Two Thousand Motor Omnibuses. HOW THE ASPECT OF LONDON STREETS IS CHANGING.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 7, 1 May 1906, Page 178

Two Thousand Motor Omnibuses. HOW THE ASPECT OF LONDON STREETS IS CHANGING.

Summarising the position as regards motoromnibus development m the metropolis, if contracts are fulfilled, and hopes of deliveries not falsified, there should be approximately 2,000 motor omnibuses on the streets of London at the end of the year. There have been many disappointments, of course, as regards deliveries. The number of horse omnibuses on the streets was about 4,500 before the motor movements commenced. It is expected that with the growth of the suburbs, and despite the advent of fresh " tubes, " there will be as many motor omnibuses in London during the next year or two, and this despite the largely increased seating capacity. Summarising further details, we may note that the London General expects twenty-five motor omnibuses in a month, the Road Car 251 by the end of the year ; Tilling' s have now twenty running, and expect considerably more ; the Star expect to have twenty-five by the end of the month, and, like the Associated, recently issued capital for the purpose. The last named company has ten running, and is adding steadily to its numbers.

The advance in the price of indiarubber has a rational explanation. Notwithstanding the fact that the production of rubber is increasing rapidlyeach year, the increase in consumption is at a far greater rate. Prices are now mounting up, and m some quarters fears of an actual shortage are entertained. The highest prices for pure Para rubber in 1880 was 2s. id. per Ib. The average price from 1885 to 1892 was 3s. 2d. ; the price m March, 1902, was 4s. 3d. ; the price November 1, 1904 was 4s. BJd. ; and prices recently quoted ranged from ss. sd. to ss. 6£d. At no period since rubber has been a large commercial commodity have the increases in price been as startling as during the last few months. During the month of November a total of 76.. was added to the wholesale prices. The small item of rubber heels for shoes has consumed quite a tonnage. Automobile tyres call for the purest rubber in a large proportion compared with adulterants and fabric than in most other arts. The widespread use of rubber tyres for carriages and other vehicles consumes to-day a greater tonnage than the total importation of rubber twenty years ago. It is estimated that last winter no less than 60,000,000 rubber boots and shoes were manufactured and sold. The rubber industry is daily assuming larger proportions and greater importance, and rubber is finding its way into a countless number of manufactured products in which it was not used some years ago. The rise in the price of raw rubber is therefore quite in line with the progress of the industry.