situation in France is somewhiat chaotic as the moment, and very many complaints are heard as to the quality of fuels distrihuted to the public (says The Miotor). By Government decree wholesale dealers are required to buy from the State, for 'bl'ending purposes, a quantity of commercial alcohol equal to 10 per cent. of their petrol requpirements for .the previous month. The idea is to absorb some of the enormous surplus stocks of commercial alcohol produced in certain agricultural industries. The alcohol is purchased hy the State at 250 francs per hectoliti'e, and sold to petrol dealers at only 112 francs per hectolitre — (th'e loss heing regarded as a subsidy to agriculture. A hectrolitrte ins ahout 22 gallons. The Government has to dispose- of soimie one and a half million hectolitres of alcohol annually. The blend of motor spirit now distributed contains from 11 per cent. to 20 per cent. of alcohol, land, in theory, it .should give excelltent results. But the fact remains that comiplaints of had starting and poor acceleration are heard on every hand. The causes are prohably to' he found in had blending and a high water content in the alcohol. The bfending operation is a deli■cate one, and lack of care on the part ■of wholesalers may account for the trotfhle. In Sweden a mixtur© of petrol and alcohol in the proportion of 75 per cent, to 25 per cent. respectivtely has heen marketed for a long time past1.