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„ b14 The MORRIS Owner 18 MARCH, 1938
Dirty plugs waste petrol as much as one gallon in ten—and cause difficult starting—loss of power and poor running.
The cure— get your plugs cleaned to-day at any Registered AC Cleaning Station while you wait.
Look for this money- saving sign in your—* PLUG own locality CLEANING quality plugs TESTING
THE MORRIS OWNER IS AN EXCELLENT MEDIUM FOR ALL ADVERTISEMENTS. crs'
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OWNERContrglled Viscount Nuffield Editor : C. R. Lucato
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No. 1 Vot. XV PRICE FOURPENCE MARCH, 1938 44" te, crs. r4C2 The MORRIS Owner Editorial Opinions THE LEADING BRITISH MOTORING MONTHLY THE INSURANCE CERTIFICATE THE 1VIORRIS OWNER is published monthly. Editorial con- tributions and advertisement copy should be addressed to MUST BE PRODUCED IN THE THE MORRIS OWNER, EVENT OF PERSONAL INJURY Cowley, Oxford. Teiephave: Oxford 7105. Telegrams: "morpress," Telex, Oxford. NE of the most complex of the many tangles Telex : Oxford Telex 3622. produced by the obscure verbiage of the Road Advertisements of goods manufactured by concerns of good O Traffic Act is that relating to the duty of a repute only are accepted for publication in THE MORRIS OWNER. Advertisers' statements or claims are not necessarily motorist after an accident. We doubt whether any ndorsed officially by Morris Motors Ltd. motorist who is not a lawyer knows correctly what his duty is in such a case. The trouble arises out of the piecemeal drafting CONTENTS for of the Act. Section 22 of the Act is headed" Accidents —Duty to stop in case of accident" and one might MARCH, 1938 pardonably suppose that this contained the law upon PAGE the subject. Well, it contains some of it. It says EDITORIAL ... ... ... . . 19 Kaaprem THE CYLINDERS YOUNG ... . - . 22 that if a motorist is involved in an accident causing AN AvERAcs ANALYSIS ... ...... 25 MUSINGS AwnEw. ... ... ... ... ... 28 damage or injury to any person, vehicle or animal, THE MYSTICAL ISLE OF HY BRAZIL., ... ... SO then he must first of all stop. WHEN LITT= BIRDS RIDE ON BIG BIRDS .. ...... 3$ SAJ.E5 REPORT 34 After that he has to give his name and address and HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE ... ... ... ... .., 38 WITH A MORRIS IN THE SEVENTEENTH MONTERLOCA RALLYV ... 40 the name and address of the owner of the vehicle RUNNING HINTS IN PICTURES . • . ... ...... . 43 and the identification marks of the vehicle to "any lay FAVOURITE PICNIC SPOT - ... .. ...... 44 GARAGE SUITES ... ••• - •• ... - ...... 48 person having reasonable grounds for requiring them." PICTURES OF THE 310:4Ta ... ... ... .. ... 49 WHEN YOU VISIT A CATHEDRAL ... • . • ..• ...... - • 52 But if this other person is not given the driver's THE LAW SAYS- • 55 name and address, then—and only then—the accident SHALL WE SEND THE TRAFFIC TO EARTH? ... . 58 RUBOR DEVELOPMENT AND YOUR GARAGE ... • . 80 must be reported to the police within twenty-four YACHTING AND MOTOR.BOATINO ... . • • ... . • . 64 THE FOURTH MORRIS CONTINENTAL RALLY ...... . 67 hours. MORRIS Exmses IN I xnusTav ... ... . . ... . 71 That is complicated enough ; but there is much 4 ITIIER OWNERS' OPINIONS .. ... • . -• • • •• • 75 1 vFONMAT ION BUREAU -. . - . .. ...... NO worse to come. In the first place this section does ORA. crs' — -- The MORRIS Owner 20 MARCH, 1938
Editorial Opinions—contd. the owner—probably by virtue of a mortgage—with a sirfall house having a garden insufficient to permit not apply to damage to property other than vehicles, of turning round conveniently, the man who is and in the second place the expression " animal " least able to afford to keep his car in a public garage ? is defined as meaning "any horse, cattle, ass, mule, Very often the neighbourhood is one where garages sheep, pig, goat or dog." are few and far between, because licence to build filling Therefore the motorist who knocks down a lamp- stations on a busy main road is given reluctantly. post or collides with a circus elephant or kills a cat We have not yet heard of a case where the Minister is under no duty other than moral to stop or report. has given his consent subject to the construction of And in the third place an entirely different duty a turntable in the garage, an item which for a small is thrust upon drivers by a totally different section car need not be unduly costly. It could revolve of the Act—section 40. This applies only to accidents on a central pivot, with a circular floor running on a involving personal injuries. It says that in such circular steel track at its periphery ; the construction accidents motorists must either produce their certifi- of such a device is not even beyond the reasonably cate of insurance at the time to a constable or to a gifted handyman. person having reasonable grounds for requiring it, Moreover, lithe Minister put forward this suggestion or, if they do not do that, they must report the as a solution, we are quite sure that turntables at a accident within twenty-four hours, and then produce modest price would soon be marketed ready for fitting. the certificate to the police. In that the section of the community affected most It often occurs that drivers after an accident in- is one to whom the pleasure, convenience and health volving personal injury comply with the requirements incidental to a small car mean more than to more of section 22, but forget the additional provision of affluent strata, we feel that an effort should be made section 40. So doing, they run the risk of a i20 fine. by all concerned to grant garage facilities so long How absurdly complicated the law on this subject as the general safety of the highway is preserved. is can be seen by summing it up. The Act, it is seen, • . divides accidents in practice into three categories. (r) Collisions with lamp-posts, walls, gates, elephants, YOU MAY BE WORTH MORE DEAD THAN cats, and the like : duties—nil. (2) Collisions in- volving damage to vehicles or " animals " : duties—(a) ALIVE 40eORA , to stop, (b) either to give name and address, etc., or ACCIDENTAL LEGISLATION 'A to report within twenty-four hours. (3) Collisions crs' <<, TT will be observed that our legal correspondent involving personal injury : duties—(a) to stop, (b) I refers to cases that have arisen out of the decision either to give name and address, etc., and produce that damages can be awarded to heirs of persons insurance certificate, or to report within twenty-four killed in a motor accident to compensate the deceased hours and produce the certificate to the police. How many motorists can be expected to carry all for his loss of expectation of life. this in their heads passes our comprehension. Not It may be remembered that this state of affairs even the Highway Code gives a list of the animals arose through the effects of two sets of unrelated that are " animals " within the meaning of the Act. circumstances. In the first, a High Court decision in 1934 set out • • the principle that a man who had his expectation of KEEPING YOU OFF YOUR OWN LAND life shortened by eight or nine years, as a result of his injuries, was entitled to compensation for it, quite A BY-PRODUCT 01? THE RIBBON DEVELOPMENT BILL apart from the damages incidental to the injury. T N an article on ribbon development in this issue Then the Law Reform Act of 1934 provided that I a barrister makes it clear that the effect of this damages to which a deceased person would normally Act has been to deprive a very large number of be entitled could be claimed by his personal repre- people of garages. The Act has given the Council sentatives. wide powers of refusal, although, to safeguard the The position is to a great extent accidental, and in motorist from prejudice and caprice, and to prevent an age of crazy motoring legislation it must be pointed land-owning councillors from increasing the value out that even our law-givers were not responsible for a of their own land, the humblest householder has a state of affairs which allows the relatives of a deceased right of appeal to the Minister of Transport, who has person to derive substantial pecuniary benefit merely the final word. because he was killed in an accident—not necessarily A frequent cause for refusal is the circumstance a motor accident. This irrespective of whether the that the new garage will imply either reversing on beneficiary has suffered pecuniary loss by the decease, to a main road or reversing off it, a consideration as would happen in the case of a breadwinner. which obviously demands the most careful analysis by If this accidental state of affairs had occurred in all concerned. In a very large number of instances, Germany, Italy or France, legislation would have the Minister when called upon to decide has decided been introduced to put an end to it within a month. against the householder. It will be interesting to see how long our own Might we suggest that an unfortunate aspect of Government takes to remedy a trick in law which the matter is that the man most likely to suffer is savours of ghoulishness.
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— -- M.-uteri, 1938 21 The MORRIS Owner
- • • u•mazIMONAWT AN EVENING RUN rr HE glow in the west sends a message of rest, IL As westward and seaward we speed on our way. With the breezes outpaced by the wind of our haste, Through the byways of sunset that bid us delay. The magic enthralls us, the infinite calls us, The land that is forward will soon be behind; Still onward and thither—what reck we of whither We laugh to the woodlands and shout to the wind. ORA ApALA, 40‹,. 71 4' Each meadow and stream is asleep and a-dream : 1-194c; crs' Rushes and lilies lie still on the tide : Lilies and rushes where eventide flushes, Hedges and hamlets and pasture-fields wide. We scarcely descry them before we are by them: The seen slips behind and the far is the near _ With the joy of a race for some coveted place, Each moment delights us, each moment is dear.
There's a patter of rain as we traverse the plain. A rustle of drops as we leap to the hill ; And the fragrance of night is a tingling delight As it gathers from meadows and bushes a thrill. Thai a sea-scent that mingles from wet weeded shingles— See, see !—and the rush of our speeding is o'er : A tide that is flowing and fisher-boats going, And limitless ocean that lures from the shore. ARTHUR L. SALMON.
