The Motor Progress of the World.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 5, 1 March 1907, Page 163

The Motor Progress of the World.

In England the interesting thing is to review the history of the last ten years. The reason is that more than ten years ago all motors of all kinds were " agin the law." They were regarded by the law abiding public as dangerous nuisances, and classed in tariffs of all sorts as noxious animals. On the Continent the motor car was spreading in all directions, in presence of a sympathetic public and favourable laws. Invention got ahead and vast works sprang 'up , notable fixtures were established, and records of all kinds accumulated. In 1896 there came emancipation for England, and the motorists assembled together and celebrated the day with a run to Brighton. The other day the anniversary was celebrated of that great event in great style. The most interesting point of course is the advance of construction that has taken place during the decade. Now first and foremost is manifest the enormous increase of power in relation to weight, due in the first place to improved design, next to higher compressions and piston speeds, with the more liberal valve proportions necessary therefor, and finally to improvements in materials. The net result of these various factors has been the reduction of weight from about fifty kilos per horse-power to a figure approaching five in the case of the larger car engines, and even less in the case of certain special designs. More important even has been the increase of reliability, and this is due rather to the attention paid to numerous minor details than to any notable innova-

tions. Broken and stuck valves, leaky water joints in cylinder, overheating and pump troubles, burner defects, and weaknesses in the electrical ignition system, these were the cause of ninety per cent, of the early troubles, and they have been largely banished by care in constructional detail and alterations in proportion rather than in radical design. Moreover, the small margin of power then at disposal of these, which now-a-days would mean only a slight diminution in speed, then spelt utter stoppage. In the matter of price, it is pointed out, little progress has been made, the cheapest practically useful car of to-day differing little in price from the similar car of 1896.

Motor cycles are conspicuous by their absence in London city.