Motors and Railways. 



425 



the North British — and periodically at South of 

 Scotland Chamber of Commerce there are bitter 

 complaints about high rates charged for carriage 

 of wool and woollen goods. At meetings of 

 that body I have heard it stated that the car- 

 riage rates for goods from Galashiels to London 

 are higher per ton than from Dundee to London, 

 though Galashiels is over ninety miles nearer 

 London. Various experiments have been tried 

 and spoken of to get the better of the N.B. 

 Company — for example, motoring goods to Car- 

 lisle and then putting goods past N.B. Com- 

 pany by giving carriage to English companies. 

 But it has been found that there is a beautiful 

 understanding between the various companies, 



and competition of such a kind as this gets 

 precious little chance from the companies. Sel- 

 kirk is another tweed-manufacturing town, six 

 miles from Galashiels, and reached by a branch 

 railway. Some time ago motors — just one or 

 two were started — were tried, and, of course, 

 this saved shunting (and unloading goods at 

 Selkirk Station) at both ends and gave delivery 

 right at mill doors, and I know for a fact the 

 thing was beginning to hit the N.B. Company 

 pretty hard, and I believe cutting in prices was 

 resorted to to try and knock the motor people 

 out. I think there arc motors running yet with 

 wool. Such actual cases of delay could be multi- 

 plied almost indefinitely. 



I he maze ot shunting; and marshalling sidings on the L N.W. Kailwoy syitem at Crewe. 



WHAT MOTORS HAVE DONE IN THE MANOEUVRES. 



TiiEKE can be little question that the adequate 

 provision of motor transports was responsible 

 for the speedy termination of the recent 

 manccuvres. Full particulars of the motor equip- 

 ment used by the army are given in Motor 

 Traction, and show the almost universal appli- 

 cation of the motor as an effective auxili.iry In 

 troops on the march. One incident will sulllce 

 as a convincing illustration that the motor is 

 indispens.ible : — 



A (ircumst.ince was dcscribril by .t rommandcr whom 

 it adertcd. PrcujinK forward with all possible speed it 

 was necessnry that supplies should be well ahead, and, 

 atlhouch iKi unusual delay took place in eettinR the troops 

 along, yet ilir mecliaDical transixut oliircrs were fourlern 

 hours ahea<l with supplies — a thing never l>eforc known. 



That a new and potent factor has tjcen intro- 

 duced into the conduct of future campaigns — as 

 important as the service of the aeropl.ine in 

 lime of war — is generally recognised, and our 



War Office must have been convinced by its 

 experiments that its transport service is in neeil 

 of immediate revolution, and it is no less than 

 that to be able to discard the slow horse-drawn 

 vehicle with its own heavy forage requirements. 

 The immediate need is the selection of a 

 stand.ird type which will be .available for use in 

 all parts of the l-lmpire, for the present con- 

 fusion of types .'ind makes would involve con- 

 tinual cost, confusion and delay, as the writer 

 in .\fotor Traction points out : — 



It is perfectly clear that great benefit would accrue if 

 the whole of the mechanical transport of the Kmpire were 

 properly standardised. This means that the military 

 authorities of the Oversea Dominions should consult with 

 our own War Office, with a view to securing that types of 

 vehii Ics suitable for use in all parts of the Kmpire should 

 be selected for subsidy at home, and in rciiirn agreeing 

 that any subsidies they themselves might olTer should 

 .ipply only '" vehicles of similar types. 



