1929-12-14 — Page 15

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1929.

"PETROL'S FORGOTTEN PREDECESSORS.

[By H. Forward.]

[By Arrangement with the Morris Owner.]

INTERNATIONALITY OF THE AUTO- MOBILE INDUSTRY.

The Motor Car is Welding the People of the World

[By James D. Mooney.]

The city worker is a better thinker and door for being able to live closer to the open spaces,. while the rural dweller is made a bappior and more productive eltlion by his multitude of new, contacts with urban life.

The motor car has outstripped. all forms of communication which proceeded it. Go into the tropical fastnesses of the West Coast of Africa where the railroad, telegraph and telephone have scarcely been heard of. Beside rude huts you will find motor cars. Before long, huts will be rudo so telegraph, the radio, the rallroad, longer. Tho telephong, the

the airplane will follow the trail cut by the motor car.

and a natural draught for the proper. Combustion of the coke furnace was induced by a long [fuel was accelerated by the blast chimnoy dominating the whole from a fan mounted beneath the rear view of the vehicle. This chassis in front of the rear axle, elegant equipage needed a crew of þand driven by a chain. from a twa mon, one on a platform behind wheel thereon. belag employed in keeping the As long ago as 1835 a company engine in steam, whilst the "coach" was formed with the ambitious in- man" in the full dignity of a top tention of running a service of fhat graced the box seat and steer- steam conches between London At this distance of time it seema run on ordinary roadways.

Like ed.

and Birmingham, The company vory likely that the earliest experi- M. Cugnot's machine, this was also

David' Gordon, another inventor, had a large capital and proposed monters in the direction

of a three-wheeler, but it was a conceived the idea of utilising to employ vehicles built by a Dr. mechanical road locomotion have serious step forward in its general mechanical "horses' feet" as a Church, of Birmingham, who had passed into the realms of obscuri- conception. It employed a verti- means of propulsion, and took out introduced several improvements, His the most notable of which were ty, helped on by the active anta cal boiler with a cylinder let into a patent to that end in 1824. gonism of their contemporaries, a steam dome at the top, the piston method was to employ six hollow what were termed "olastic" wheels. ruthlessly and unmercifully. Like rod thrusting upwards against, aron legs shod at their lower ends These were constructed with rims rooted to the soil or the crude the full freeing of man to motion, Century upon century man stood and telegraph was not, however, all Innovations, their well-meant heam which, in turn, impelled the with icet," such legs depending of several layers of broad wooden pavement of the environs of his Rather it was the foundation. contrivances were calculated in- driving wheels by means of a long from a cranked shaft and actuated hoops covered with thin iron, and birth, aspiring perhaps but his These utilities represented in the evitably to arouse very strong connecting rod and cranked axle. by connecting rods between the these treads, which were very dreams confined by a horizon ne main mass transportation, vitally opposition in established and con- Murdoch's iden incorporated the lower ends of the legs and a second wide, were connected to the hubs farther away than the limit of necessary to preparation of the flicting interests, and it may be long stroke theory, for his cylinder cranked shaft coupled to and in by spring spokes. By this time, physical endurance of man and sucial structure for still another supposed, therefore, that the jalba) dimensions were 4 in. by 2 These connecting rods, or "lifting had been made with engines and beast, or the vagaries of wind and development. There, grew from out the declaration that it is the of the pioneers were rough and bore and

one," of course, considerable advance stroke respectively! full of difficulty.

rods" Legend declares that Murdoch was

termed, boilers, and it was found that

this foundation of communications greatest in the world's history, The seed of the husbandman popularly accredited

n with embodied

Telescopic action, Church's coach had a good turn of

If he were fortunate, he might the ever lowering of structures there would remain one benont sufcient to justify such recogni- never fell upon stonier ground demoniacal denlings, when his spring controlled, to allow for in- speed, having made a journey of know what his father taught him, of radio, aircraft and the motor than the tracks, dignified by the model was suddenly encountered equalities in road surface.

