19081 'on the 31odern Motor Gar and its Effects. 165 



make the roadways up to a standard good enough for these vehicles 

 to run upon, the railway companies have only to threaten to withdraw 

 their services, and a drastic change is at once made by the electors in 

 the constitution of the local highway authority, and the immediate 

 mending of the road takes place. 



I think I may here say a word as to the effect of motor touring 

 from an international point of view. Every French motorist who 

 lands here, and every British motorist who goes abroad, learns to 

 know the other nation better, to understand its manners and habits, 

 and to enter, to a certain extent, into its political and social life. 

 There is no doubt that the friendly feeling between English and 

 French motorists has largely helped to foster and assist the " entente 

 cordiale " which has had so great an effect upon European politics. 

 Generally speaking, the governments of European countries are trying 

 to encourage the visits of touring motorists to their countries, and in 

 some cases are laying themselves out to give every information by 

 the establishment of agencies and bureaux in London and elsewhere. 

 The motor car is thus not only teaching geography and appreciation 

 of scenery, but fostering international sympathy. The warm welcome 

 also which is, as a rule, given to one brother motorist by another 

 even of different nationalities, proves that one touch of mechanics 

 makes the whole world kin. 



The importance of the world-wide increase in motoring is well 

 illustrated by the following figures : — 



Estimated Number of Motor Vehicles throughout the World, 

 in the various countries at christmas 1907. 



America 130,000 



United Kingdom 125,320 



France 32,530 



Germany 22,000 



Austria Hungary .. 9,000 



Italy 6,500 



Spain and Portugal 4 , 250 



Other countries of Europe, including Russia, Greece, 



Turkey, Roumania, etc. .. 6,000 



India and Burma 2 , 500 



Egypt, Canada, Australia, Cape Colony, Transvaal, and 



other British Colonies 3,000 



Central American States 1,000 



China, Japan, Eastern Asia, and Malay States .. .. 1,250 

 South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Peru, 



Bolivia, etc 3,000 



346,350 



Estimate for Great Britain based on — 



65,800 motorcars. 

 4,520 heavy motor vehicles for trade, etc. 

 55,000 motor bicycles. 



Total 125,320 



