MOTOR AND CYCLE

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1915, Page 11 (Supplement)

MOTOR AND CYCLE

2JEWS AND NOTE'S. England spends six and and a-half millions annually on imported motorcars. If England could only bring herself to employ American methods, she wouldn't import one car, but, instead, with her great reputation, would secure the large share of the world's trade.

Recently a motorist was fined £4O, says an English file, for carrying a swivelling searchlight on his car, and, in addition, the car was declared forfeit—a drastic proceeding we may be sure which was not adopted without good cause. The car was from Manchester, wlich labours under the stigma of being the most Germanised city iu the kingdom.

In Italy great plants are at work turning out armoured war planes, the like of which was not dreamed of a yew ago. They are constructed with two 280 boree-power engines, similar to <She Canada, recently built for the British Government. These planeß equipped with machine-guns, a crew of four or six men, and bomb-throwing devices, make a formidable weapon of offence »ud defence.

The subject of straying stock came up before .the Wairarapa Association at their last meeting. It was stated that not only was there danger from loose stock on the roads. There was equally great danger from motorists passing a led horse and the wrong side. Only a few motorists appeared to know that the right way to overtake and pass a led horse was on the wrong Bide of the road, or on the side of the man leading the animal. He had frequently seen accidents narrowly averted through the non-observance of this rule, and he thought that the Association should <ako some steps to make the rules of the road familiar to motorists.

A number of mator-ambulances were procured for the local "■areo before it left New Zealand, and whUe & in training in Egypt. Fourteen of these ambulances supplied to the order of the New Zealand Government are in use in Egypt. Ten other ambulances have been purchased out of funds privately subscribed. Of these two are in Egypt, one is at Trentham Camp, and seven on loan to the British troops, in use cither in France of Eugland. Apparently there is need now for more motor ambulances iu Egypt, and the Defence Minister is considering whether he will endeavour to recover the seven waggons lent to the British Army. A Ford motor ambulance has been ordered as a gift by the Southland Patriotic Society, but it is not certain whether it ie yet in commission.

A special meeting of the Napier Motor Cycle Club was held for the purpose of considering what action should be taken regarding a member of the club who was alleged, to have used a false petrol tank at the reliability trials held on Saturday, I6th October, last. After a full discussion, the member was disqualified for life from taking part in any competition conducted by the club. Another complaint against the Bame member—that of using insulting language towards the secretary and executive—was also heard. It was reported that the language in question was very bad, and that although a written apology had been asked for none was forthcoming. The club decided that, in the face of the evidence, it could not retain the member in question, and expelled him "for gross discourtesy to the secretary and executive." # * *

In 1889 a party of English speculators having vainly tried to acquire Russian property, set themselves to gain a footing in Roumanian oil fields, less known, and very imperfectly developed, yet promising excellently under more efficient treatment. The deal was almost concluded when Roumania suddenly withdrew her concessions; and she, too, has followed Russia in keeping this mineral wealth close for her own people. The annual yield of the Roumanian wells in 1907 reached a total of 62,000,000 gallons, and from a small, poor town, one of the oldest in Europe, Balakany has grown to a huge city, with startling contrasts in old and new, where perhaps the most curiously mixed population, in the world adds to its picturesque charm for the tourist. It is recounted that in its market place one can hear not only every language, but also every dialect of Europe and of Western Asia.

■ Of the many uses to which the motor car is being put in France, the following are of interest.—Supply cars, stores, including automobile meat safes, for which former Paris motor-omnibuses are chiefly used; munitions, as ambulance cars, transport of wounded, travelling, motor X-rays sets, as searchlight cars, usually with a second motor in the car to drive the dynamo also as fighting motor cars, heavy armoured cars with machine gun cars, for scouting, heavy motor lorries mounting a 3in field gun for use against aeroplanes. Air service cars, heavy motor lorries for spare parts with trailera for carrying wings and fuselage; fast cars for taking airmen from place to place; workshop ears. Flying stations are entirely independant of railways, and can move their whole installation by road, Passenger car?, General and staff, despatch bearers. Roads near the front are full of despatch-carrying cars. The English use them very considerably. Cars for rushing troops to the front where they are needed. "Billet omnibuses" —the converted London omnibuses which take men oil leave up and down from billets to the coast base.

Mr. Claud Grahauie-White and Mr. Harry Harper are , joint authors of an Interesting article in the Fortnightly on ''Zeppelin Airships; Their Record in War." The writers analyse the. results of all the Zeppelin raids upon England, and also of the engagements—which have been very few—between Zeppelins and aeroplanes of the Allies. It is explained that the rapid ascensional power of the Zeppelin is her best means of defence from the aeroplanes. She can rise £wice as fast as the ordinary aeroplane, though the aeroplane can rise higher if the pilot lias time for the manoeuvre. Also, the Zeppelin's load is proportioned to the altitude at which she travels. Plying at about 2000 ft the Zeppelin can carry several tons of bomba even on a long journey, but if she is to reach (iOOO or 8000 ft, her load of bombs must be reduced to less than a ton. Statistics are given of the number of Zeppelins lost during the war. The authors conclude by remarking that "unless she can fiy faster and higher, and arm herself more adequately, the Zeppelin labours under disadvantages which, in regard to operations of military value over a hostile territory, reduced her nearly to impotence,''