tion. The motor car has become The some few miles with a load of forty: or he might learn from schools car. Of these, the one touching

the greatest single welder name of highways, which the crude in full flight one evening at dusk method was eventually abandoned, puksengers at the rate of afteen circumscribed by a horizon not the lives of the most people and

of

enthusiasts were called upon to Certainly the sight of the strange mental carriage worked fairly tune, however, attended Church's might come his way but they were sperity, I Believe I can say without motor car has caused many people forgotten by some nervous loent worthy! however, as although the experi miles per hour. Constant misfor- much wider than his or Books contributing the greatest to their peoples of all races, creeds and

colours, happiness and individual" pro-

Pass over the fact that the negotiate. And in any ease, if we machine, furiously hissing and well, it was deficient in speed, even coaches, and ultimately it was few and their content again may judge by the reception accord- emitting a small shower of sparks, ¡after trials had been made over a frealised that such heavy and limited by the narrow experience fact; it does not seem to me to bo question, was the automobile. In period of years und different types, jelaborate machinery would not of bailers employed.

stand up to the road conditions

an exaggeration to say that the of the period.

motor car la the greatest creator of wealth the world has OVOT

efforts of Chose

ጉ

the rear

of the first

በ። they

were

:!

M

tide.

451

man

known.

+

Let us examine that statement with some minuteness,

If there were not these concreta ovidences of the creation of

wealth by the motor car to bear

to

of alan,

intermingle, to exchange Infrequent travellers might bring him pictures of far

thonght and goods. That is one of the factors that makes for placas, atrange peoples, but always

internationality. But the greatest bis impressions were distorted, particularly if he were the com-

force for the promotion of world

perience of the common

wide goodwill, understanding,

afforded pigments of proper huo mon "man: "Nothing in the . ex-

peace, is the very internationality of the manufacture of the motor car. We recognize that no one or true proportions, or accurate The automobile has given tonation can build a motor car with perspective with which to palut a man a means of rapidly moving out materials from scores of

accomplishments perhaps no far-immediate neighbourhood, but far to the frontiera" "Automobile face their thoughts, their values, their to place, not only within his own picture of fellow human beings, himself and his family from place others. Already the motor i

dustry la following the motor car

mountaing, across a torrid plain.

Ronal facility with which to move world to a leaf. The automotive his goods in comparatively small industry is becoming the chief quantities cheaply and with un-circulatory system of that loaf, heard of rapidity, upon short haule ever pushing and strengthening --even comparatively long hauls. the channels through which com He no longer is dependent upon mercial life flows. the restrictions necessarily im- posed on masa cooperative transportation. He moves when and where he pleases.

I

od to their succesers, the first may, well havb daunted the foot experimenters of whom we have passenger coming upon it un- more or less reliable records, it is expectedly, but this story is die The Birth of the Differential. mufe to assume that, so far from counted by evidence that the model

When It is remembered that a receiving encouragement. they was, in fhet, demonstrated in were seeking for a means to over good ronda was regarded as About this time experimenters speed of fifteen. miles per hour were more likely to have been room, where it was made to carry obviate the cumbersome and incon bordering on the reckless, it may classified as a particularly object) a lond consisting of the fire shovel, venient separate driving wheel be supposed that they were adven tionable, brand of sorcerera," aud) poker and tongs. denit with in the approved fashion) From the foregoing it will be the birth of the differential. This

clutches, and the year 1827 saw turous spirits, those forty! of the day.

seen that men were seriously device has been of paramount ini An Early French Effort.

Conflicting Interests. employing their ingenuity to tackle One of the earliest attempts the problem of improvements in road traction, and the honour of earlier inventura of mechanical ¡portance in the development of It has been remarked that the about which anything definite. Is road travel. A Cornish mine its conception belongs in known was made by a Frenchman engineer, Richard Trevithick, has nesiphore Pecqueur, of Pas de almost every step by the opposition ther away than beyond a range of afield. It has given him the per- tories dot the world. Liken the

M. road vehicles were hampered at named Cugnot in 1765-1771. This been given the credit for the first Calais, The Pecqueur differential of various sections of the public, ingenious gentleman actually built practical steam carriage, "for in was substantially the same as that more particularly those whose A vehicle propelled by team, 1802 he evolved a curious vehicle in use to-day, and in the inventor's avocat fans were directly or in which one might be excused in having huge wheels. these days for thinking to be male can learn, this was a serious that, had they known of the menus of transport. This opposi So far as patent he gives it as his opinion directly concerned with existing worthy of the best traditions of attemmit at a conveyance profess Mr. Heath Robinson. Brieft it ing some claims for the comfort of principle, the English engineers tion was exceedingly bitter and was a machino having three road its passengers, although the great locomotives and steam conches a high ran

would probably have established took many forms, according to how wheels, the foremost of which was size of the wheels will not long time ago."