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4sighORA2p (.16-WV The MORRIS Owner 22 MARCH, 1038
TO AVOID WEAR ' THE BORES
The life of the cylinder bores of similar engines varies only because the attention and care of different owners vary. ttcnriORA , Adequate lubrication and consistently rapid warming up will enable the prudent driver to attain prodigious mileages. cc• EARLY everybody will be aware that one of to work up past the piston rings. Apart front any s the principal causes of cylinder wear is corro- considerations of corrosion, the fact that the surfaces N sion.ston. Recent research in the laboratory of are unlubricated will obviously tend to increase wear. the Institute of Automobile Engineers has shown We should avoid so far as possible bringing the car that the particles of metal are lost not so much from the garage and leaving it in front of the house when the car is in use as when it is standing idle, par- while we get ready for a run. By this process we ticularly when it is warming up with the engine turning obviously have to account for two additional periods over relatively slowly or cooling down after a run. of corrosion : corrosion engendered when the engine This corrosion, it has been revealed, is caused by is cooling down and when it is warming up again. the acids in the products of combrini , ePlidh, We should be far better advised those remaining on the cylinder to wait until the party is ready engine has stopped. to leave, and move of within a Now although these days all this few minutes of arriving with the car. is common knowledge to most people, it is observable that a very Starting Away large number of folk fail to take Nobody is going to suggest, of the obvious course and reduce course, that one should make a these periods of corrosion to a fetish of stopping and starting ; one minimum. can, however, suggest that there are innumerable instances that can To begin with be avoided. For instance, any We can begin when we number of people have a routine first take the car out of the ' procedure of getting up in the garage. We can prevent a morning and driving the car round certain amount of wear by to the front of the house, where it using the strangler as little as remains all the morning until it is possible. The strangler has required. the effect, to some extent, of A carburetter supplying an over-rich Very often the reason for this mixture may be a fruitful cause of swilling the cylinders with corrosion and consequently short-lived removal first thing in the morning neat fuel and so washing cylinder bores. Adjustment is a simple is the circumstance that one prefers matter ; moving the spanner to the away the film of oil which has right will weaken the mixture. to visit the garage in an old coat or
(ORA, 40ORA
Keeping the Cylinders Young—contd. It is this side thrust which causes the wear, and not the number of times the piston goes up and dressing gown to avoid soiling the raiment used for down the cylinder. This is why cylinders wear oval social calls. The remedy is obviously to have either in the course of time. The wear is nearly all on a clean or wider garage. the side of the thrust. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that if we avoid this side thrust as much as possible we shall prolong the life of the cylinders. I suppose it should be hardly necessary to mention that niggardliness with oil will induce cylinder wear quicker than anything else. A System with Failings The writer believes that the oil drum system has something to answer for in the matter of oil starvation, although it should be entirely the other way. He has frequently noticed that those who buy their oil five gallons at a time—the only sensible way to buy it—are reluctant to buy odd quarts on the road, probably owing to the great difference in price. He has on many occasions been out with a man who has taken a look at the dipstick, found the level to be approaching the low mark, and put it back again, declaring his intention at the same time to top-up as soon as he gets home. If he has not far to go and he remembers to top up when he arrives, quite likely little harm is done, but anybody who runs with the oil supply approaching the low level for very long is asking for cylinder wear. Similarly when the car is brought back at night. Many people leave it cr outside the house until they have had crs. their dinner, then take it round to the garage. There is seldom any reason why it should not be driven straight in, except the universal human failing of never doing at the moment what can be put off until later on. You will doubtless have noticed that certain drivers are hard on cylinders. You will hear of one man complaining because he has had his car rebored at 20,000 miles, while another has the bores in quite good condition at 50,000. A factor which influences the matter tremendously is the readiness with which a driver changes down on a hill. Side Thrust : There are a tremendous number of '11 hills which the car will just climb on top with a full load of passengers. !I Indeed, so good is the modern car that it will amble up most main road hills for that matter. Now that nearly all of us have a four-speed gearbox, however, :i there is really no excuse for hanging Showing how side thrust can wear a cylinder. This old block from a scrap heap passes scrutiny easily with the gauge inserted in line with the crankshaft on to a top gear unnecessarily,' and it different state of affairs across the should easily be realised, even by the (left), but reveals a very bore (right). non-mechanically minded, that when our engine is Every Morris car that takes the road is equipped turning over relatively slowly on a high gear and a with a quart can holder, in order to ensure that the steep hill, the side thrust is ever so much more than owner is never, by any chance, without an oil supply. it would be when running faster and lighter. If, therefore, you affect a five-gallon drum, it is
(ORA, 40ORA
The MORRIS Owner 24 MARCH, 1938
Keeping the Cylinders Young—contd. of the heavier fractions, paraffin for instance, and although it is highly illegal, cases have been known merely a question of keeping the can filled, but if for where it has been carried out. any reason it is used, and the oil is found below the Unless, therefore, one has means of knowing that low level on the road, you can be sure, if you have an unbranded fuel is satisfactory, will vaporise readily anything more than a few miles to do, that you are at all normal temperatures, including warming-up spending more in cylinder wear than the price of a temperatures, without an increased quantity 1)f quart of oil in getting back to your drum. unvapmised fuel in the cylinder, calculated to Very often, of course, the level is allowed to get wash the oil from the walls, low-priced fuels are low through neglect to take out the dipstick, and better left alone. In some cases the oil companies. we all ought to resolve to look at it twice a week, who take an interest in such things, have found the say on Mondays and Wednesdays, if we are using oil in the crankcase very badly diluted when fuel the car continuously, and at least every Friday-- whose only recommendation is cheapness has been when we are told to pump up our tyres—if we only used. The heavier fractions run down into the sump, go out on long runs at week-ends. thereby robbing the oil of some of its value as a Use good oil—which means, in effect, one marketed lubricant. by a concern of repute. The average man has no Tablet Form means of discrimination, and should rely on the We are sometimes asked if the use of dopes for purchase of oil from those who go to great trouble the fuel, usually in tablet form, is to be recommended and expense to ensure that the grade best suited to the particular engine is supplied. One cannot be too particular in changing the oil in the sump at the intervals recommended in the Manuals—usually about twelve hundred miles. Upon the free circulation of clean oil the whole system of lubrication depends, and although the filters hold back most of the impurities, there are still filter- AU new Morris cars are sent passing particles in circulation acting as an abrasive out with a when the oil has served its useful period of life. quart tin of oil in a holder on ttcnriORA , It used to be assumed, also, that the oil breaks the dash for cc• emergency down through wear—that the molecules actually use. This become worn out, but on this question there are now should never divided opinions. Almost needless to chronicle, the be left empty. filter should be kept clean. On current models there is an external oil filter, but where an external oil filter is not fitted, at intervals of about ten thousand miles at least the bigger filter in the base should be cleaned with a brush, by the expedient, com- paratively simple, though rather prolonged, of lowering the sump. as a means of preventing cylinder wear, and we can The Carburetter's Liability only say that it depends on the dope. The carburetter—if it has been badly neglected— When a car is frequently started up several is not always blameless in the matter of cylinder times during the day, as happens if it is used for wear. An instrument which is continuously feeding shopping purposes, a radiator muff can play an an over-rich mixture, especially when cheap fuels important part in warding off wear, in that it are used, tends to wash lubricant from the cylinder reduces the time required for warming up, and, of walls, and wear must be the inevitable consequence. course, when the stop is of short duration will, to The S.U. carburetter fitted to Morris cars is one of some extent, prevent the temperatitre falling suffi- the simplest possible to adjust, and there is no ciently low to induce corrosion. .A thermostat in excuse for any owner running with an over-rich the cooling system (standard on most recent Morris mixture. models) is better still, and where a car spends a great What we have said about cheap oils also applies, deal of its day in stopping and restarting—as in to a lesser extent, to cheap fuel. Most of the petrol the case of a commercial traveller's--it is an ad- companies sell a second grade of fuel, as I write vantage in the Winter to have both. at is. 5d., which is perfectly satisfactory. In most instances it is constituted practically the same as R.A.C. RALLY, 1938 the number one petrols of three or four years ago, VER fifty entries, including a number from manufac- and apart from a tendency to pink, especially in turers, have already been received for the R.A.C. O Rally which will take place from the -26th-3oth April, dirty engines, will give satisfaction. It will 1938, terminating at Blackpool. The maximum number of readily be realised, however, that it is a simple entries that can be accepted is four hundred, and not more matter to produce an inferior fuel by the addition than one hundred are permitted to start from any one control. - -- MARCH, 1938 25 The MORRIS Owner AN AVERAGE ANALYSIS
A RUN OF SEVENTY-FIVE MILES CHECKED BY STOP- WATCH AND SPEEDOMETER
By JOHN PENN
y F you maintain high averages are you being I fair to yourself ? When you set out cn a run with the object of getting to your destination as quickly as possible are you au fail with your car ? To be able to maintain high averages in safety one must be comfortably seated, and ORlio Aylesbury, reached in eighteen minutes, gave an average speed of 4"cfp have unrestricted space for arm movement. 39.99 m.p.h. for the twelve miles. ct s' • discriminative over details. Even more important to personal comfort is the vital question of tyres. Is there any tread on them ? The . essence of being a thorough motorist • is never to allow one's tyres to wear smooth. There is only one cure for worn tyres—scrap them ! Tyres with sound tread mean safety on corners, and maximum road grip when the brakes are applied. That brings me to the subject of brakes. A Brake Test
. Supposing I have to apply iny brakes suddenly in an emergency, will my car pull up in a dead straight line ? If I value my life, the day before a long run I always check up my brakes by locking them on a straight stretch of road and examine the skid marks, the wheel showing the longest skid mark receiving attention. In pottering round town or driving leisurely to The " S " bend between Aylesbury and Waddesdon : accurate Judgment of what constitutes a safe speed for corners is called for. business the brakes tend to get out of adjustment and it is a wise The horn button must come readily to hand, and policy to examine them periodically. The certainty the driving mirror must be focussed in such a way of all four brakes going on at once is an important that the road is visible to its farthest limit. Perhaps feature of Morris cars, thanks to the hydraulic brak- this is being fastidious, but one cannot be too ing system, but, even so, the motorist who drives on
