MOTOR NOTES. By "Accumulator."

Progress, Volume II, Issue 11, 2 September 1907, Page 399

MOTOR NOTES.

By " Accumulator."

The Dominion, Wellington's new daily, is arranging for a motor delivery of papers from four to seven o'clock every morning. ****** I hear that the State Coal Mines Department, after two months' trial, have taken over the Straker steam wagon, and the manager has recommended that two more machines be acquired. It is interesting to learn that this Department has not only overcome the difficulty of delivery in Wellington by the new method, but has effected a considerable saving over the obsolete system of horse-and-cart delivery. ****** Mr. Loder, of the firm of I/)der & Jarlet, Melbourne, paid a visit to Wellington recently for the purpose of arranging for the New Zealand agency of a celebrated French car.

Spring generally brings activity amongst the motor importers and buyers of the colony, and the commencement of season 1907-8 is already proving no exception to this rule. Motor importers advise that enquiiies are brisk for four-cylinder medium-powered cars, say from 14-16 h.p., and especially those of British make. ****** y Figures taken from the New Zealand Cus'wms statistics show that 357 motor cars were imported into New Zealand in 1905, of which 185 were of foreign make and paid preferential duty. In 1906 410 cars were imported, of which 178 valued at £25,707 paid preferential duty, and 232 cars valued at £40.335 were of British make and paid the ordinary duty. * * * * ** The agents for the " Ford " four-cylinder 18 h.p. runabout report that a steady demand arose for this car through the winter season.

There are upwards of twenty of these machines now in New Zealand, and owners speak enthusiastically of the cars' merits. The " Ford " is one of the very few designed to meet New Zealand conditions. ****** France is the greatest automobile exporting country of the world. First in the field with practical vehicles, she has known how to maintain her supremacy in the world's markets, as shown by the fact that in 1905 (the last year for which export records from all of the automobile manufacturing countries are available), her exports were substantially twice the value of those of all the rest of the world. ***** jf; As far as the exportation of automobiles is concerned, only six countries need be considered, and the figures of these particular countries, as far as they are yet obtainable are instructive. France is far in the lead with a value of five-and-a-half millions sterling, then follow Germany the United States, and England, with a value of one million each. After them comes Belgium which for a country of its siye " cuts quite a figure." and Italy, both with returns of about half a rrillion sterling.

The only change in the engine using alcohol as fuel was that the compression was increased about 33-3 per cent., it being raised from 60 to 80 pounds. It was supposed that this increase in compression would make a considerable increase in efficiency; but the result of the test does not show this to have been the case. In order to get any marked efficiency, a compression of at least 150 or 1 75 pounds would probably be required, as well as a longer stroke. In place of the kerosene car used in the first test, Mr. Maxwell this time substituted a car the engine of which was fitted with two carburetters. In one of these kerosene was used, while the other was supplied, while in the present test, using 3 gallons of kerosene and 5 gallons of gasoline, this car averaged 13 35 miles per gallon. A corresponding lowering of the cost of operation is noticeable in the figures. The idea of the inventor is to utilise the heavier oil for trucks and commercial vehicles. The combination kerosene car showed good speed and power, as well as economy, and it will doubtless be possible to work out this plan successfully on commercial vehicles, if the saving in operating cost is found to be worth the complication of having two fuels and two carburetters. The present "test showed that alcohol is fully as suitable for high speed as for slow speed and hard work. The alcohol engine ran perfectly when fed from the regular carburetter, and it could be started on alcohol after it had been standing over an hour. When some manufacturer designs and builds an automobile having a special engine adapted to the use of alcohol tests such as have just been made will be found most valuable to bring out the difference in efficiency between