T"f-lE AUTOCAR n Journal publtsbeb in tbe interests of tbe mecbantcall'Q propelleb roab carriage.
EDITED BY H. WALTER STANEq.
o. 718. VoL. XXIII.] SATURDAY, JULY 24TH, 1909.
[PRICE 3D.
The Autocar.
(Published Weekly).
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CONTENTS. NOTES USEFUL HINTS AND T tPS l lLLUSfRATED) THE 18 1-1.P. FOUR-CYLINDER DENNIS ([LLUSTRATED) THE lNl ERNATJONAL LEAGUE OF T OURING AS£0CIATIONS .•
PAGE . . I17-11 8
Il9 . . I20·I22
123-,26
SCOTTISH A.C.-THE CRONAN-POGNON SELF-CLEANING SPARKING
PLUG (ILLUSTRATED)-R.A .C. PROVINCIAL M EET IN \VAR\\'ICKSHIRE THE NEw \VHITE STEAM :\lcoELs ( ILLUSTRATED) • • THE NOVEMBER EXHIBITION AT OLYMPIA • • R.A.C. TRIAL CHALLENGE REINFORCED l NZ..ER T UBE
127 • . 128-1 30
130 131
THE SHELSLEY \VALSH HILL CLl~I B (1LLUS1'RATEO)
132-133
OUR h1POR1S OF MOTOR SPIRIT-THE R.A .C . MONTHLY TRIALS
134
M OTOR UNION NOTES .• 13oov D ES IGN (o.ND CONSTRUCTION .• ON THE R OAD
135 . . 136-1 37 . . 138-139
POLICE TRAPPIXG AROUND GRANTHAM
SPENCER-MOULTON T YRES (!LLUSTRATED)-T11E R.A.C. LAMP
139
TRIALS .• CORRESPONDENCE .. FLASHES ( ILLUSTRATED) CLUB DOINGS (ILLUSTRATED) • .
140 . . 145-149 . . 150-r51
152-15{
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Notes. The Meeting at Caxton Hall. On another page we publish ,the offi cial repo1t of the meeting at Caxton Hall, \Ve tminster, called by the Royal Automobile Club to prot-2! t against the proposed taxation and to discu the subject generally. We are exceedingly glad this meeting ha been held, though we wish it had been called earl ier, and that it had been possible to gi1·e longer notice and greater publicity to the intention of holding it. \Ve 1Yelcome the meeting because it h011·ed plainly the int ntion of the Club to work with, and not independently of, the :\Iotor Union and the Society of Motor Manufacturers, thi s being the policy we ha1·e constantly urged since our narrow escape from taxation in 1908; but, un fortunately for motorist , our advice wa. not taken.
Although, as the chairman of the meeting ma.de perfectly clear once again, increased taxation was bound to come, we still feel that , had the motoring organisation worked together in this matter months ago, the proposed taxes would have been li ghter than they are. However, we do not want to go back to call up regrets for the past. Rather shou ld we look forward. This meeting, after all, is, or hould be, the beginning of a rea ll y concerted action on the part of automobilists, as the primary idea of holding it wa to bring the rnriou interests together, so that representatives or the R.A.C., the M. U., and the Society should publicly express their intention of working loyaily together over this matter in the future, and, belat cl as was this expression, we 11·elcome it none the le heaiiily.
It may be urged that the resolutions 11·er incon istent. The first one, after . tating definitely that there should be no increased tax, was ucceedecl by other resolutions which discussed the petrol tax, me thod of rating, and o on. It is, of cour e, made clear that these resolutions were on ly passed on the suppo·ition or under the conviction that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was determined to maintain his taxes. Everything now depends upon th strength of the arguments which can be brought before the Chancellor of the Exchequer to com·ince him that he hould content himself with either the increased car licences or the petrol tax- that he should not demand both for the creation of a road impro1·ement fund to be di tributed by a central authority. It is not too late for this attitude to be discu sed, because the petrol tax, beyond being condemned, was practically left out of the discu sion, it being held by the resolution that, first o~ all, motorists should know what they 1rnulrl get in return for a petrol tax.
Future Action. As a whole the Caxton H all meeting was disappointing, becau e e\·eryone of the Parliamemary s]Jeakers seemed so fully convinced of the fact that we must be prepared to s~bmit to increa eel taxation, and that anything beyond a few minor concessions 1ras out of the question. It . hould be understood that we are not quarrelling with the opinion of these crentlemen, as it would be pre umptuous to disagree ~·ith them, as they have been in close touch with ibe Chancellor of the Exchequer. On the other hand, 11·e maintain that so far a :\fr. Lloyd George' public utterances are concerned he is sti ll open to com·iction, and that if the automobile 1rnrld 1rorks as one man it may yet convince him of the fact that either the increa d licences or the petrol tax will bring in all the money which he requires for his road fund. As it i , the policy appears to be a ll or nothing on both sides, because Y.[r. Lloyd George says he cannot establish hi road fund with less than £600,000, and the motoring organisation. say they protest against taxing, but, if they must be taxed, they should like to suggest ce1tain improvements and alterations in the methods of the proposed taxation. Xow it appears