Osi? r4stak2p 40ORA An Average Analysis—contd. Manchester or Newcastle in the rush hour. My idea was to choose a perfectly straightforward cross- his brakes has to pay for it. Worn tyres and country route on a weekday. Whether I was justified brake linings are the result. So the problem of in choosing a Saturday or not remains to be seen. maintaining a high average in safety does not rest However, the results as set out in the table are quite with the brakes alone. It is a personal affair. One satisfactory and I doubt whether there would have been any improvement if any other weekday were chosen. If I know of any alternative route that makes one town less on my itinerary I use it. This policy saves time. The Test Car For the test a Morris Eight saloon was used having a maximum speed of 6o m.p.h. At 50 m.p.h. the engine turns over at 3425 r.p.m., so that at 6o m.p.h., reached under favourable conditions, the revs exceeded 4000 r.p.m., and this speed was used on many occasions consistent with safety. In built-up areas the legal speed was never exceeded and nowhere did my driving involve any risk whatso- ever. It is quite a pleasure to say that worn tarmac road surfaces be- tween Berkhamsted and Coventry are scarce, but the corners are numerous and the road has not been ORA■ otto ttc yi, modernised anywhere. To compile 44" cc• an average chart with stop watch must judge exactly what speed is safe for any given corner ; what gear to use when overtaking another car uphill ; when to change ; how much to slow up to enable an oncoming car to pass an obstruction ahead ; to decide what speed is safe on a worn, wet tarmac surface, and a host of other points. Suburban Deceleration Since the speed limit was in- troduced the most noticeable slowing up of traffic is in the suburbs of large towns which are often need- lessly rearicted. As much as twenty- two per cent. of Britain's highways are restricted. In some instances it is not fair to expect the motorist to proceed at a leisurely 30 m.p.h. when 50 m.p.h. is safe, and that is the temptation which many motorists have to overcome if they ! are to keep within the law. Two track roads in the suburbs which are adorned with the familiar "30" sign are a potential source of revenue to the police. and speedometer forms a valuable guide to the Don't fall into the trap. state of the roads. The average analysis shows In compiling this average analysis I took care at once which section of road is best, and makes not to start from the centre of a large city such as interesting comparison with other sections. So if 021). crs' MARCH, 1938 27 The MORRIS Owner An Average Anasis—contd. tallied, thanks to the Romans, who insisted on having straight roads although it was not an age of speed. your average on one section works out to three- To compile an average analysis makes you realise fifths of another section then the reason for the loss that your car can get from place to place by a of time must be a bad road. schedule as exact as any railway time-table, and A glance at the table will show that out of the this in itself is a great satisfaction, as your train is seventy-five miles, eleven consisted of built-up areas. ready to start when you are ready. This distance was covered in 98i minutes, which THE ANALYSIS gives an average speed of 45.66 m.p.h. It will be noticed that the worst average was between Built-up Rtinninginiaance Average Area Tim I (miles} Retnorks Berkhamsted and Tring, a road of which two-thirds Conies) (tam:el , (m.p.h.) is restricted, and the rest made up of blind corners Berkhamsted with but few straight sections. Between New Ground (Town Hall) cross-roads and Tring the ascent of the hill at Pendley Beeches is noteworthy on account of a road l'ring (Rose ., Windingroad, 2 improvement consisting of a banked corner. This and Crown) 9 5 33 bad sighting. year as many as 7000 banked corners have come into Aylesbury being in this country, making for safer motoring. (Market Place) 21 9 7 46 Ribbon Development at Aylesbury Waddesdon 2 7/ 6 48 No motorist can ignore the de-restricted approach Very fast to Aylesbury with ribbon development on either Bicester ... I 13 12 55.2 road, straight side, showing that this official blunder was at least sections. a broad-minded one. Many other municipalities Gradients and could easily take the tip from Aylesbury in de- Aynho ... 1 1 2 restricting their roads. Aylesbury's market place 9 45 bends. is a time stealer where one gets hung up at the Banbury Narrow sec- traffic lights, or where one is obliged to brake suddenly Cross ... I 9 6 39.9 tions, bends, to avoid a pedestrian who has decided to make use bad sighting. — of a crossing when the lights have changed to "GO." Wa.rmington 1 3 8 In Germany this is a punishable offence, and pedes- Church ... 6 45 trians are prohibited from crossing when the lights , Good open are against them whether there is any traffic or not. Warwick ... I , 17 i 4 4y Beyond the county town of Bucks. I could not I road. help noticing a very acute banked corner with an Coventry ... — 1 14 .10 42 environment of flat fields. A banked corner certainly assists road holding, but I never feel inclined to II 1 98i 75 — take it at a higher speed on account of this. Seventy-five miles in 98/ minutes equals 45.66 m.p.h. Between Waddesdon and Bicester, a distance of A seventh of the total mileage covered consisted of driving twelve miles, an average of 55.2 m.p.h. was main- in a restricted area. International Trophy Race- for individual group winners are given customary reversing prism is used. Brooklands by Clement Talbot Ltd., The Autocar The Gine Department will be pleased and the B.A.R.C., together with to lend schools and institutions copies NEW additional prize is offered additional cash prizes presented by of these films, free of charge, upon this year in the J.C.C.'s Inter- S. Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) application. national Trophy Race at Brook- Ltd. lands on 7th May. Entries at single fees (i2O per car) British Car Exports to the It sometimes happens that certain close on 31st March. Copies of the cars axe at a disadvantage on the regulations and entry forms are Empire score of age, and, realising this, the available from the General Secretary, ETURNS for the eleven months Club is offering a special award of Junior Car Club, Empire House, to the end of November, 1937, ‘50 to the entrant of the car which, Brompton Road, London, S.W.7. R show that the total British car having been raced prior to 1st January, exports to the Empire increased by 1937, is placed highest in the general approximately thirty-four per cent. classilic ttion of results and does not A Film Library compared with the corresponding finish in the first three. HE Gine Department of Morris -pericd for 1936. The principal awards are : 1st: Motors Ltd., which is responsible Australia and New Zealand were £250 cash, the Wakefield Trophy T for producing the films that have largely responsible for the increase, (value zoo), the S.M.M. & T. Challenge had such success around the country, and it is interesting to note in this Trophy (with replica in miniature) ; has inaugurated a library of them connection that orders received from and : two cash ; 3rd : £50 cash ; in 16 mm. size. Australia for Morris cars during 1937 4th : Trophy presented by Charles These axe "sound" films to S.M.P.E. were more than double the 1936 Follett Ltd. standards and cannot be run on a shipments. There is a cash prize of L'Ilao pre- silent machine. They may. however, In four years Australian orders for sented by Joseph Lucas Ltd. for the be projected on a sound model equip- Morris cars have risen by six hundred hrst British car, and handsome trophies ped for Din standards, provided the per cent. 10*. Ct* Cis"( The MORRIS Owner 28 MARCH, 1938 _ IDLE THOUGHTS UPON MOTORING MATTERS OF THE MOMENT Crime, Coddling and Comfort Let it be understood that I am not commenting ou have all from time to time heard that much upon this circumstance at all. I am merely handing as the authorities would like to increase the it over as an item of information ; I think you ought ymileage of good roads in this country, there is to know where some of your money—which cannot the question of finance; this despite the fact that be spared for roads—is going. motorists contribute in motor taxation alone three It would be interesting if somebody with the time times as much as is expended. to spare would find out how much other money is I believe that some of you will be interested to being spent in this manner, and see whether if put hear how vitally necessary it is that this proportion together it could be used for something to benefit the should be appropriated, and one of the interesting decent members of the community. things on which doubtless some of it was expended. In one of the nicest residential parts of Banstead A Snake in the Grass in Surrey there stands a fine old house in some thirty TN my postbag comes a letter from a man fined for staying too long on a public car park, by half-an-hour. He admits that he knew there was a two-hour limit, and he admits that the car park aforesaid was in great demand, and that he was perhaps a little thoughtless in abusing a privilege. What annoys him is the circumstance that he was acres of grounds. Until a few years ago it was a very exclusive and well-conducted boys' school of the type which only relatively few people can afford. It has a fine swimming-bath, a splendid gymnasium, fine gardens. Recently it came into the market and was bought by the Surrey County Council for £27,000, and with other minor alterations and odd fees the total figure has been brought up to £40,000. reported by the car park attendant, who was obviously Now it is to be used as an Approved School, which, on the side of the police, according to his letter. as you - all ,know, is another name for the Borstal When—very wickedly—he tried to bluff the constable type of institution where they send bad boys ; the by telling him that he had only been there for an little sneak-thieves, pick-pockets, and hooligans of hour and a half, the bobby assured him that the the criminal districts, because, very properly perhaps, attendant was ready to disprove it, and, indeed, the State is determined to get them away from the had pointed him out as a delinquent. home influence, sometimes rightly and sometimes As my correspondent goes on to say, "What sort wrongly. of a certifiable community are motorists if, by means At the moment, as we write, this fine establish- of their tips, they make these police spies possible ? " ment has fifteen boys, and when it is working at He declares that these men perform no service for full strength it will have a hundred. The total cost the motorist other than giving him a ticket which per boy is something in the neighbourhood of £5 a he doesn't want, and he asks me to tell all motorists week, rather more than it costs to keep a boy at to refrain from tipping car park attendants for Eton or Harrow, for most of the pupils. evermore. MARCH, 1988 29 The MORRIS Owner Musings Awheel—contd. until at 12,000 miles it was exceedingly pleasant. It occurred when the engine was runitha; This I am not prepared to do, because while there freely, on a level road or slightly downhill, at a may be a proportion of rogues and vagabonds, I have car speed on top gear of about 30 m.p.h. and over. received personally many little services from car with just a "whiff of petrol" going into the engine ; park attendants, for which I have been glad to bestow in other words, when the latter was running fast a tip. Moreover, I never tip an impertinent or casual and free just short of over-running (accelerator attendant. Anybody who tips an attendant who completely released). appears only when you are going away, instead of Various causes were diagnosed by different garage when you arrive, in order to render some sort of men. And serious they were in some cases, such assistance and take note of your arrival, is, to use as main bearings worn, flywheel loose and propeller my correspondent's eloquent term, "certifiable." shaft out of balance—irregularities that would be difficult if not costly to correct. An Unbiased Bench A carburetter expert was consulted in regard to T WAS very interested to note that Mr. G. F. another fault (erratic running at low pulling speeds). I Howard, Chairman of the northern counties He corrected both defects at once, though he did magistrates, refused to record a conviction against not actually cure either of them. Both were due to a motorist who had knocked over a cyclist minus a excessive carbon deposit, its effect being to make rearlamp. He gave as his excuse that there ought the automatic ignition control too advanced. His to be a legal condition that red lights should be on correction took the form of adjusting the ignition all bicycles. timing, though decarbonising was really the proper The Magistrates' Clerk backed him up with the treatment to effect a more lasting cure. At all events, for the time being both the vibration and the erratic slow-pulling were eliminated, and the only ill-effect then of the carbon deposit was to leave the engine developing less power than it proved to be capable of developing when, subse- quently, it was decarbonised and the original ignition timing restored. The same cause may be attributed to the develop- 44otto" ment and increase of vibration under certain running assertion that accidents would occur so long as the conditions in other cases, so it will be well to keep law allowed a reflector to be substituted for a red the possibility in mind when some more serious lamp, and pointed out that unless the motorist has cause might otherwise be ascribed to it. his headlights on it is impossible to see a cyclist. This is the crux of the whole thing. When we dip— The Ubiquitous Dry Cell very often for the benefit of a cyclist on the other T WAS interested to observe that the Exide people side of the road—a reflector, especially the worthless I in a publicity circular point out that you can article so many cyclists buy, is entirely invisible, start quite successfully when the battery is down and thanks are due to both gentlemen for their by means of a flashlamp battery in circuit with the outspokenness. main battery, after, of course, detaching one terminal. Carbon Deposit and Engine Vibration '... r . . ..„...„„„..,•.....,....stt,:...,. • ..., , ,.. , ... .... .„...„.....,,...... -.. ... XPERIENCED motorists know full well that . , the progressive formation of carbon deposit in . . , . .. . . E \ . e.ri, the cylinder head and on the pistons of an ■ engine will give rise increasingly to "pinking," harsh 1..!:,,,:,.; , running and deterioration in power output. It is, u 6. however, a cause of deterioration in general per- ty .. A . c ' < z . • , I formance of which inexperienced owner-drivers are frequently unaware, probably because, for one I have tried this expedient very successfully on more reason, modern engines with their automatic ignition than one occasion when I have been faced with a control are not so susceptible to carbon deposit as low battery. It is, to my way of thinking, one of older examples with hand control of the ignition. the advantages of accumulator ignition. We are But a point of which comparatively few drivers, never very far from a flashlamp battery shop, and experienced or inexperienced, appear to be aware therefore can always effect a start (with the handle), is that carbon deposit can make itself evident in however low the battery may be. the form of engine vibration, without being otherwise It should scarcely be necessary to point out these obvious in effect. A case in point indicates what days that the short terminal is the plus and the long may happen. one the minus on a fiashlarnp battery. If the battery I knew of a car (not a Morris) that had ciwered is one that has the cells one in front of another, the 8000 miles, when it slowly developed a vibration middle one is the positive, and the casing is negative. The MORRIS Owner 30 MARCH, 1988 -----.,--...... ,,_.._ ..., , ------r- v: :■ 11)t , r-ZI - ve ifet A 1 1,,v) mo, • - . t 71 s'4 ' -\•' / 1 (--, S-4 •:•+'..„- • " :4tV . 7;-.41 1,V) • t':-.•!, rY :tv - x4 .•... :;igc,.is • - ti._4>of/.. . \ f •:t.- k.,' 4 i '.1r; 4..... ' ' -- ---1;1711\ – -- .- , ••• •••••••• . . ,1_ . ,,,, .• cy .-,As. oemi6sruS &,r .2 ...,...: fi ATEA 45-' iztp k. : ,.....__40A ...... ,.../...ii . ,, ...... -- 0, %;.,A... VW/ 7110PC4 <6 4, 11 C1S. :410) 311444t' 0 i crs' LD as the story of man, the idea of some enchanted island where the cares of the world are for all time banished has haunted O the imagination of all peoples and fired the hope of every age. In all the years that are to be, The ocean's bounds will shrink, and lo A mighty continent will show, Another world beyond the sea, And ships will West of Iceland go. In these lines that foretold the finding of America while Nero still ruled in Rome, the Latin poet Seneca, thinking of the Atlantis there had been and the America there would be, summed up the ancient myth. But to the dwellers on the westernmost fringe of the old world, beside the cliffs of Connaught and on the shores of Arran, it was not myth—it was fact. Many a man looking seawards on Summer evenings swore he had discerned through the clouds on the western horizon the shape of the blessed isle where the white-maned horses of the sea god McLis roamed at their will, the many coloured island of Apples, the Hy Bresil or Brazil to which, the story ran, Madoc Ap Gvvynned, Chieftain of Wales, had sailed away to form a colony in the Western Ocean. Now the amazing thing about the belief in Hy Brazil is that it lasted not only into the age of scepticism but into the age of steam ; g ,torcin p MARcx, 1988 81 The Moult's Owner ...... i. V: , - ...Lif.dg. • • .4, i t- 1 ' - ,,,,,-, .... -1 :-..