St;l"Tl:.~IBER 23RD, 1905.
THE AUTOCAR B 3ournal publisbeb in tbe interests of tbe mecbanicall\? propelleb roab carriage.
EDITED BY H. WALTER STANER.
No. 518. VoL. XV.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, 1905. [PRICE JD.
Tlf E A UTOCAR.
(Published Weekly.)
Registered as a newspaper for transmission in the United Kingdom.
Entered as second-class mattt"r at the New York {N.Y.) Post Office.
EDITORIAL OFFICE :
COVENTRY.
PUBLISHING OFFICES :
20, TUDOR STREET, LONDON, E.C., ENGLAND.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
NOTES: ABOUT THE TOURIST TROPHY-SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS-
THE COURSE
TOURIST T ROPHY N OT&S (illustrated) THE LESSONS OF THE TouRIST T ROPHY. By Henry Sturmey
353-354
355-365 366-368
CONTINENTAL NOTES AND New■ {illustrated): THE GORDON-BENNETT
Cur FOR TOURING TRIALS-THE MONT V&NTOUX HILL-CLIMB 369-370 DUST-LA YING TRIALS CORRP:SPONDENCF.: A t. W CAR-A LADY'S VIEW OF INCONSIDERATE
370
MOTORISTS -ATTACKS ON MOTORISTS- A BOULDER-STREWN ROAD (illustrated)-THE NEGLECTED TOURIST-ROAD MAPS-PLAIN C LOTHES-GIVING NAME AND ADDRESS OF DRIVER-THE TOURIST T ROPHY-FOR THE ROYAL COMMISSION-THE ANDOVER POLICE AND MOTORISTS-l\.fOTORISTS AND HEAVY VEHICLES-MAGISTRATES DISCREDITED: MOTORISTS IN THE DOCK-THE PRINCE OF \.VALES' MOTOR CAR-HOTELS FOR MOTORISTS-A WORD FOR THE Cny POLICE-WHEELS FOR MOTOR CARS-POLICE TRAPS AND THEIR CURE-PNEUMATIC V. SOLID TYRES-INCONSIDERATE DRIVING-
SUMMARY OF OTHER CORRESPONDENCE ... USEFUL HINTS AND T IPS. By Lieut. Windham, R.N. FLASHES ...
371-37 .. . 376 377-379
THE HENRY EDMUNDS HILL-CLIMBING TROPHY {I'VlAP AND GRADIENT
PROFILE} ., , CLUB DOINGS: CLUB FIXTURES-THE ScorTISH A.C. (WESTERN
380
SECTION,-SOUTHERN M.C.-CLUBS AND THE DzFENCE AND LEGIS· LATION FUNDS-NOTTS A.C. BOYCOTTING BUXTON-BURNLEY AND
DISTRICT A.C.
381
A NOVELTY JN MOTOR CARS-THE SEMMERING HJLL-CLD.IB-A NEW
PROPELLER (illustration}
382
"THE AUTOCAR" SUBSCRIPTION RATES: British Isles, 16s. Abroad (thin paper edition), 22s Sd. per annum.
/ Notes. About the Tourist Trophy. There is no doubt that the Tourist Trophy Race last week was the most inter~sting competition 1rhich has ever been held in the autdmobile world. lt was an honest attempt to frame regulations which should make the employment of monstrcus cars impossible. and also to prel'ent the employment of machines of the exact opposite. In other words, the regulations were framed to absolutely bar the Gordon-Bennett type of car and al ·o to keep out grossh· oYer-powered quadricycles. It was admitted that the first race must nece sari!~- be an txperiment. and ire are pleased to be able to heartily congratulate the Automobile Club on having inaugurated and conducted so successful an experiment, which was at the same time so absorbingly interesting and exciting. We confess that as a spectacular event we would prefer to see a contest between monsters. but still the race bet1Yeen the Tourist Trophy cars was in the highest degree exciting and interesting. The speed obtained by the faster machines were wonderful, con idering the se1·erity of the cour&e and the small powers of the engines.
As we pointed out last week, one of the most extraordinary features of the race was the fact that the fastest cars won outright. There was not a single instance among the leaders of a stop short of the winning-post for want of fuel while slower cars came up from the back and pas eel the stranded flier. It is also worthy of note that the winner had 01·er a gallon of fuel to spare; in fact, several of the cars which finished in prominent positions had a lot of petrol in hand. as will be seen from the particulars published on another page. Tt is evident from thi. that future contests 1rill become even keener than the first. This year·s cars \\'ere designed to cover the Isle of Man course at twent1·-five miles to the gallon. and had not the alloll'ance been increased to one gallon to hrenty-t1ro and a half miles it is quite certain that the placing 1rnuld have been much altered. and more than one prominently placed car 1rould not haYe been able to finish. As it was. the leaders finished up with something in hand. Other things being equal. the race is going to be won by the· car which just finishes upon the last few drops of petrol. because it will haYe used more energy than the car which finishes 1rith two or three pints to spare. If the car which has petrol in hand is more skilfulh· driven or is a better car. it may ll'in on a smaller expenditure of energy. ·
Entries are already coming in for next year's race. and the Technical and Races Committees of the club are gi1·ing no little consideration to 1rhat alterations ll'ill be req~ired in the rules. Speaking roughly. very few alterations are required-fewer than it was expected ,yould be necessary. Although it is a matter which is open lo considerable discussion. ire are con1·inced that the most important alteration should be in the matter of ,1·eight. It is quite right that there shou lcl be a minimum 11·eight for the chassis of 1 .300 lbs .. but the maximum of 1 .600 lbs. has h01rn itself to be ~ mistake. _The cars ,rhich ,reighed 50 to 1 oo lbs. outside t?e _ma_x1mum were more or less spoiled to brmg them 11"Jth111 1t. Stays \\"ere rem01·ed. step. were taken off. or weak makeshifts substituted of so flimsy a character that if anyone used them the1· bent baclh·. Dangerously light wood ,rheels ,1·ere · used. and many failed in the race. which. b1· the 1ray. was a great triumph for the scientificalh·constructecl wire wheels. As we said last 11·eek, axie caps ,1·ere taken off and pieces of rag tied oYer the hub. and cardboard bonnets ll'ere used. besides < Year ea. e coYers which 1rnre only covers in name. Last,bbut not least. the frames were drilled. and many part slotted out to an almost ludicrous extent. while leans 1rere removed from springs. and al l kinds of liberties taken to get heavy cars clown to the r,600 lbs. limit.
