~ARCH HTJI, 190S.

TH-E AUTOCAR B Journal pub!tsbeb tn tbe interests of the mecbnntcall\? propelleb roab carriage.

EDITED BY H. WALTER STANER.

o. 647. VoL. XX.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH, 1908. [PRICE JD.

The Autocar.

(Published Weekly.)

Registered ilS a newspaper for transmission in the United Kingdom

Entered as second-class m!ltter in the New York (N.Y.) Post Office

Editorial Office :

COVENTRY.

Publishing Offices :

20, TUDOR STREET, LONDON, E.C., England.

CONTENTS. ~OTES TIIE ~EW YORK TO PARIS '.\IOTOR RACE THF. FLORIDA RACES-SCOTTISH RELIABILITY TRIAL~ USEFUL HINTS A~D TIPS .. AN ISTERCHASGEABILIT\" TRIAL ([LLUSTRATED)

flROOKLASOS .-\.R.(.-.-\ (HALLESGE REVISED-COSTl:-.JESTAL

PAGE 365-366

366 367 368-369 370-37r

TOURING .. THE NEW HU,\IBER FACTOR\' (ILLUSTRA"l'l::.i.1) • . SOUTH \VALES TO SOUTH SPAIN BY ROAD (ILLUSTIUTEO).

TnE R.A.C. AND l\loTOR TAxA110N-THE RoY,n . .\.C. GENERAL

37' 372 373-37.\

COMMITTEE-MOTOR TAXATlON CONFERENCE

MY !DEAL CAR (CoNCLUDED)

THE NEW CADILLAC CLUTCH (ILLUSTRATED) • . AN ACCURATE SPEEDOMETER ON THE ROAD. BY OWEN JOHN ENGINE RACING THROUGH Ro.,o SLIP (ILLUSTIU TED)

THE SURREY POLICE AND THE A.A. SCOUTS .. lN THE HOUSE OF Co~tMO:,JS A EW AEROPLANE P1nzE-GYROSTAT1c A c T10:-.' CORRESPO~DENCE • • THE BOMBAY TRIALS (ILLliSTP,HED! . . FLASHES • •

T4E OF.SJG:,J OF AUTOMOBILES ..

375 376-377

378 378 379 380 381 381 382 383-387 388-389 390-39r 392-396

Subscription Rates :

British Isles, 16s. Abroad (thin p•per edition) 20s. Sd. per annum.

Notes. The Appearance Numbers. To-day we publish the seconu and concluding part of "The Autocars of 1908." The reception accorded to Part 1 has been most gratifying to us, and we must take this opportunity of thanking the v ry large number of our readers who ha,·e gone to the trouble of writing to tell us how very much they appreciate last ,reeks supplement. One Yery interesting point of this congratulatory corresponuence is the evidence which it affords of the growth of intelligent interest among motorists generally in the outline and proportions of cars as a whole. It is not so very long ago that the motor body builders' finest designs were scarcely appreciated by the average motorist, who was just as happy with a perfectly hideous body. The articles we have given. from time to time on this subject h:we had their effect, and it is evident from the comments we have received up::)11 the bodies illustrated in the first Appearance Number that the good and bad point_s of the carriage portion of a motor car are beginning to be much better appreciated than of yore. Incidentally the careful student of the Appearance Numbers will recognise from the photographs and the dimensions that it is practically impossible with an ordinary four-cylinder engine under a bonnet in front to make a body which carries all its passengers inside the wheelbase with a base of less than 10ft. 3in. Of course, it can be done on a shorter base than this by bringing the occupants of the back seat very close to the occupants of the front seat, but to o-ive just about the average room (less rather tha~1 ore) a 10ft. wheelba e is necessary. With less than tl s the occupants of the back seats are hung outside th back axle. Motor axation. Latest Development.s.

On another page we notify the fact that the Royal Automobile Club has expressed its opinion that there is no justification for any additional taxation being imposed upon motor cares. This important decision. which was onlv declared after a committee meeting last week, as our ·readers know. is the opinion which ,Ye have held from the start. On the other hand, we have the Motor Union policy, which is not opposed to a moderate increase of taxation. provided the. money is devoted to road maintenance and impron:·ment. This means that the policies of the· Rom! A.C. and the Union in the matter of taxation are now in direct opposition. though in rqo6 the Club thought as the Union still thinks. The difference bet,Yeen them is that the Club has realised that it was wronv; and the Union has not vet arrived at the same conviction.

However, the Union has realised that it ma" have been misled by the conference on motor legislation which it held in 1906, because this conference dealt "·ith the whole subject of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Motor Cars. and increased taxation was but one of hrent\'-four main recommendations of the Rm·al Commission. The meeting in 1906 did not recognise the possibility of one only of these recommendations being taken up bv the Government. Among the recommendations of the Roval Commission ,,·ere the abolition of the speed limit. the increase of taxation to considerablv above its present amount. and another to the effect that the revenue derived from motor taxation should be devoted to the improvement of roads and administered bv a central department. ·

What we want to make perfectlv clear at the present moment is that at this meetine:. which was unquestionn hlv a renresentative meeting of the Roval A.C. and the Motor Union. the consensus of opinion ·was not opposed to the increase of taxation on these terms when the other benefits recommended bv the Roval Commission were also to be provided. as there was not only the abolition of the speed limit in the open countrv. but there were recommendations bringing about improvements both in the administration of the law as it·