I 02 



NATURE 



[October ii, 191 7 



THE CAR AND ITS DESIGN. 

 Text-hook on Motor-car Engineering. By A. 

 Graham Clark. Second edition. Vol. i., Con- 

 struction. Pp. xix + 437. {i9H-) ^o\. ii., 

 Design. Pp. xvi + 368+ 21. (1917-) (London: 

 Constable and Co., Ltd.) Price 85. 6d. net 

 each vol. 



IN these days of science applied to industry, it 

 has become the rule for each branch of 

 trade to have its own standard text-book. It is 

 therefore somewhat curious, the motor industry 

 being- the highly organised and scientific business 

 that it is, that it does not possess its own vade 

 tnecum. Of writers on matters motorish there are 

 enough, although not many, perhaps, with that 

 eng-ineering and scientific training, together with 

 applied knowledge of the subject, which are 

 essential to one who would take the part of 

 professor to the experts. No doubt that is the 

 rub. 



For this reason amongst others, we welcome 

 the second edition of Mr. Graham Clark's book, 

 particularly as in this edition it has grown to two 

 volumes, and approaches more nearly the compre- 

 hensive text-book than it formerly did. This is 

 not to say that it is likely to be hailed as the 

 standard book of the industry — Mr. Clark knows 

 the industry too well even to pretend that it is — 

 but we can unhesitatingly affirm that it is the 

 best English work on the subject. 



The two volumes, aptly named, as they are, 

 "Construction " and " Design," might with equal 

 pertinence have been entitled " Elementary " and 

 "Advanced." They will stand in that relation to 

 the student, notwithstanding the author's inten- 

 tion that they should be readable as separate and 

 individual publications. As is natural, perhaps, 

 only those well acquainted with most of that with 

 which the first volume deals will be able profit- 

 ably to peruse the second. To those who already 

 possess a fair smattering of mechanical knowledge 

 of the motor-car, and are desirous of con- 

 verting that, perhaps, superficial acquaintance 

 into technical proficiency, vol. ii. will be in- 

 valuable. Broadly speaking, students, appren- 

 ' tices, and junior draughtsmen will profitably 

 acquire and read both volumes. Senior draughts- 

 men, budding designers, and all those whose 

 knowledge of the construction of a car is more 

 than superficial will find all that they require in 

 the second volume. There are others, too, who, 

 while desirous of possessing a sound knowledge 

 of the mechanism of a car and of the broad 

 principles which underlie its construction, are un- 

 likely ever to be so placed as to need the technical 

 information which the second part of this work 

 provides. They will be sufficiently equipped 

 with vol. i. 



The first volume goes right back to the begin- 

 ning of the subject, so that the reader may come 

 to it with his mind, as regards its subject, a 

 perfect blank ; he will still be able to read and 

 digest its contents. Such a one will naturally 

 take advantage of that special feature of its 

 NO. 2502, VOL. 100] 



make-up which provides for the skipping of the 

 more difficult paragraphs, marked with an 

 asterisk, on first reading. 



The principal portion of the first volume is 

 devoted to detail descriptions of the parts of a 

 car, indicating their position in the chassis, dis- 

 cussing their functions, and finally, in as simple 

 and non-technical a manner as possible, the nature 

 of the stresses which each will have to withstand. 

 In this manner are dealt with in turn the various 

 units which form the anatomy of a car. Twenty 

 full and interesting chapters are thus utilised, 

 including a useful and comprehensive one on 

 lubrication and lubricants, and also a couple of 

 especial interest just now, on petrol and other 

 fuels which may be used in its stead. The remain- 

 ing four which go to complete the book are 

 apportioned to the steam car and the electric 

 vehicle. An appendix comprising some official 

 examination papers on the subject and various 

 useful tables conclude the volume. 



The reading of the second volume will be for 

 the student a far more adventurous affair than 

 the study of the first. The more purely technical 

 side of the subject, hitherto kept discreetly in the 

 background, is now openly portrayed in the full 

 and glaring light of day. In Mr. Clark's hands, 

 however, the prospect ceases to be an alarming 

 one. 



The arrangement of the matter is very similar 

 to that of the previous volume. A preliminary 

 chapter on materials of construction is followed 

 by several on the power unit and its details. The 

 other parts of the chassis then receive attention 

 in turn. 



A method of treatment appears to have been 

 standardised, and each component is tr/sated in 

 a way which should prove particularly helpful to 

 the student. It varies, of course, to some extent 

 according to the nature of the part under con- 

 sideration, but the difference is one of detail 

 rather than of principle. A brief opening para- 

 graph deals with the materials which are com- 

 monly used for the construction of the part; this 

 is followed by an outline of the general conditions 

 which govern the design. The nature of the 

 stresses to which the part is subject is next 

 explained, and this is naturally succeeded by a 

 disclosure of the actual methods of determina- 

 tion of the proportions of the part. Wherever 

 advisable the chapter is illustrated by drawings 

 or photographs depicting selected examples of 

 current design. Logically, the author could have 

 referred his readers to the preceding book for 

 these illustrations ; their inclusion in the second 

 volume has the desired effect of rendering that 

 volume complete in itself and self-contained. 



We are inclined to approve the somewhat un- 

 usual disposition of the necessary tables. These, 

 instead of being collected together and placed at 

 the end of the book in the form of an appendix, 

 are inserted in the text as they are required. It 

 might have been better if, instead of indexing 

 them, they had been repeated at the close in the 

 usual manner. 