• , ..,,,.,>.,.• ,,,,,,,:‘,„...,..„ :-_,...... . -V .41.4 Qd.IN _ 6 rv,.. 04 50413 ,titnrpOW/ 700c4- 0)01, that the island was sighted, described, A fascinating tale of vouched for by generations of sea captains and that it was shown upon a fairy isle in the NJuVilIV ' every map from the time that maps mists off the Western were invented until within the memory coast of Ireland EtficriAq: of people still alive. It is not surprising that the clear sense of Roman scholars like Seneca bacor'aiions 134 should realise that there were worlds 0$urctiti CutunOo beyond the ocean that bounded the Roman Empire. It is less surprising that the ages of faith and superstition that followed its collapse should people the sea with blessed islands as they peopled the land with strange monsters. But when the compass was introduced and ships could sail out of sight of the coasts it is extraordinary to find the belief persisting and the island marked in precisely the same position west- south-west of Ireland as it had ORA 40 The MORRIS Owner 39 MARCH, 1938 The Mystical Isle' of Hy Brazil—contd. rabbits that were as big as ponies, but his rescuers di a not try to confirm his story. in 1670 a French occupied in man's imagination as long as man could captain called Boullaye le Gauz was driven out of remember. his course and noted in his log that he had passed The ages of faith passed. The age of reason came. "within three miles of the island of Hy Brazil, so Sailors rounded Africa and explorers found America. near as to see ships and cattle and which I judge Princes sought earnestly after new lands. Ferdinand to be sixty miles by thirty." and Isabella, joint ralers of United Spain, the At last a ship put into Killybegs with the definite monarchs who had sponsored Columbus when he story of a landing effected on Hy Brazil. Un- found America, began enquiring into the old tale fortunately the circumstances of that story are so of Hy Brazil. Their ambassador in London con- wildly improbable that the problem of Hy Brazil fidently assured them it was no legend, but the truth. becomes still harder to solve. This is what Captain "Every year, as I myself have seen," he wrote in John Nisbet of Fermanagh reported : 1498, "these seven years past the men of Bristol While bound for the French coast he lost his have sent one, two and even three ships a year to bearings in a fog and a high sea near an unknown seek the island of Hy Brazil." The year after this island. The ship being then in three fathoms of the name was taken for the Southern American water, the mate and eight persons went ashore. country that we call Brazil to-day. Clearly the first They passed through a wood and saw sheep, cattle, men to land in Brazil thought they had found the horses and large black rabbits. Eventually they blessed island that was called the "fortunate" (Irish came to a castle, where they knocked, receiving no Bres) isle, or Bresil, just as the first men who landed answer. They then returned to the seashore, where in America imagined that they had sailed round the they lit a fire, the night being cold, and stayed until world as far as China. 'a hideous noise drove them back to their boat." But so firm was the conviction that Hy Brazil Imprisoned in the Castle existed that it never occurred to anybody to question In the morning "Ane old Scots gentleman with the truth of it even after the real Brazil was found. two servants came down to the seashore and when There is a document dated 1635 in the library of the taken aboard said the island was 0 Brazil and he Royal Irish Academy that says "Fly Brazil, lying and his men were long imprisoned in the castle by far out to sea on the West of Connaught is to be the malicious diabolical art of a great necromancer." ttcnriORA , perceived on a clear day from the farthest west The castle, he said, had fallen when the fire was cc• point of land beyond Teeing Head." And the lit on the seashore, but he did not say what had report was confirmed the same year by Captain happened to the great necromancer. However, the Rich, who swore to having seen off the West of rescued men were landed at Killybegs where "by their Ireland a "large island with harbours and a head- ancient clothes, strange money and old fashioned land that upon our closer approach vanished into talk there were many persuaded of the truth of the mist." what they said." Which Multitudes Have Seen In 1702 the geographer Guillaume de Lisme Unfortunately the coming of the Civil War declared that in the parallel 51 0 10' N. 150 50' W. prevented any further expedition and another thirty "several sea charts represent an island to which years passed before the subject was seriously con- they give the name Brazil" : a statement repeated sidered again. But in 1663 the member for Derry in Billin's Chart of the North Atlantic, 1742. in the Irish Parliament proposed sending a petition (continued at foot of next page) to King Charles II for the formation of a chartered company to colonise "0 Brazile the enchanted land off our coasts which multitudes have seen, knowing for a large absolute island." But it was not an ordinary island. It was an enchanted island. In the ten years that followed the Derry member's speech it was repeatedly sighted but always by ships bound for somewhere else, driven out of their course and in a hurry to regain it. Thus in 1668 a Galway sailor by name Morough Ley, picked up on a raft, declared that he had been kidnapped by strangers and carried away to the island of Hy Brazil, RED CRESCENT SERVICE.—A travelling dispensary on a Morris=Commercial 2-ton where, he said, was a mighty rain- chassis supplied by Malayan Motors Ltd., Singapore, to the Johore Medical Depart- ment. Observe the interesting wash-bowl for cleansing wounds by the roadside if bow stream and there were black necessary. ORA■ .1113'n crS3 1.\i(cti, 1938 :3:3 The MORRIS Owner When Little Birds Ride on Big Birds Freemasonry of the air as exploited by Nature RISING out of a duscussion of the had evidently taken refuge on the back new composite aircraft, watching of the gull. A awhile a company of swallows On many occasions in America getting ready for their departure, a migratory geese have been noticed naturalist discussed with me the ques- with small birds on their backs. Much tion of whether little birds do or do the same kind of thing has been seen not obtain free rides on the larger in Egypt and Southern Russia. Only members of their species. a year or so ago a very remarkable Although the subject has been a instance of small birds using large matter tor controversy amongst ones as carriers was noticed on the naturalists, there seems no doubt coast of Asia Minor by a naturalist. now that, on occasion, small birds do avail themselves He was watching an immense number of little of large birds as carriers. This happens chiefly during birds which had settled on the shore. After a while the periods of migration, when many a weak and tiny the birds began twittering noisily and, almost at traveller becomes utterly exhausted. If, as often once, a large flock of storks appeared approaching happens, certain much larger birds are also travelling from inland. When the storks drew near the spot in the same direction, the little birds are only too the small birds rose up in a cloud from the ground anxious tcr rest on the first spot a.Vailable, which may and settled on the backs of the storks, which con- happen to be on the back of one or other of their tinued their flight out to sea. big companions. Within recent years air pilots have Travelling by Air Line had excellent opportunities to see that this really does happen. It is not at all an uncommon thing Even more curious is the manner in which feathered to see a small bird rise from the back of a swan, or migrants are making use of aeroplanes. Pilots on some other large bird, where the little traveller has long distance air routes are finding that, occasion- been securing a free passage. Now and again those ally, they have birds as passengers. Aeroplanes ORA seem to be used by birds when the journey they have on ships at sea have been able to observe much the 44" ttcnricc•, to make involves passing over anything like a desert same kind of thing. region. Quite recently a pilot flying over the arid The Gull's Passenger regions in the south-western states of America A short time ago a big herring-gull alighted on reported that he carried as passengers a number of a cross-channel steamer and several people saw a small birds which hudclled thernselves.whore the rush small bird, which proved to be a fly-catcher, tumble of air was least felt. off the larger bird's back on to the deck. The fly- However, this is merely what my naturalist friend catcher seemed to he in a very exhausted state and told me, and is offered without responsibility. L. G. T he Mystical Isle of Hy Brazil—"'"'""'pray . Jr,,,,,page rainbow stream may well have been molten lava, the crash that distracted and shipwrecked sailors took "A rock or islet apparently hold to" is the last for the fall of the magician's castle was probably the positive description of Hy Brazil, furnished in 1791 rumbling of a coming eruption. by the master - and crew of a British merchant Islands have been destroyed by such eruptions vessel. "We passed close enough to throw a biscuit several times in the world's history. It happened on shore yet saw no signs of any inhabitants," they atMt. Pelee, it happened at Krakatoa. It. happened said. In 1830 Purdy's Chart of the North Atlantic to one of the smaller Azores. Why should it not still marked "the Brazil rock, high," with no have happened to Hy Brazil ? indication of doubt. But in 1852 there was "some That would explain how from an island with sheep question as to whether such a rock or islet does in and cattle it shrank to a rock "bold to" and an islet fact exist." high, and why its site is marked by a shoal to this day. Yet the charts continued to mark it, though with In the centre of that island, so it seems to me, the greater signs of scepticism, till in 1865 it was finally great volcano peak that gave the island its name of and positively certain that there was not and Hy Brazil rose above the Western Ocean, and there never had been such a place. The site is now that peak was all that was left when in 1791 the marked by a shbal named Porcupine Bank. British merchantman passed by. Now it also has Frankly I should hesitate to accept such an sunk under the sea that hides.- so many secrets. extreme view. It seems far more likely to me that Yet in the imagination it still. beckons across the 17Iy. Brazil really did exist, that it was a volcanic ages to us as it beckoned to twenty generations of Island and that the mist in which it was always our forefathers, an island of mystery and enchantment screened emerged from the crater of its peak. The the truth of which we shall never know. The MORRIS Owner 34 MARCH, 1988 ss: Super salesmanship in the modern manner, applied with film technique MHE sales manager of Monarch Motors snatched up the telephone savagely. "Harland speaking, he barked. "Good afternoon, sir," said a high-pitched rapid voice. "Waldo Baynton, your new salesman, re- porting. I fear my record for these first two weeks has not been over-successful and there was some little unpleasantness at our last meeting . . . " Where the heck have I been with the demonstration car all day? That, Mr. Harland, is what I am about • • • to relate—I have, in fact, just completed one of the By. . . . . finest feats of salesmanship ever achieved. As you CLIVE WOLLASTON know, sir, I took out a new Twenty-five to demon- grabbed a big leather bag from the back of the car strate to Miss Coraline Beauchamp, the film star. and came running back to us. I picked her up at her hotel and, oh boy, is she a So that I could talk to Miss Beauchamp in comfort peach ? What a figure, what . . I had purposely chosen a quiet road, and before I Get This Straight could say knife—not that I made any serious attempt What did I say ? I said, Mr. Harland, the new to say knife, you understand—they had jumped into Twenty-five is a peach, and what a figure she put the front of the car. Didn't I mention we were sitting up ! We drove out towards Hendon, and, believe me, in the rear seat ? Yes—er—Miss Beauchamp pre- I fell—I mean she fell—for that car in a big way. ferred the rear seat. So we stopped in a quiet road and sat discoursing "Land's sake, Waldo," she cried, " this isn't in of this and that—sales talk, Mr Harland, sales talk. the script, is it ? " She is a truly charming girl and I may say I made a Nasty Work very favourable impression indeed. One of the men swung round and I saw that in Will I come to the paint and stop talking like a his hand he had a nasty-looking thing which I believe decorated correspondent to Auntie 31abel's column ? is called a life-preserver : not that I can imagine But, Mr. Harland, as we sat discussing—er—the how such an object could preserve anyone's life. points of the car a big Rivis flashed by us and pulled " Shup up," he snapped, "and keep still—else up with a flat tyre. Two tough-looking coves jumped something might happen to you." out, looked at the tyre and then at us. Then they And somehow, Mr. Harland, I didn't like the cut 10ORA _ MAKI-1, 1988 35 The MORRIS Owner of his jib at all ; so I kept quiet and comforted Miss thin man kept his truncheon thing handy and, Beauchamp, who was convinced that at last she was believe me, I was feeling pretty fed up. being kidnapped. And meanwhile the other man You may be feeling fed up, Mr. Harland, but had started up and driven oft like the wind—and, blasphemy never got anyone any place. mind mon, he could handle a car almost as well as When they had finished up the drink the two blokes myself. proceeded to hack the lock of( the mysterious bag, So we drove like mad for several miles and all the and inside—you'll never guess, Mr. Harland—was while the men kept looking round as if they were money. More money than I've ever seen, and they expecting to be followed. At last we swung into the pulled it out in packets and wads all over the table. drive of a big, deserted-looking house at Radlett- "Let's cut now," suggested the taller thug, who naturally I noted the name of the house and road had a face like a badly-worn hatchet. very- carefully. "O.K. by me," said the other, a fat little Jew. "This is terrible," Miss Beauchamp kept sobbing. So they began counting the money into two equal "I should be on the set right now." piles and, as near as I could see, there was about "Shut up, you," the taller of the two men shouted, five thousand pounds•each. Thinking this a suitable "and get inside. And no funny tricks neither." time, I rose quietly with the idea of leaving the room "Nobody's got nothing on this car," the other but the thin man was on me like a shot, waving his commented, "so we can leave it outside all right." instrument and shouting "Siddown." Really they had the most extraordinary ideas of Perspicuity grammar I However, eoraline—er—Miss Beauchamp I tell you frankly, Mr. Harland, I didn't like the and I decanted ourselves from the car and were look of that weapon or the practised way he handled herded into the house, into a.. it : evidently they were dangerous men—robbers well - furnished drawing -room. or bandits or something. Perhaps you have already They pushed us into chairs in .