the feelings of the driven by a pair of cylinders, locat- reasonably, encender doubts in the

"agerieved" parties, and it can be ed vertically above it. These matter of ingress and excess,

In 1829 Walter Hancock put on readily imagined_that_such minor cylinders were of 13 in bore and

The Cornish Wizard.

the road a steam coach which, in mishaps as were bound to occur to stroke and transmitted their energy through dhe ordinary

Trevithick's steam carriage had accordance with accepted coaching the early steam couches were he seized upon by their enemies practice surviving to-day, medium of connecting rods to a single cylinder disposed horizon-

named "The Sun."

until This was quite with avidity.

finnfly ratchet wheels on the axle of the tally, which imparted motion to the ambitious vehicle, weighing action was taken in Parliament to front wheel. Suspended in a huge road wheel through a some- éradle in front of the whole chassis what complicated system of cross, three-and-a-half tons with fuel and regulate the use of atcom vehicles was a round boiler of pudding-like head and connecting rod acting on water, and had an average speed or light locomotives upon the aspert The driver of this in- a countershaft, and thence by of some nine miles per hour. The public roads, teresting engine sat on a massive gear wheels engaging with power unit comprised two vertical precarious sent attached direct to still larger gears on the rear axle. ylinders placed over the rear axle, gave the opponents to the move- the chassis between the wheel Separate, clutches, of a primitive this axie was carried in a "flexible" such weight was brought to bear which was, of course, cranked, and ment, their great opportunity, and

centres.

type, on each side of the counter-

rond wheels on the legislators concerned by Willum Murdoch's Invention. shaft, were used, which indiendes In 1784, William Murdoch, who that the need of some form of outed loose on the axle and in the opposite faction that the was employed as an assistant to differential was appreciated. The this instance, again, we find autimate effect was to cripple, for the celebrated James Watt, made boiler was accommodated at the separate clutch te ench wheel em- the time being, the development a small steam model designed a rear between the chassis members, ployed in lieu of a differential of the industry."

+

"J

framework.

for Economical Transportation

CHEVROLET

The Outstanding

The

This action by the authorition

Truck of

Chevrolet History

ALWAYS ON, TIME!

Hauling schedules run with strict regularity when the New Ohovrolet Truck does the job.

Watch A New Chevrolet handle a full ..capacity load-in congested city trafic-out where the grades are steep or where the routes are sandy or muddy.

For lashing acceleration-the new six cylin- der engine, for power-the new accelerator

**READY for delIVERY.

TOURER.

G.$790.

pump, for sudden stops-the new four-wheel powerful brakes,

Orowning all this is a degree of that economy which has made Chevrolet famous for years throughout the world-which has helped in no small measure to make Chevrolet the world's largest builder of trucks.

SEDAN......G.$980

G.$755.

ROADSTER......G.$790. ·

14 ton TRUCK CHASSIS...

.יון

THE HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE

25 Queen's Road Central

Tel. Central 4759.

James D. Mooney, president of General Motors Exports Co. which does the largest over sens, business in the world.

As the industry grows the nations are bound to become more and more commercially inter dependent. And nations morcially interdependent and a way to avoid quarrels.

com-

In a general way this was bound to result in his greater prosperity. Moving about himself he obtained not distant fature that the india, Is it too much to expect in the first hand knowledge of sources of pensable utility of family life to- supply, new methods of manufae day shall become the artery tura and new markets. His health through which the priceless boon was bettered. The increased hap-of world friendship shall circulate

between all the civilized nationa?

DESERT PICKED FOR RACES.

piness of his entire family was reflected in his own great anima- understand ton. Everyone can that it is not mere coincidence that national standards of living have gone up wherever the motor car has come into general use; The United States affords the best are to be run next year from Two important automobile races proof of this as an accomplished Algeria to the Sudan. The more fact, but there are a score of important of the two will be known countries to-day where. ono masina Life "Grand Prix du Sahara." see the fact working out before bleThese races will be a landmark in the history of the great African

very eyes.

