DECEMBFR 19TH, 1908.
THE AUTOCAR B 3ournal publtsbeb in tbe interests of tbe mecbantcall\? propelleb roab carriage.
EDITED BY H. WALTER STANER.
No. 687. VoL. XXI.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19TH, 1908. [PRICE 3D.
The Autocar.
(Published Weekly.)
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CONTENTS.
R.A.C. DUST TRIALS. R EVIEW OF 1908-PROJECT'i OF H)09 . .
USF.FUL H JST'i ANO T1PS
THE \ • VE1GHT 01'' ~·loTOR CAR AND PAR rs . •
AN E ICHT- C'li'Li:SDER AEROPLANE MOTOR ( lLLUSTRATED)
MOTOR UNION NOTES . •
992
993
. 99+-995
996
997
THE WRJCIJT A~[l VOISIN F LYING MACHINF.S ( ILLUSTRATED) . • 998- 1002
TnE AUTOCAR LECTURES-THE ~Ew E .I. C. SPARKI:-lr. P LUG
( lLLUSTRATED)-THF. CHAS. ·1 ARROTT RECORD 1-sooK (ILL USTRATED)
IOO]
ON THE PARIS S1-1ow (lLLUSTRArEo)
• . t oo4-•rno6
A Gooo Cot L (lLLUSTRATED).:-A:c,uAt D1N:-lER or- THE R o\-AL
A.C. A:,;eo A ssoc1ATED CLUBS . •
ON THF. TRACK {ILLUSTRATED)
rno7
roc8
CORRESPONDENCE (ILLUSTRATED) • •
AERONAUTICS • ,
A CoMMERCIAL TRAVF:LLEJ(.'5 CA!{-A 'i'OTHER DETACHABLE RL\I
FLASHES (ILLUSTRATED)
CLUB DOINGS • •
S 0 11.E QUERIES AND REPLlE~
{:)21-1022
1023
I024
w25
10 2/J
Subacription Rates :
British Isles-Home edi tion, lbs. ; penny (thin paper) edition, 6s. 6d.
Abroan < t'iin paper e<litionl, 22s, 8d. per ~nnum.
j Notes. The Grand. Prix Race Doomed. As we announced last week, something very like annihilation appears to threaten the Grand Prix of the Automobile Club of France; a thunderbolt has fallen from the blue upon it, and that in the very earliest stages of its inception. Everything was in course of arrangement, after much consideration and discussion the circuit had been chosen, the very roads were under special repair, much expense had already be n in curred, when suddenly it transpired that the signatures of many of the leading French motor car makers were appended to an agreement by which they bound them selves reciprocally not to take part in any race in 1909.
At the recent Jntcr;):1tioml Congr<'S, held to decide the dimensions of racing cars, the French proposals were accepted by all present without cavil or objection. This being so, surely it would appear that the mere fact of the French proposals being so adopted imposed a moral obl igation upon the Automobile Club of France to make preparations for and carry out the race . This appears to have been the view the Club did take, for it has already gone far in provisioning fur the Grand Prix of 1909.
Xow we find that the leaders, the head and front of the abstentio:1ist propaganda, are actually members of that very Commission Sportive, the particular body or committee existing specially for and charged with the o rganisation of such events. In such case, the only thing left for the members to do--at least from an English point of view-would be at once to tender their resignation from the committee, although it would probably be refused . Each signatory has engaged under his signature to forfeit £4,000 to the other signatories should he race in France during 1909, and is bound to accept the jurisdiction of the Paris courts in connection therewith . Moreover, there is a majorih· of the signatories who seek to make the obli!rntion cover a ll racing in foreign countries. Amongst those outside the anti-racing caucus the validity of this arrangement is considered more than doubtful , for even were its principles not void by reason of certain omissions which would entail its nullity in French law, it is ,·ery questionable whether anv court would endor e such damages.
Why therefore was this arrangement entered into if not as a combine against the competition of foreign cars, and out of dread of again failing to 1Yin the Grand Prix? The F.I.A.T. people have wisely refused to sign, and though the Mercedes Co. are said to ha,·e appended their sign manual, they are resting on thf' oars of victory ; the Benz folks are not considered serious, the remainrler be in!l all French firms. 11·ho have entered cars in races during the past two years without gaining successe . Further, it is suggested that the members of the old brigade of mak rs have a 1Yholesome fear of the smaller French makers, who, though unsuccessful with engines of 150 mm., have done, and are likely to do, exceptionally well with engines of 130 mm. and under. vVe feel that thi attempted home and foreign boycott is the outcome of a short-sighted policy, even more regrettable and more foolish than the hysterical anti-racing agitation in this country. It is worse when coupled with the proposed abandonment of the 1909 show, for it looks as if France was going to give up her position in the motor world without a struggle. The Grand Prix matter has passed through three stages : (1.) Resolution to hold the race. (2 .) A minimum of thirty entries before .,1st December. (.,.) Minimum raised to forty. The latter can hardl y be hoped for, and therefore the Grand Prix is doomed because there is no dead certainty of a French victory.
If the Grand Prix be not held, the Grand Prix of Voiturettes will also fall to the ground, as it is held unon the same circuit the dav before the great race,