-----'-- • " -.14-1 guessed their profession, though ? Yes, I might , a corner and poured themselves have known that anyone as astute as yourself would , severalTralan d drminakkngsi smackin r n g their have guessed that. r So I saddown while the two desperadoes stowed -/• j of delight. I could have done the money away in their capacious pockets. Then with a drink myself, but the the Jew said : "We will tie these two mugs up and dump 'em in the cellar." 7 .,. 44" . , Now I was about tired of being told to shut up and ' 1 . • • -". , es . sit down and being pushed about like a dummy. • . And Miss Beauchamp began shrieking : "I won't go . . in any smelly old cellar. I won't. It's all your fault, •. ... A k - Ai. I--- II4 Waldo. You got me into this. You get me out." . • , .. , . .. iki,., '/;‘,4' ... ,.,• .,. . • ', . .:. '::,:i. . '• • -- '01 „. ‘‘. i.' ‘. .. \ .;*V -- --,-.:..,,, s\ . . : AkZ4,...:' ..... • (oRit ORA crs' The MORRIS Owner 36 MARCH, 1938 Sales Report—contd. collection of jewels, worth a cool half-million. Well. I've just joined up with a guy who's the exact Well naturally I had been racking my brains for living double of old Joseph Oppenheimer." some means of pulling a fast one over these two deni- The pair of them stared at me blankly. zens of the underworld . . . "You don't get it ? Suppose one day old Oppen- Your brain is cracking under The strain? That's heimer was—er—kidnapped. My friend takes his too bad, Mr. Harland, but listen to my inspiration. place, we pack the jewels and depart at our leisure." I put my arm round Coraline and quietened her The Jew swung round on hatchet-face with spark- down a little. ling eyes, and I knew the sale was almost made. "Nice work, boys," I said with a scornful laugh. "That's what I've always told you," he cried. "Congratulations. "Big stuff Brains ! Organisation ! " Hatchet-face jumped up as if he had been stung. "You see, boys," I went on thoughtfully, "it's " Whadya mean—congratulations ? " he snarled. too big for two men to handle. We shall need partners "You're not the only crooks in London," I replied. and capital for clothes and cars and so on. We "I'm in the game myself." might get together—that is if my friend is agreeable." And of course Coraline had to put her spoke in Rough Stuff and nearly mess up the whole thing. "What's the matter with you, Waldo ? Are you And then just at the critical moment I noticed batty or what ? " Coraline opening her mouth to let off some more "Shut up," I barked. "I told you you were having funny cracks about my sanity. I'm afraid I was so too many cocktails at lunch." excited that I lost control of myself. I—I slapped But the Jew was interested. her. I actually slapped Miss Coraline Beauchamp, "Yeah," he said quickly. and although she sat still after that I was afraid "Sure," I replied with another scornful laugh which the Jew would get suspicious. But evidently he got right under their skins. "Over in the States looked on it as just a bit of lovers' by-play. I'm known as Swell Jackson. As I said, a nice job, " O.K.," he said after consideration. "Lead us but of course mere chick-feed to me." to your friend. But if there's any funny . . ." "1 know," I broke in. "You said all that before. Crook - bait Tell you what, I'll telephone and get him round here." You can't listen to this rignzarole all day ? Then, At that hatchet-face leapt to his feet cursing. Mr. Harland, watch me sell a confidence trick to "Not likely. It's a trap." professional crooks—a feat which must be unsur- "Very well," I said indifferently. "We'll drop the passed in the annals of high-pressure salesmanship. whole thing if that's how you feel." "Not so much of the chick-feed," hatchet-face But the Jew had taken the bait well and truly. yelped. "Ten thousand is ten thousand." "Telephone your friend," he said. "But no funny $7 "Sure," I agreed. "Myself, I never touch a job . . for less than fifty. One I have on now, for instance. "Please yourself," I interrupted hastily. "You'll "I'm off out of this," hatchet-face cried. But I hear all I say, so where is the risk ? " had got the Jew interested. No, Mr. Harland I am not that kind of lunatic, "Tell us some more," he asked, with the end of and you do see what an amazing job of salesmanship his long nose quivering like a pointer's. His eyes I had done, don't you ? I know you don't pay me were even more unpleasant than those of hatchet- to sell mad ideas to crooks, but wait for the big laugh, face, but I had lost all fear of them now : they were Mr. Harland : wait for the big laugh." just prospects and I was just a sales- r man putting over his stuff. • . 1 "Maybe it . wouldn't interest you, boys," I said , ,C$ doubtfully. "It's • big : it's hot. And ;S ' yet it might . . ." " We're listening," the, Jew interrupted eagerly. • , - "It's this Way," I said after appear- 4st. • ing to ponder • whether to confide in them or not. "I guess you've heard THE NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN.—Mrs. W. M. W. Thomas, wife of the Managing Director of Wolseley Motors Ltd., with the Wolseley branch of the Women's League of Health and Beauty, of which of the Oppenheimer she Is President. rOF•1? 40 MARCH, 1938 37 The MORRIS Owner Sales Report—contd. But, you see, Ray Ginsberg, Miss Beauchamp's producer, has asked me to call at the studio right So I rang up my friend Michael O'Connell, who was away. He wants to use a Twenty-five in the my wireless operator in the .Air Force. new film. "That you, Mike ? Waldo here," I said. "Say, I've Language, Mr. Harland! Really, you just can't dropped across two guys who might help us with do things like that to famous film producers. So I that job. Yes, smart boys. . . like you to give them will bring in the order in the morning. the once-over . What order am I raving about ? Oh, didn't I mention And naturally Michael began yelling "Are you that ? You see, Miss Beauchamp was sore at first, drunk again, Waldo, or what ? " but when she saw all the publicity she had got in I say began yelling, because while I was speaking the evening papers and heaps more to follow she was I was gently tapping Morse on the mouthpiece with delighted. Didn't I say so, Mr. Harland ? Yes, my finger-nail. "Held here by bandits. Bring cops. she ordered a Twenty-five saloon. at once." And of course the address. And I sighed with relief when I heard Michael's O.K. come tapping down the wire. So to keep up Address Wanted appearances I turned to the Jew and asked him what E are asked by the Service Teohnical Department of Morris Motors Limited to announce that they address to give. Wrequire the full postal address of Mr. P. Davies, who "Don't give him no address. Tell him—tell him sent in a query regarding a 3935 model 8 h.p. car. This we'll meet him outside Hendon Central Station in gentleman has given his address as The Chalet, Finchfield two hours' time." Gardens; we should like to know where. And he waggled his truncheon very suggestively, The Safety Congress while I pulled a long face and repeated what he said .R.H. THE DUKE OF KENT is to attend the National to Michael. Safety Congress which is to be held in London from "It isn't that I don't trust you," the Jew explained F1 241h-27th May under, the auspices of the National when I rang off. "Oh dear no. But we can't afford " Safety-First" Association, of which Lord McGowan is President. to risk no funny tricks." The visit will provide a further evidence of royal interest The Chase in accident prevention work, as the King has been Patron of So we all went back to the car and Coraline began the Asscciation since 1926. ORA °RI? 4Cly crying all over again. The Jew drove and we began 44" quietly cruising round the streets. Yes, I know, Mr. Harland, it does look as though my scheme had fallen fiat. But you see I also gave Michael the number of the demonstration car in Morse. And sure enough in half-an-hour or so a flying squad van came barging alongside. The Jew let out a string of peculiar oaths and really began driving. Across footpaths.. Round corners on two wheels. He could drive. He put that car through its paces, believe me. "That dirty sneak in the back double-crossed us," hatchet-face growled. "Shut up," said the Jew. "Get ready to jump when I say." Fortunately Miss Beauchamp fainted early in the proceedings. I fear she lacked—er—stamina. We touched eighty several times—what publicity, Mr. Harland—but try as he might the Jew couldn't get far enough ahead to jump out and run. And at last the van rammed us against a lanip-post. Was the Twenty -five damaged ? Yes, Mr. Harland, I fear it was—er—slightly bent. I know you don't pay me to ruin cars getting bandits arrested. but . . . Did I make the sale to Miss Beauchamp or 'not? Well, yes and no, Mr. Harland. You see she was hysterical when I got her back to her hotel and swore she would die before she'd ride in a car again. "THE CATHEDRAL OF THE MOOR."—Altarnun Church, YOU won't listen to another word, and if I'll come near Launceston, is situated on the fringe of Bodmin- moor. It is one of the largest churches in t ornwall, and has a to the office you'll fire me right away ? I'd be delighted fine fifteenth - century vod-screen and series of carved bench- ends. Its lofty tower-109 f et high—and the unusual size to have a chat with you—with all the rush and bustle of the building, have earned it the popular appellation of we never seem to get a chance of a word together. " The Cathedral of the Moor." 16 Wiz' ORA crs' The MoEms Owner 38 MARcH, 1938 11. ERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE Scottish Exhibition Rally Morris House, Berkeley Square, by LIGHTING-UP TIMES NDER the auspices of the Royal courtesy of Stewart & Ardern Ltd. U March 1st 7th 14th 21st 28th Amongst the guests was Capt. G. E. UNDER Automobile Club, the 6.10 6.20 6.31 6.43 6.55p.m. — Empire Exhibition Scottish T. Eyston, then fresh from his record- Rally will be held from Sunday the breaking trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats. 6th to Friday the zath June in- Ware Garage, Market Place, Ware. clusive. Bradburn & Wedge Ltd., 46 Dar- Caravans on View The regulations and entry forms are lington Street, Wolverhampton now available and may be obtained (showing at Stafford). H London Caravan Co. are, from the Secretary's Office at 163 Robertson & Porter, The County TEwe understand, exhibiting at West George Street, Glasgow. In Garage, Dingwall. their Elstree Depot, on the Barnet the rally itself there will be six classes By-pass, examples of all the latest for both open and closed cars, and a 28th — Whites (Camberley) Ltd., types of caravans, from 21st March coachwork competition, also for both London Road, Camberley. to the 27th. The models shown will open and closed cars, will be sub- Page Bros., 68 Sackville Road, embody all the most recent improve- divided into seven classes. Entry Bexhill-on-Sea. ments in caravan construction, and Esher Filling Station, Kingston enthusiasts resident in or near the ,torp fees are three guineas for the rally 44" and ros. 6d. for the coachwork com- By-pass, Esher. Metropolis should find the display cfs' petition. West Renfrew Motors Ltd., 28/30 interesting and convenient as being Brougham Street, Greenock. staged in ample time for the coming The Morris Films season. URING March the Morris Films A Road Exhibition D will be shown by Morris Dis- PENED by Lord Wohner, M.P., Factory Visits tributors and Dealers during O and attended by sonic 400 guests LTHOUGH the Works Visit the weeks commencing on the dates . representative of both Houses of season to the Morris Motors Ltd. specified below. Parliament, Local Authorities, and A factory at Cowley, the largest It is not always possible to publish various road using organisations, the motorcar assembly plant in Great the exact dates in advance, but these British Road Federation staged an Britain, does not open in real earnest can always be obtained by application interesting exhibition recently at until May, the Company have already to the Distributors or Dealers con- cerned. 7th — Morris Garages Ltd., St. 'Aldate's, Oxford. Fife Motor Co. Ltd., Halbeath Road, Dunfermline (showing at Alloa and Kirkcaldy). Watsham & Wilding, The Deben Garage, Woodbridge. Real, Medland & Wills Ltd., Mon- mouth Street, Bridgwater. Eastern Motor Co. Ltd., 52 George Street, Edinburgh. r4th—Wadham Bros., Palmerston Rd., Southsea. J. W. Kieser, Beacon Garage, Penrith. Wicliffe Motor Co. Ltd., Bath Road, Cheltenham. Rcd Garages, Argyll Rd., Llandudno. J. McHarrie, South Strand Street, St ranraer. 2ist—Colmore Depot, Roebuck Lane, West Bromwich. Graham & Roberts Ltd., Botcher- gate, Carlisle. C. Baker & Co. (of Tonbridge) Ltd., i50 High Street, Tonbridge. OILY ltlye crP MARCH, 1938 39 The MORRIS Owner Here, There & Everywhere—contd. received a large number of definite adV'ance bookings, which will necessi- tate the running of over forty special trains to Oxford, from different parts of the country. These organised parties, which vary in number between two hundred and fifty and five hundred persons, are arranged by either the Morris Distribu- tors or local papers in co-operation with the Distributors. In the past four years it is estimated that nearly half a million persons have toured the Cowley factory and seen the process of manufacture of Morris cars. Morris Service Weeks ERVICE weeks for the month of March, during which technical S experts from the factory at Cowley will be present to give free advice to Morris owners at Distributors' premises, have been arranged as under :— A NEW CAR PARK 1—There is a proposal mooted to create space for a car park by fining in Torquay's famous inner harbour. cruising men will 7th—Marshalsea, Bros. Ltd, Taunton. assuredly regret its passing, if the scheme comes into operation. W. Watson & Co. Ltd., Liverpool. Skurray's Scramble, M.G. Car Club, S.W. Centre. Thurs. r7th—St. Patrick's Trial, Irish M.R.C. Sat. rnth—Inter-Varsity Speed Trials, Cambridge University Auto. Club. Trial, West of England M.C. Sun. 20th — London – Bournemouth ORA Trial, Great West M.C. °RI? 4.0 Wicliffe Motor Co., Cheltenham. 14th--Heard Bros. Ltd., Bideford. W. Watson & Co. Ltd., Liverpool. W. L. Cotton, Worcester. 2ist—Taylor's Garage, Falmouth. Eric S. Myers Ltd., Bradford Kennings Ltd., Clay Cross. 