As rapidly as the far corners of desert. They will show the world how the actual means of communi- the world take to rubber-tyredeations across the sand hills or personal locomotion, universal along the stoney wilderness, have prosperity grows. This is true bo been made easy. New tracks have cause the automobile is not a pio-been created and the old camel duct of one country. In the pro- caravan ones greatly improved." So, for centuries, small groups cess of supplying the transporta The tracks of men lived in their darkened tion, universal prosperity grows. Sahara now cover about 3,000 kilo-.

over the Algerian theatres, playing their samo little This is true because the

au- metera. parts over and over, with no tomobile is not a product of one knowledge of what lay beyond,the enuntry. In the process of supply- doora.

ing the transportation needs of the individual, the wealth of the

HIGHWAYS IN JAVA. Then one day a daring out whole world is builded. The raw peered through a crack and pushed materials which go into an au- the portal open, a little way. The Lomobile are not produced in one ways in the world are on the Some of the most beautifal high- principle of the wheel had been for a dozen countries. They come Island of Jaya. discovered. Man tied an animal from scores. If the United States alop the roadsides, have a charm- Trees, planted to his first crude carts and cruised or France, or Spain or Latin- ing effect on travel or the Island, up and down his particular lapa America were suddenly to be shut more than 15,000 miles of fond There, for lack of the development off from communication with the being shaded. of communication which might outside world, the production of have stirred his imagination and motor cars would almost halt. stimulated a desire to go farther, ha cruised for centuries longer.

almost universal,

the

Specific economic benefits to the Ignorance of each other being hundreds of thousands of mon throughout the world engaged in It naturally the direct process of manufactur- followed that when there was ing motor cars are enormous and contact there was conflict. Wars obvious. But back of these there crowded upsù wars, wars within open endless vistas of employment nations, wars between nations. and profit for countless other In-

Wasteful and slow as thila dividuals. In order that method of developing civilization direct processes of manufacture ndoubtedly wus, it served an im-may go on there is employment for portant purpose. A considerable the rubber plantation workers of portion of mankind finally slashed Java, iron miners of America, a way to the right to think and do cotton workers of India and Egypt, much as man pleased. Possessed tenders of the silk-worm in Japan, of this right man cast restlessly cork-cuttera in Spain, the men who about to see what he would do with produce Lantulum, Lungatep, it. The dawn of the industrial barlum, nickel, wood, resin, tur- revolution of the nineteenth cen- pentine, asbestos and many other tury was the result. Man began materials from scattered landa' to find easier ways to produce the which go. Into the motor car. things he needed for mere QX- istence or wanted for pleasure.

mera

Countless employees of steam- ships and railroads who haul these raw materials to the factories and There was no real industrial transport the finished product development until, upon the boels retain their share of the golden of the revolution, the age of com-flow. The men who sell and sor. munication dawned-one of the vice cara, the men who drawoll profoundest changes in human from the earth, transport it, réfina history. In rapid sequence there it into gasoline and lubricants, came the steamship, railroad, distribute it to the thirty-two telegraph and telephone, all million motor cara now being facilities for the quick movement operated in the world, constitute of men, their goods, their thoughts, another, huge army of the benefit- The dam broken, the beneficient ed. food poured out, picked up the

common man and whirled, him on The very ground over which au- and up. I emphasize the commen; tomobiles are driven has boon in- man because he has been lifted cregued in value by 'that travel. to a level of social organization Suburban realty values have within the past thirty years mounted with the demand for reserved for thousands of years homes away from the congestion for princes. This has meant an of cities, a demand Impossible. unleashing of mental capacities without the automobile as a quick, productive of the uncounted won-personal means of transportation ders of our age, and prophetic of between home and place of employ- no one knows what fundamentalsment. Porductive farm lande of understanding, peace and hap. which were low in valus because of piness in years to come.

distance from trading centres have mounted-fan, the cantomobile Invention and development of brought city and farm within saay the steamship, railroad, telephone reach of each other,

GREAT WESTERN

Storage No. 1 BATTERIES

for Aumotohile

Starting

Lighting

Cu

GREAT WESTEEN

Type: WU6II-90 amps Replacement for—; FORD

STAR DORT

CLEVELAND

CHEVROLET

OVERLAND

ERSKINE

·BUICK: STD, STUDEBAKER LIGHT 6. ESSEX

Price H.K. $17.80

The Hongkong Hotel Garage

Tel. 0.4769

Tel. 0, 4759

Page 15Page 16