CHEAP MOTORING.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1917, Page 2

CHEAP MOTORING.

SUBSTITUTE FOR GASOLINE, Of intense interest to all parts of the world where motoring for business or pleasure is the vogue is an announcement made in San Francisco, California, indicating that automobiling will shortly be cheapened to a remarkably low figure. One hundred miles of touring in a sevenpassenger auto for the nominal price of 10 cents (sd) will be possible as the result of an invention by F. A. 'Kormann, a Sam Francisco chemist, according to the claims made by friends of the inventor of a new compound. Something more than a flutter was occasioned in the American motoring world by the announcement, and especially in California, wliero motoring is extremely popular. Ordinary water, in which 10 cents' worth of Kormann's new chemical compound has been dissolved, lias run a sixcylinder ear loaded with seven passengers, 100 miles up and down hill as well as on the level. "We are deeply regretful that this discovery has become public at this time., because we have patriotic reasons for not wishing to divulge it," said Kormann, who was interviewed in the office of Attorney John L. M'Nab, a well-known Scotch lawyer jof Sail Francisco. It is understood that Mr. M'Xab has financed the experiments from the beginning, and that he, Kormann, and a third party whose name has not been disclosed, are the owners and controllers of the invention. It is the purpose of the owners to give the invention to the United States Government for use during the war, provided that they are aiiorded satisfactory protection against commercial competitors and a definite assurance that their patent will not be stolen.