28th—Barton Motor Co. LW., Ply- mouth. C. H. Mitchell, Huddersfield. E. W. Jackson & Son Ltd., Doncaster. What's On During March? Sat, 5th--Trial, Caledonian M.C. Sun. 61h—Safety First Run, Maidstone and Mid-Kent M.C. Trial, Birmingham University Club. Hartkpools M.C. Hartwell Cup Trial, W. Hants. and Dorset C.C. Sat. I2—Opening Meeting, Brooklands, B.A.R.C. • Sun. x3th—Chilterns Trial, Vintage Sports Car Club. Trial, Bagley and District L.C.C. A POLICEMAN'S LOT—IN ROME.---At Epiphany in Italy's capital it is Clifford Cup Trial, Margate & Dis- customary for motorists to present traffic duty policemen with suitable trict C.C. guts. Here is a little something for the throat being handed over. ORI? The MORRIS Owner 40 MARCH, 1988 With a MORRIS in the SEVENTEENTH MONTE CARLO RALLY . . . An account of the perform- ance of a standard Io h.p. car which accomplished a gruelling run without losing a mark. By F. H. S. RASCH • • working of the circulating water of the engine. Export size tyres, together with chains and spades, completed our equipment. • The 25th january saw myself, in company with Mr. W. A. Mackenzie, Motoring Correspon- dent of the Daily Mail, and Mr. J. E. Whitehead, • awaiting the start at John o' Groat's. It should be stated here that the order of starting is in order of entry number. Of the twenty-three starters from John o' Groat's we were the last but two to go, so therefore we were to some extent handicapped by always being in the rear of the procession. The tension between dinner and our start The Morris Ten and its crew at the start from Jahn o' Groat's. was relieved by an extraordinary display of HEN my friends heard that I proposed to enter a Series III WO.H.V. Morris Ten for the Monte Carlo Rally, while they did not tell me so point-blank. I am sure they con- sidered that I stood no chance whatever of getting through the road section. All the cars, they told me, were usually either specially prepared, with exception- ally light bodywork, for the Rally, or were of a very expensive nature and of sports car performance. However, I carried out my intention, and was allocated number ro8 in the 17th Monte Carlo Rally. Simple Preparations Taking my "Ten," which had already covered ro,000 miles, not always under the most favourable conditions, I first of all had it thoroughly overhauled. decarbonised, and the valves ground in. In addition, we fitted defrosters on the windscreen, which we found very useful under the Arctic conditions of part of our journey ; also a car heater Leaving the Glasgow control in the rain and with an interested gallery. ,l•tnp01113. c.rs ORA ors' 31:tactr, 1988 41 The MORRIS Owner The Seventeenth Monte Carlo Rally—contd. the driver carrying on for two to three hours accord- ing to the length of the controls : the other person the Aurora Borealis; but when the time came for resting in the back. At the end of the three hours actual departure a blizzard raged. or so the navigator would change places with the At ii.x8 p.m., having been satisfactorily checked driver, who would retire to the rear to rest, while by officials of the Scottish R.A.C., we left John o' the one who had occupied the back previously would Groat's for Aberdeen. take over as navigator. For the greater part of our journey as far as Pau This scheme worked very satisfactorily and, I we had to maintain an average speed of 40 k.p.h. am sure, had much to do with our success in the (25 m.p.h.). From there a minimum of 50 k.p.h. and Rally. a maximum of 6o k.p.h. was scheduled. South from Doncaster we had speed track con- ditions down the Great North Road through London Difficult Going and on to the coast at Folkestone. Conditions were The run to Inverness through Hein-a:dale was a on the frosty side that night, and we had one or two succession of hairpin bends, and care lad to be hair-raising moments on this journey, when skids taken at the corners, as snow was falling fast. were 'inevitable, as we passed over unexpected Visibility was bad and the roads slippery. patches of ice. A quick fill-up at Inverness and we were off to Folkestone was reached in the early hours (6.19 Aberdeen, our first control, which was reached at a.m.) on Thursday and, after two successive nights 6.20 in the morning. This enabled us to have nearly on the road, we were very pleased to meet our three hours' rest, and breakfast at the Caledonian friends, who had hot baths and breakfast all ready Hotel. waiting for us. Leaving Aberdeen at 9.06, we had a fine, fast With the very able co-operation of the A.A., our run down to Glasgow. Here we were entertained car was shipped on to the Autocarrier, while we crossed on the mail boat, on which we availed ourselves of two or three hours' rest in a cabin. At Boulogne the cars were all ready waiting for us, so we jumped in and ORA started off within a few minutes. of ors' The MORRIS Owner 12 MARCH, 1988 The Seventeenth Monte Carlo Rally—contd. Our carnet was stamped and, after a quick drink with the Club, we were away for Grenoble. By now 5o k.p.h. or more than 6o k.p.h. from there to dawn was breaking on the last day of our trip ; Monte Carlo. and after a stop for re-fuelling at the Esso station. From Pau to Toulouse we had a very fine highway, before crossing the bridge, we arrived at the control and at the latter city were the guests of the Auto- with a quarter of an hour to spare. mobile Club du Midi. Sharply at 8.15, after a café an lait, we left Grenoble From Toulouse the real fun of the Rally com- on the time section over the Alps. The first part menced. Mackenzie took the first part of the drive is a long climb up the Col de la Faux, followed on this section, and drove the 155 kilometres to immediately afterwards by that of the Col de la Rodez, where we arrived about 10.30 in the evening. Croix Haute. Here snow was thick on the ground. We had been climbing the whole way to Rodez, and we had the pleasure of coming up to a number and had only half an hour to spare. of our competitors, but it was too risky to endeavour Whitehead took over from here, and I was acting to pass them for some little while. as navigator. We started climbing directly we left Higher Speed the town ; and very soon found that snow was falling and that there was ice on the roads. Our As we dropped to Digne, however, the road surface route was along N.88, but owing to the snow and improved, and we were able to get ahead and attack general darkness of the night, also, in our opinion, the climb up the Col de Leque and so down to the awkwardness of the signs, when we came to a Grasse. This run had also to be taken at a minimum junction it was not easy to know which way to go. speed of 31 m.p.h., and a maximum of 37 m.p.h.— Our experience was also shared by many others, no easy average to maintain on this type of road and we played a wonderful game of hide and seek even when you are fresh, but trebly, difficult after the whole way through. four nights with no real sleep. N.88 gave way for a short distance to N.9, and Our spirits rose as we entered on the last section then commenced a steep climb out of that valley of this control and had our first taste of the Riviera to Mende, with another labyrinth of road junctions. sunshine after days of grey clouds and snow. Racing through the streets of Nice and along the Among the High Hills lower Comiche, the first control at Monte Carlo was OR A reached two minutes after three o'clock. From there gar- II I. Undo the hexagon-headed union nut on the petrol pipe at the carburetter. la..1.....— thimble-shapedina lL,filter, gbeet h, evri t illy j rt ah wi nt a 44V, 2wire T teca t n t} spring, alter which- teCi5, f.4c, 1 llit ' ."4 ' ,44 ....,, 1 3. —it should be washed carefully in clean petrol with a fairly stiff brush. Never use rag : it is liable to leave fluff In the system. 4. Beneath the S.U. electric pressure pump there Is another small filter which should also be removed for cleaning in the same manner as recommended in the last paragraph. 5. Showing the pump filter withdrawn from its housing. N.B.—The above procedure is substantially the same for all cars in the present Morris range. - — --- The MORRIS Owner 14 MARCH, 1938 MY FAVOURITE PICNIC SPOT — No. — Wiltshire for choice DD By. . MAURICE SAMPSON of `c The Autocar " El 0 HEN the Editor suggested to me that he would like me Wto contribute to this series. I found myself in a quandary, more than somewhat, as Mr. Damon Runyon has it. In the first place I hold very firmly to the opinion where the road offers a wide verge on which to park that far and away the best spot for a picnic is the the car. dining-room of any good hotel. There is very little traffic about at the luncheon But I find the editorial mind is set firmly on the hour : one can glimpse the Bath road in the distance wide open spaces, among which he refuses to class with its white strip rising towards Devizes. the biggest, airiest dining-room extant. Plenty to See So it is la vic au pkin air, as the French say, that There are pleasant-looking farms near by ; cattle. I must discuss. sheep and poultry stud the fields, and there is a Now, to my mind, not only are there certain definite sense of perfect peace over all the countryside. spots which linger in the memory as delightful, but For some reason or other there seems to be a there are certain counties which always seem to me number of hawks about 1 have on several occasions to offer attractions of their own for open-air meals. seen them apparently motionless in the blue canopy The Plain of Wilts. of sky. The poultry spot them first. When there are young chickens about there is a terrific flurry. I do not know why, but to me the pre-eminent Watch the hens, and if they appear to go demented. county in which it is always a delight to feed in full look up, and almost certainly you will see a hawk, view of the public, if any, is Wiltshire. I think it poised like a tiny aeroplane ready to nose dive. is due to the fact that it contains in the Plain one of Nature can be very cruel : but she is at all times the largest open spaces in the country. a space, more- fascinating. over, where every glance gives an impression of peace- I hit upon this spot one day by the simple process ful country life which appeals to the inner conscious- of arriving there at one o'clock. It is almost exactly ness of every one. of us. ninety miles from my home in London. In other I do not much mind where the luncheon hour words, about three hours' cruising, and as I usually finds me in Wiltshire. It may be on the Plain itself, leave home on such a run at about ten o'clock, 1 on the magnificent rolling Marlborough Downs, or have more than once found myself at this spot at just outside any of the gem towns of the count). : luncheon time. And I have got to like it. Indeed. Devizes, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge or War- I have got to like it so much that I think of it as my tninster, or near lovely Lacock. favourite picnic spot. But to choose a spot which always appeals to Inc. Everywhere in this pleasant shire of agriculture. I would suggest a pull-up just after leaving the Bath brewing, cloth weaving and other elegant pursuits, road about four miles on the Bath side of Devizes. and with its freedom from all signs of "heavy " rhe road bears left to Trowbridge, and just after the industry, one is confronted with easy-to-drive-off fork is a lovely village. named Seend. About two roads, nice short turf, pleasant shade, and the near miles before Seend is reached is a fine open spot or far picture of flocks of sheep which seem designed 4stakOR442p ( .16WV - ORA 4irjrn crs' _----- MARCH, 1988 47 The MORRIS Owner - — My Favourite Picnic Spot— ,contd. and were gambolling in the blue spaces instead of munching the short, green grass below. as part and parcel of the pictorial landscape. So it is in Wiltshire where I would choose to get And, for some reason I cannot fathom, the Wiltshire out the picnic hamper and eat my meal and drink skies are kinder than those which hover over other a toast to the big open spaces, the blue sky, the rolling shires. Never have I seen bluer skies with more downland and the long white roads of a county which superb gre;at white fleecy clouds dotted along them must have retained its purely agricultural appearance than over Salisbury Plain. It is almost as though longer and more happily than any other in our the very sheep had been translated into the heavens land. How do Plants know the Spring ? The wonder of the time of rebirth EW things are more wonderful in datuitcd, t bey go on growing, conscious, the natural world than the answer ' if one in,iy use the word, that the genial Fof the plants to the call of the days of Spring are really coming. Spring. Long before the weather con- Even more strange is the problem ditions are really genial there is a great of the water plants. Peer down through stirring on the part of all vegetation. the clear water of a lake or river where Quite early in the year the sap move- you know there are water-lilies. Very ment of the big trees becomes vigorous early in the Spring you will be able to once more, and this happens weeks discern the rolled leaves of the water- before there is any expansion of foliage. lines starting on their journey to the Experiments have shown that in February surface. and early March the flow of sap in - The same is true of most of our ORA a tree is much more energetic than it aquatic plants which during the Winter ttOri, 44" cc• is later in the Spring. Bladders tied across the cut lead a submerged existence. How do these plants, steins of trees at these times have been burst within a buried deep in the mud at the bottom of the lakes few hours, so forceful is the upward rush of vital fluid. and rivers, know that the Spring is coming ? Yet no one can quite explain what it is that starts this renewed activity in the organism of the tree Beneath the Water which outwardly shows no signs of the renewal of Certainly there has been no warming up of the growth. water, for it is well known that in the early months of the year the temperature of lakes and rivers is Despite the Cold lower than at any other time. Water-lilies will start Then think of all the myriads of seeds in the soil their new growth even when the surface is covered which are beginning to germinate. Last Autumn, with ice and the lake as a whole can only be just when these tumbled to the ground, the temperature above freezing point. of the soil and air was comparatively high, yet, No complete answer can be given to the question save in exceptional cases, the seeds did not germinate: "How do plants know the Spring ? " Possibly at Now, when the bleak days of very early Spring come this time of the year there may be something different there is a tremendous stirring into life and countless in the quality of the sun's rays which exerts an in- little shoots are forcing their way upwards. These fluence on dormant plant life and stirs it to a renewal must find the world a cheerless place, but, nothing of active growth. Spring Song 'T ' HERE'S a melody under my bonnet The snow and the rain found me willing, Just hark how my cylinders sing I My passengers snugly bestowed ; The engine