CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8, 3 September 1912, Page 3

CYCLE AND MOTOR NOTES.

An astounding performance was registered by Mr 0. F. Hill on a Icylinder 12-li.p. "Talbot" car in the recently held petrol consumption test promoted by the Automobile Club of New South Wales. The test was held over a 16 miles out and home course between Sydney and Paramatta toe full distance of 32 miles, being covered by Mr Hill on a consumption of only two and a. half pints of petrol. This remarkable feat was accomplished tinder stringent official supervision, both in measuring the petrol, and by a club overseer aboard the car. The cost for petrol for the 32 miles covered works out at about Gd—equivalent to about 96 miles a gallon. This [is easily a record for economical running on petrol for a 4-cylinder car in Australasia, in fact the writer has 'never heard of such a wonderful result being achieved in any other part of the world. A four cylinder i "De T)ion"' used four pints, whilst a four cylinder "Vauxhall" consumed 1,6 pints, these figures' being the nearest apprdafh to: the Talbot's performance;.. ,i:i i.

The Royal Autpmobita Club of eEng-, land and the Automobile Association; and Motor Union are introducing two novel innovations for the purpose of smoothing the way for the motor tourist in England. The first named body intend adopting a scheme whereby any member of the club can obtain assistance in the case of a. breakdown on: the roadside. Each member v.ilT be) provided with a metal disc, whidhi will indemnify the owner against the cost* of hiring another ear to get him and Ids part yhome. If a breakdown occurs the holder of a disc may send ii liy messenger to the nearest garagd or repairer, who will immediately send out a. relief ear to convey the parly to their ihome, or to any place within a distance of twenty miles. The relief car is to be provided free of cost and if the owner requires it, the repairer will also arrange for the conveyance of the brokendown ear to his promises for repair; if the car is insured under tho R.A.C. policy oho cost of this transfer will be borne by the insurance company, provided that the breakdown is the result of a collision. The cost of the relief car will be discharged by the Royal Automobile Club on receipt of the account together with the disc, from the repairer, and the disc will be returned to the owner by the Club after verification. In other words, the scheme provides a sort of supplementary insurance, and should prove serviceable accordingly. In the case of the Motor Union they intend erecting telephone boxes at intervals of several miles along most of the English main roads, which will enable members of the .association, free of cost, to telephone for private or business purposes to almost nnj part of England. Sentrylike boxes and telephone installations are already being erected on the main roads around London. This telephone system is to be- extended even a.s far as Liverpool, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. In case of long distance calls a small fee will be charged. That it is possible to organise two such big schemer; for the benefit of English motorists serves to bring home to one the growth of motoring in England during the prist decade. It has been decided by the Motor Cycle Clubs of New Mouth Wales and Victoria, that the annual motor cycle reliability trial between Sydney and Melbourne will be again held towards the end of the year. This event has been a success on the two occasions on which it has been held, and already many riders have intimated their intention of participating in the forthcoming 575 overland reliability test. The League of New South Wales is now fixing up all details for a big six days' cycle race to be held on the Sydney Crickot Ground from December 29th to January Ith, The event will be held on similar lines to the contests held in Sydney and Melbourne at tie beginning of this year. The Australian record for this style of race is held by Messrs A. Goullot and P. Helvir, who in Sydney in January last covered between them 2085 miles. Tho prize list and conditions for the forthcoming race will be issued at an ! early date.

People in thi& part of the world hardly realise the tremendous number of motor vehicles that are to be seen or the streets of cities like London and New York. For the year ending July Ist there were 48,701 cars, 3,379 heavy commercial vehicles, and 16,871 motor cycles registered by (.lie London County Council. In New York the figures are even more astounding, for during the months of February, March, April and May of this year there were 85,300 cars registered in the State of New York, and judging from the number of chauffeur's licenses issued, three out of every five cars aro driven by their owners. Out of the 85,300 cars registered, 9000 were commercial vehicles. As the whole of the cars in Australasia would not total more than 17,000 to 18,000 vehicles, one can gather a fair idea of what the motor traffic must be like in the districts named.

The rules have been published for the Pekin-Paris Aeroplane Race, ■•which the leading daily journal of Paris, the "Matin," is promoting, with prize,-; amounting to £6200. At a meet-

ing of the French Aero Club the following rules for the contest were adopted. It is intended to give flue event the character of a raid across China, Siberia and Europe. The pilots may •be of any nationality, but French aeroplanes must be used. The start takes place from Pekin on September Ist, 1912, and the pilots will be classed in the order of arrival at Paris, the distance being about 7800 milep. For the winner the prize is £IOOO, and there are four other prizes, one of £IOOO and three of £IOO, so that the first five comers will receive prizes. Should none of the pilots make the whole run the sum of £2OOO will be awarded to the aeronaut who makes the greatest distance under certain conditions. At least five entries have to he received before the event will be held. Control stations will be organised at Pekin, Irkoutsk, on Lake Baikal, Omsk, and other points in Asia, then at Moscow, Warsaw, Vienna, Trieste, Genoa, Avignon, Dijon, Paris. Repairs can be made en route and the different parts of the aeroplane are to he stamped officially at the start, such as motor, rudder, etc., but at least two of these parts must remain in place at the finish. The

rules allow for one pilot making th< whole race, two pilots for the same, or two pilots, one of whom makes half the course alone. In all cases these pilots cannot be replaced by others. It is intended that the race route will cress different countries in Europe, including Russia, passing .southward through Austria and Italy, and mounting again through France. In 1907 a motor ear race was hehJ from Pekin to Paris, the victor being Prince Soipio Bcrghosi, who covered the 10,000 miles in 61 days.