is crooning a sonnet, When storm-winds were roaring and shrilling, Or humming an Ode to the Spring. The cosiest car on the road. l'in tired of the grey days of Winter, But give me the green on the hedgerows, I long for the sunshine of Ma'; The by-ways where chaffinches sing— How I'll purr with content when the sweet Drive out, owner mine, in the merry sunshine, blossom-scent And welcome the Spring I Breathes abroad on my way ! SHOWELL STYLES. ORA crs' The MORRIS Owner 18 MARCH, 1988 GARAGE SUITES By B. Melville Nicholas ARLY last Spring on one fine the great-tits was amicably settled, E sunny morning, as I entered and neither nested in the place over my garage, my attention was which they had quarrelled The drawn to its gable roof at a point most shady piece of work of all was where two beams met. A chorus of when robin redbreast and his wife strange squeaks greeted my ears, decided to eject a pair of pied wagtails and I was at a loss to understand from the latter's nesting receptacle, the matter until a quantity of moss and not only to use the box themselves, and feathers revealed the secret. but also to appropriate the materials There was a bird's nest in my garage, which the wagtails had collected! and the sounds which I had heard Nevertheless " anything for the sake were chirping birdy voices. of peace" was the wagtails' motto, and Later on I discovered that Mr. they went away into* my neighbour's Wren and his wife Jenny Wren were grounds to carry on with their domestic the proud parents of nine young duties. children, probably about six days A pair of song thrushes Were quite old, and that the noise that greeted independent of the various nesting- me that particular April morning was boxes, and built their nest in a disused the usual breakfast-time chatter. bucket. I was most interested in the little feathered. family and watched their Important Considerations daily progress with much pleasure. For those who wish to add to their At first the parents were suspicious garage joys in the way suggested in of my presence, but when they learnt this article, there are a few important that I meant no harm they became points to remember : Firstly, get the more confident, and would freely feed nesting-boxes in position as early as their young in my presence. When possible, and fix them steady and about three weeks old the little ones rigid so as to prevent their shaking left the nest, and were indeed a pretty with the wind. Needless to say, all sight in their newly-found wing power. If you would like to play host boxes must be thoroughly waterproof, to some feathered families and if they are erected so that the The Introduction about your motor house, some top tilts slightly forward, it prevents ORA I thought I would like to act as rain beating directly into them. ,toseJ, useful hints to this end will 44" 73%t7. foster-parent to these feathered mites, For the tits and other hole-building so I erected a feeding-table on which, be found in these notes. species, provide enclosed boxes with each day, I placed bread crumbs and an entrance hole in the front, nearer other household scraps. My hospital- the top than the bottom, and about ity was soon accepted, and not only plentiful, there are many more mouths xi in. in diameter for the tit family, did the wren family enjoy the daily to feed, and a pair of tiny wrens but larger for starlings and other repast, but scores of other members of or blue-tits, with ten or a dozen birds. Robins and wagtails prefer the feathered fraternity also visited gaping mouths to fill, have to work an open-fronted box, but are not the food-table, so that my birdy guests hard. above using other types. No nesting increased rather surprisingly. But feeding was only part of the material is required—the birds get Finches, sparrows, tits, robins, pleasure, for I soon discovered that this themselves, and the greater the starlings, blackbirds, thrushes, and my garage was to become the scene number of boxes, the greater will be even such rare visitors as the jays and of further nesting activities. A pair the number of your garage friends. woodpeckers, all attended the feast. of great-tits had decided to follow On one rather cold morning a the example of the wrens, but things pheasant was seen cautiously approach- did not work out quite so smoothly SALESMANSHIP DURING ing the table—apparently fOr some for the tits, for a pair of starlings de- SHANGHAI SHELLING grain that had been thrown there cided to set up house-keeping close TN a letter received at Cowley from for the wood-pigeons--and by night the by, and they objected to great-tits I the Morris Distributor in Shanghai owls would come forth from their as their neighbours. he relates how those whose liveli- hiding-places for any odd pieces of hoods lie in the city are struggling meat that happened to be left, or in Keeping the Peace desperately against a background in the hope that some fat, juicy mouse Actually, my feathered guests were which are mingled the dull booming would pass that way. developing into a problem, and whilst of gunfire and the shrill whines of The tits—the acrobats of bird-dom, I had had some expience as a peace- shells as they hurtle overhead on would spend hours each day pecking maker in human relationships. I knew their missions of death and destruction, away at a suspended half-coconut, absolutely nothing as to the way in to maintain their business on as normal and, more often than not, would take which avian differences were settled. a basis as possible. their meals whilst clinging upside But a friend of mine came along one An excellent example of the in- down. In fact, except when in flight, day (he was one of those lads always domitable spirit that characterises they were as often upside down as brimful of bright ideas) and suggested these men who remain steadfastly right side up ! that I purchased a number of nesting- loyal to their interests is given in It came as a surprise to me, however, boxes, and erected them in the vicinity the letter, when it states that, although to discover how ready the birds were of the garage so as to give the different some motor businesses have closed to accept the proffered food, for, couples a wider selection of nesting sites. down, the writer is doing his best previously, I had always associated The idea worked. No sooner had. "to keep on giving service and doing feeding-tables and coconuts with the boxes, varying in type and size, whatever business may be had," and Winter-time. Winter certainly is a been nailed up into position, than the he records that he actually sold a time of great hardship for the birds, birds were to be seen exploring them. Morris Eight when the city was being but in Spring, although food is, more The dispute between the starlings and bombarded by shell-fire. oRA MARCH, 1988 49 The MORRIS Owner PICTURES OF THE MONTH 0 ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM ALL SOURCES uiiir i o 41 - a 11-,44 ,Del 11 11 I ,torpORA THE MONTE CARLO, RALLY. 1. The Morris Ten entry being examined on the quayside at Monte Carlo prior to the eliminating test. 2. Receiving the plaque for a successful run without loss Of marks. (By courtesy of "The oiutocor") 4. At the Monte Carlo control. The first British arrivals were Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Lockhart, from Stavanger. 3. CAPT. G. E. T. EYSTON opens Kennings' new eight- minute Service Station in Edg- ware Road, London. 5. A RADIO equipped Weiseley police car being examined by Col. J. d'e P. Coke, C./v1.G., 11.M. Inspector of Constabulary. 6. SPRINGTIME IN BERKE- LEY SQUARE. An interesting floral window display as a setting for a Morris Eight t wo-seater at Stewart & Ardern's premises. ORA The MORRIS Owner 50 MARCH, 1988 11111111" "Illv I PICTURES OF THE • • tr 114 a m MONTH—contd. rucT•1*-"T' fe,41 ati I ' &I' 1;1‘C0111..1.9 1 • Co* used use 1. ' • • , W ire:YAN-7- 7., • I and 2. GALES IN THE CHANNEL. heavy seas break- • ing on Brighton front, and a view of the lighthouse from Beachy Head. 3. A CHISLEHURST RELIC DOOMED. This line old water • tower at Summer Hill is to be demolished to widen the road. 4. DAFFODILS are already being harvested in Cornwall. ; Specimens gathered at Moose- hole. 5. IN THE M.G. Car Club's Chilterns Trial : a competitor • awaiting the " all-clear " signal - in the re-start test at Bard Acre Hill. 6. GULLS IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. The recent hard weather has driven many hun- gry sea birds inland. This one is taking no chances with his • food. AnYcc. AIARcir, 1938 51 The 11()ititts Owner - SEE THESE THINGS FOR YOURSELF . .., , . .:;.: • • • .:..., , smeri ... . v i - •••••••.:5::,,:::.m •••,:::::s o.,,..:.•.,...:.:' ...."'.! .11 • - ...... ::::::::ok*:::::::::::::::_i: iON , :_•i :..:Nitri.z...,..i...:,>,....,..,..,.: ::,:..4i1: :;,:. ...,.. 4.i. ...A\, ...... t A. DARE NC)T, 44,..1 0 I r " 'IP I' 'S'i. '..r'• ' -...-:••••••••,•••••••0 . , s.• ,I • ' ' ':k A ''' ..., I sit .: • . r....z, :04 s , „iI I 1 .... i . :11111'1 14#1..411. 1.-1.1.1,1;, 4:41-11117: 1:i --. . InNliit.' eti'''',..i '..4. ',11'...1., :..-..1!1; • ::•...',: SIR wAigz scan- tii, ..ii Ifiiv----0._ , '..,.. .:,:. !; - .61:::.:74):'...:1:...!-:;:1.: . .::‘::": ..:;.:.; CMI: Me0 RAI ALIY f • V A p.„31. --' ZNSURGHb/ ' ,.. •,-,:' .] :-.1" .1.11.7''" .110V -'- .,:-. -. i :',.'-:::: .,-,E. , e A. : .•. '. ;•••. 4 ...4. - , .. otoirmig= • -GRIpte..s,DirIT IAAS , a • --- vi,,,ff4.-' 4 ....,•§,4t;-",";i f': ...•••:',',.,,. ...,,.` 4"."•'*.. crrovnu'lEND4 Souvcr.R" Al'RPAt5res. W1404TILve..'E 5HRoPSH 1 RE -&- pRoBABLyBRirAnv.s: • • . • ufy OLD.E57;mTvlicInHAAGEB, icTLAEvDeRHLOEV.SE./• pnaoy • f..." 1 s#:.%:XNY'?.. ' .... -1.raf4F4i44?;21c4U/n.Zi .jcivuAlc ?:.'.:.. - . .) ".. 1. 1‘..'...'.. . :v 4'4A.r.----'s.-7-.----.‘..- '• .?'.. - • 44:..ii01....,,•Vel.:'....5v...: ...‘ i ra,pro veD- TkiE STONEWORK _- ... SpasNEIAvA,47.,/, ;871.44: 7"/C//ya tJOH5/1;fpoim.. , 4.,-.e. s.f.A 4..A.,,,.....'•• WouLD SIMPLY OAK ..,,,,,,,...... ty.e/67480‘./Rdwo - MAcsr OrWeRFE 7b kr,:1 **,... )1.. ?' Vt• 4\t' , .:,`, ,;:i.:.:,. CRuMeLF- TO •...... •.: .:::'.:•::.:.•. 8 CO7 x':•:•<7X;':.::::: DOWN PO R Ira RE- SIDRATIoN / P ,,,;.!'": • ...'. .1 , ,' -..., :: ":.. ' '" •\.'.."'. ' " DUST ' - .' . , !:... 1.44,' i . :-;:z. - " ' "',... "::.' '' :...... 4:• .....:::.;iti4:1::::;:i::::•;::''"'''•• --s:': :-:.. . DRAUGiTly, 8u1-• STILL DCO.INED . r( ' • . ' e. . • .,...,. ?.s....71• , .'Y es. - ::::::::.:.:*.e!.:'.e'''' -..--..e.:...i...:*: ''..- - ... i_sal 4 .. :„.,.)., ..::::....„ ...... .. _...... . -174a.. _..,09._ Ig... .1 •...... ,. .9t...... • r vA1`1,.,E,11,104, titke.:'• ,,,,,, . .:::: :.:;i:: :::11)... .• . „...... - . •••,...... -.....-„...... .:::- 0p4 ` fr....:. ;:. . .'' .,'' I. ' :- : . %.• 9" ,,„„ ail% ■ ".::. '`. • • ••••'' • ... '' . p i 'Irif, , • ii, .-4••••••• •Iiiii,i. .... . • .....4 •' . • - • • ■ ) 4, .,,,,,. .:.::•:•;:...... ,..0"....;t:;;:- [;:111(3)(:). c/03E‘..y4., ,c At°114-• ....ZZ, . . a 402041::::&:.::,-*:, :::::,:::::,::::',:::::::::::::::::::::::Z...e...:,.:::::: :.', 4,0R% 14 'C:il 5S 6 -Al Of The* Sn'SEItcpi, :: . aell''''.. ,.. ,, .A., • • VOCV • " . . ''...A." 'ag14111. 1 . .-- /NCO , 4.5 th e. ,.., * * - 5. w o.s°._.,....-.. '`:.,.*", ' ,•''''''%:::."."''. ..'''':::_-..' k'.., ..,..,.. :!__ ,._ _.-x_,---,,.=-- ----7 - , . -- . :.• - - ,... • . *. 2.-- 99 ,^°- • .r:,,..3:1X.: • ...... __ A ‘e..-. k ?••• Aii- . . , 4 ,. ;.' ,,,,.... - NIttN • • ' -'• • AR ., ' i 9. • • •'- • -•,:•t• , • 4 if 4'• ' . - . PEPPER 11 . • .., •." '''''' . .. . . . '.....,.'•(•..,-..: - --:. 7.:•••••••*:•.,..:::::: tHr. H/Naoute.._. •:. ‘IA c.,,,,_ , n, - : - . ^ ••••••014' * . .• \N..' . ..."- 1„. ...,-..... A pot,* or lDsz e pt . ''''' ' ...... ,....,.....:.„..:.:.::,,,,,,,...„. „: .. -wc.,.....r...v_ ----"------.". AND A 07 ..__ CHURcHYARD 71 ..,__ ,...I...-. -; i -54Aktk%144ttk\ckkkeik. - -,,,, . IS -Gin • Denbighshipp -NhIAlss, •*- --- .-,%;---. '1/ Fbouc • - n : am M1NUAL RENT,./ r , ,St-dne is,:do_oilia:ler - PAi0 BY THE PURBECK quARPtRS II -To -Ng. _LORO.Or THE MANOR U OP fPIER. ,...... _ Or woa , - ASH werwesaar WAS •.::'- ';;;:,,....:',,;:e: '.!. ./. /4 .., ,..,, , I --'441._ 7he /1);s.stn0 -,,..--_,--, -.,...;..-.....,,.._....;.:.,:o..„.....,.... arng 41°Ite .1)..) n ...... r;11"1""7""•..'. ---`, Pe H'VZ'..--5-... . r'.14;1-....11 ' % )* .-.4 . , ;.:. • . -or.. ,r,,,ra. ...v.." . -'-.Z.,,,A.-:-- • ---'... - .7.---. `*.... . ,., • ., ..s! : Y. ....- . BRIDGE ,iii.„...... F 't...' -` 94t• -----.:;;'4•- ii,, '1 1- ? .4, - -., . "..... / frk* . --- -111 --:--••--..i..... ‘.`•''' •:• irsii,-;.7,, ' '.... 1' '4...,\ ' N •'4-.. A .0:,%'• '' sif. :..:.:.....'i.: . - . iitit Ar0130DY 4, , 9;,...4.-0144.„'11,0 ' V 1 - :-.•-s--'.:-.. -: „,,,. A,44 ' : ...... - ). - ' ;".:31; 1. l;-.,44.,-0 sf-:--...... --.: ., :\.,;'N.; • . , - t . ' r 14 . DARE ''Yx""',04.7'''''"■ . ,' 4 r„ =r. ,;, „, 4.----.• -A • .• '--ii;•:',E0,5 • 7 ,rf,s "-ks,\,,,,, COMPLETE 44'. .0 st..".'r, " .,, ti . f 4'7, , , ...... . .,..?.-... 1-4,„:.... „,./..,/, 4' • ,4•4;1114(ei, , • . ..»,..; ,,i•-•. • ,: ..-...i• .,,,, ,T, . , • "O f ' •11 .. , ..,1 „, ..v,../ , .-.... ,viik. ,....., *.. i _ ...,:.- • iffcir - .t , -14E. FAMOUS OLD ;", . 1 1 04. : ., • 740,4,„"ektrzy "M/S/Gal." BRIDGE-. \ le'' ,' Ati' „) y ,:ks,',.. .,,z% ,.., ' st. . Behnuilel- / 4 i ' ;• t '4, / l' 1 : ---.... • 4 1/4/ - ELLADORI.B CK , Apar 13ALLINA, ,..., ' ''''- \.'.. 1 '% `RiirtNa tzv . -- 0.4k, co. ,,,,,yo, • - , .,...... v ,....-,...... ...... 4 ).0 • • 449 , . .::;::\,... ,... ,>:a OtiMORICK 8ALLINA -The . le i,. / ., , : ' ....4,740-4 a 11.9/ .I•i -' UNTIL A YEAR oaiwo AGO, EVERY SrONE. '' ...,:'.W- ^.. +FV: R ....,--). I N ..,:t.: ; • 0., ,--.,.. 6,v -, •••" ININ 4, rrs COPING MAO A DilliNcr a MELODIOuS - MuSicAL NOTE. (THrz $To..4 WERE SEA4AATH.D 114 s,t• 4. Nor eutepocon IN U0 S1° ' 'Ti` NOT cemovr , „y„,•,.c44.\ - wiTHsTANDING AN ANCIEN PROPHECY WAT DIRE. GeV/du, QIN" CATASTROPHEROPHE WOuD COME. lb WHOEveR TAtE.0 TO Faves.i THE. 1),...... ^... BRIDGE. - fl 'WA. DECIOWD lb REPAHR R COMPLETE TI IF. EIVILDIN4 °PIT 1 0 Bar -VILLAGCRG OF TEINACti. -MIA. Ciermaoy, ONE STONE 57IL REMA/H DISPLACED (-3 Successive CoNTIZAZToRS DRAW IHEIR wsirE.. mom A WELL.- -n-ls WATERS OF HAVE Tkieo To POTIT IN POSRION - AND ALL HAW Dig_O SUADFNI-y CompLEDNG AFTER . WHICH ARE AS 43.1.ACK AO /XVI' .' ,- THE. WORK - 71/e SioNic 19EaVO' POuND EAC,AI Wi: ll A CI9IN Dhotild'afa • Ih e Colour. 14 ctased i bry me 1)GY-I•smotA*4-• oi: A'Avcip The MORRIS Owner 59 MARCH, 1938 WHEN YOU VISIT A CATHEDRAL Take particular note of the miserere seats . . By . . Charles G. Harper HEN the tourist has walked the length of very easily to be seen is in itself remarkable. the nave and aisles of a cathedral, and Some indeed of the subjects are indecorous. There Wexplored the choir and the lady chapel, he are in the aggregate thousands of those misereres, considers he has seen everything of interest, but he of an invariable shape and size, but with a wonderful has not. Those especially instructed know that range of subjects. The earliest examples are thought there is a very wealth of interest in those tip-up to be those in Exeter Cathedral—early fourteenth seats called "misereres," with which the choir of century. Among them is a figure of an elephant, every cathedral is provided. according to the then generally-received idea of what These seats, fashioned in far-off times for the use the elephant looked like. It is, on the whole, a of the monks and others whose daily affair it was to pretty good rendering, but it will be obvious that sing the long offices of the Church, were installed he has hind legs jointed like those of a horse. It is for the comfort of those who had to conduct the a mistake always made by the medimval sculptors, services, some of them perhaps aged men, and who had not the advantage of recourse to zoological infirm, who could not stand throughout. When gardens, for first-hand study. The miserere seats tipped up, they gave rest, with the appearance of of Wells Cathedral are of mid-fourteenth century, the singer being standing. They are called "misereres" because they were merciful. The more recent practice is to style them "misericords," and it is even stated that "miserere" is incorrect. I do not agree, and, in any case, " miserere " is to be pre- ferred, for "misericord" was in medimval times the name of that short dagger with which an opponent finished off his wounded antagonist and "put him out of his misery." For Lengthy Offices (Above) The old sculptor's conception of an ele- Well then, here you have had phant (Exeter Cathedral), and (left) shoeing the goose, in Beverley Minster, a short and succinct exposition of the use and nature of these and are sixty-four in number. They are seats. Some are to be found the finest in the country. also in "collegiate" churches, but rarely indeed in the ordin- In Cottonopolis ary parish church, in which Manchester Cathedral misereres include long offices were not commonly a very whimsical effort in a scene show- sung. The under-part of these ing a pedlar asleep by the wayside, his seats is always enriched with wood-carving, often pack being robbed by monkeys, of which some designed in subjects rich in observation of natural are seen to be searching in his hair. In the forms of animals, birds, leafage and humorous inci- collegiate church of Whalley, in Lancashire, one dents. The monks of the Middle Ages were, as these of the misereres represents the shoeing of the works of a supreme artistry prove, no mere sour goose, a subject which is treated also at Beverley recluses, but men of fun and fancy, and gifted with Minster. This was a favourite motive in the Middle a keen sense of humour and satire. That they Ages of illustrating a futile or unnecessary labour, should have lavished such art upon works not or, alternatively, meddling in other folks' business. ORA crs' MARCH, 1938 53 The MORRIS Owner When You Visit a Cathedral--contd. photography than with the pose generally chosen by artists. This does not mean that the old craftsman It is doubtless in this sense that the Whalley who carved this seat was a clumsy fellow. It merely sculptures scene is intended, for in the inscription seems to prove rather with the unerring eye of the (inscriptions are very rare on rnisereres) we read : camera than to choose the conventional way. There “Whoso meller hym of yt all men doe, let hym cum are interesting miserere seats in the church of hier and shoe ye ghose." A blacksmith is seen about Holy Trinity, Stratford-on-Avon, which was once to perform this needless operation. This is a very "collegiate." Among them is one which shows a late miserere, about 1520 it is thought. distinctly Jewish mask. Some far-fetched ideas have The last Abbot of Whalley, John Paslew, who been put forward that Shakespeare well knew these must have had this warning note under his own carvings and that from the Jewish mask he evolved eve, was rash enough not to heed the proverb. He the suggestions of the Merchant of Venice and Shylock. Curious Birds We well may think, however, that as Shakespeare left his native home so early and so hurriedly, Worcester has he never even saw these seats. The birds on either this carving of a woman warm- side of the Jewish face offer a singular contrast. ing herself by her cooking fire. That on the left appears to be intended for a swan ; the bird on the right is an ostrich, shown in the act of trying to swallow a horseshoe, which shows us that the weird stories of the ostrich and his powers of digestion were current many centuries ago. Nails and hoop-iron, or indeed any old did in fact meddle in other men's junk. were thought to be delicacies affairs, for he and some of his to the ostrich. We need not be- monks took part in the insurrec- tion called the "Pilgrimage of lieve it. Grace," and he and two of his Those supremely clever old monks were hanged for high artists who imagined and exe- cuted the miserere designs took treason before the abbey gate, crs' The *ORRIS_ .Owner 54 MARCH, 1938 When You Visit a giving a man a good beating Cathedral—contd. with a big ladle. At St. Law- rence's Church, Ludlow, we found also recorded on these have, among others, a scene often delightful works, and the in which a man with a jug jesters and jongleurs of the and a cheerful anticipatory face times are shown. Sometimes is drawing drink from a barrel. indeed the humour is a trifle In the church at Castle Heding- broad. ham, in Essex, we see the Devil Londoners will not have far shown to be carrying off the to go to see some of these alewife who has either sold exercises in farce, for in West- bad ale or has given short minster Abbey itself, among the measure. A Stratford-on-Avon artist's idea of a swan or many such seats, there is pic- ostrich eating a horse-shoe. Thus, it may be said, we tured an unseemly incident in a have the grave and gay aspects kitchen, in which the cook (cooks notoriously are of the victualler's art portrayed in the excellent angry and short-tempered persons) is seen to be wood carving of medimval times. - - BREVITIES - - FOR driving a motor lorry, the said : "How much will it cost me adjoining the finest vineyards. In windscreen glass of which was dirty, I have only been hanging on for about each of these kiosks grapes and grape a lorry driver was fined at South- forty yards." juice will be retailed to the thirsty, end. It was stated that after striking Later at Wood Green Police Court while on the other side petrol will be a horse trolley be told a policeman the question was answered by Mr. available. that he did not see it because of his W. S. London, the magis- dirty windscreen. trate: "1d. a yard." - AFTER a motor van had caught fire MOTORISTS on the on a main road near Dorchester the Colnbrook by-pass road CYCLISTS TAKE CARE. tarred road burst into flames, holding were held up for some time A code of cycling conduct approved and issued by the t when a six-ton lorry loaded 73 a up local traffic until the flames were Cyclists' Touring Club, 3, Craven Hill, London, te, extinguished. with oil caught fire. The driver managed to save THE LAW requires that you some of the oil but the Ccnux to police constable during Carry on your machine- when cycling during the hoar, of darkness. a white lorry was a total loss. front leght and an unobscured end efficient rear reflector plus. what surface the hearing of a motoring case at of not less than 12 square inches. (If you elect or your own free will to - carry a lighted red rear lamp. Instead of a reflector. you MO itnpe.se wan Tottenham Police Court : "Did you the white surface.) put the car through a good test ? " DIMENSIONS AND AP- Carry a white front light also on the sidecar. it one is attached to your cycle P.C. : "Yes, I looked at it." PREHENSIONS. "I Was when riding at night. watching the car closely, Do not hold.on to other vehicles unless you have lawful authority or reason able cause. A TEACHER told a class of small for I was afraid my toes Give way to pedestrians at all pedestrian crossings not controlled by police boys to write an essay containing 25o would be run over," said or light signals a constable giving evi- Obey traffic signals wheiher you are riding or wheeling.your machine words. One little boy wrote : "My Go slowly or come to a stop before entering a major road from a miner uncle was driving his new car one dence at Tottenham road if there is a traffic sign requiring you to dose. Police Court. day and he had a puncture. The THE HIGHWAY CODE exhorts you to other 236 words are not fit to write." Keep as near to the left as practicable unless about to overtake or turn to — WHAT ONE BABY CAN the right. Do. An infant sitting on Avoid riding too many abrease and thus, impeding other traffic. A NEW. traffic law which came into Be able always to pull up within the distance for which you can tee the road her mother's knee in a force in Germany at the New Year pro- I. dear. vides that pedestrians who "endanger car at Bournemouth re- Overtake only on the right, except when a driver in front lus signalled leased the brake. The his. intention to curn to the right. (Subject to any local provisions to the traffic" by crossing the road against contrary. UMW'S may be overtaken on either side.) a red or amber light will be punished. car ran backwards for Avoid overtaking at a pedestrian crossing, at cross.roeds. Or at a blind fifty yards across the corner. - Give the appropriate signal clearly and In good time before you stop or road, just missing a crowd slow down or change direction, and when approaching a constable or other FOR five minutes on a recent after- of holiday makers, moun- person .controlfing traffic. noon the centre gates in the Wellington ted the pavement, crashed COMMON SENSE impels you to Arch at the top of Constitution Hill into an iron fence, slightly See that your brakes and tyres are dependable. were opened to traffic owing to road damaging a bicycle Avoid cutting corners on the wrong side. repairs. These gates are opened as propped there. The car Dismount when It in risky to proceed. a rule only for the King. Beware of skidding on greasy or muddy roads, through applying your brakes was also damaged. suddenly. or through carelessly mgotisting manholes, drain covers vtd tram - lines. THE T.T. race will be run on a new Avoid depending on "the other fellow." DRINK FOR MAN AND Keep an eye on the movements of other traffic. eight -and -a-half-mile road circuit, BEAST. The authorities eight miles north of Belfast. The in Aside, France, have ORDINARY COURTESY implies that you will R.A.C. have been granted permission just worked out a new Always behave towards other road users as you would like them to behave by the Antrim County Council. towards you. idea for increasing the *Mays be a true sportsman. — consumption of grape Help to promote goodwill on the roads. WHEN stopped by a police constable juice and the sale of for hanging on to the back of a petrol. lorry, a cyclist of Highworth Road, The Cyclists' Touring Club has issued this admirable For this purpose six condensed code for the guidance of its adherents and New Southgate, was alleged to have kiosks have been erected others. OBI? 4.0sVp ( Oaft 7/Oa Crs' - --- MARCH, 1988 55 The MORRIS Owner 71r- W S (.1 Wherein a Barrister-at-Law dilates upon legal aspects of motoring and roadfaring Loss of Expectation of Life • .. HE decision that damages can be awarded to executors of a person killed in a motor accident Tto compensate the deceased for his "loss of Greaves-Lord J. was driven to quote a poem about expectation of life" is leading to a number of law- "A little warmth, a little light of love's bestowing, suits. When discussing that decision in my article and so good-night," and to add that the question on "Damages for Personal Injury" in The MORRIS was "What is life, considered as a 'good thing' ? " 0%7 4.0*, Owner last September I said that the right to these The Law and the Common Inn 44" crs damages must spring up even if the victim was . killed "instantaneously." In a case he decided in A well-known hotel had to pay £53o not long December Mr. Justice Lewis agreed : the negligence ago to a guest whose jewellery to that value had been of the defendant, he said, must have happened a stolen from a bedroom there. This reminds one of split second before the death, and therefore the the stringency with which the law formerly dealt deceased during that split second had a right to sue, with innkeepers. Before 1863 a landlord had to which passed to his executors on his death. pay for any loss occasioned to his guests' belongings. "You take 'em in," said the law, "and you jolly A Tariff for Lives well look after 'em I" There was some sense in that The man who was killed in that case was aged in the Middle Ages, when innkeepers were as often twenty-three. The judge awarded &000 for loss as not dishonest, but by Victoria's time it was of expectation of life. In a case a few days earlier, thought to be a little unfair. Mr. Justice Greaves-Lord had fixed the sum of So they passed the Innkeepers' Act, which limited f,r5oo as the proper one where a girl aged eight the landlord's liability for his guests' goods to years had been killed. Since apparently the assess- except where the loss was due to the act, default or ment of these damages must not take into account neglect of the landlord or his servants, or where the earning capacity or social position, it seems as though goods had been deposited for safe custody. In these the judges will settle down to a regular tariff for two cases he still has to pay the entire loss. lives, diminishing in amount as the age of the victim But in the recent case the innkeeper had to pay increases. Significantly, in the famous case of Rose v. 1:53o, and neither he nor his servants were negligent, Ford, where the House of Lords set the seal of their nor were the goods deposited. Why was this ? The approval upon this amazing ground for damages, answer is that the innkeeper loses the protection of the deceased was aged twenty-three—and ir000 was the Act unless he exhibits a copy of it prominently thought to be right. There the victim was a girl ; in his entrance hall. You have often seen it hung apparently there is to be no sex inequality in gauging up there—and wondered why it had pride of place. the value of life. Well, this hotel-keeper thought it was an eyesore, The value of life "—some extraordinary meta- too, and he hung it not in the hall but less con- Physical problems will arise out of this theme. I spicuously in a passage. tia.ItcY that our judges view such metaphysics with And in so doing he forfeited the protection of the distaste. "It seems to me, speaking for myself, a Act and had to pay £550 instead of £30. It seems most extraordinarily difficult task to assess the loss a little hard to have to pay £520 for moving a piece Of (he expectation of life"—thus Lewis J. ; while of paper out of a vestibule, but there it is. ▪ ORA crs' The MORRIS Owner 36 MARCH,H, 1938 Shall We Send the Traffic to Earth? WO underground roads, one valuable time are wasted daily by running from north to south queues of stationary vehicles. 3 and the other from east to r..7.1.1 92 '3 DI Within the past twelve years west, are forecast as the main - • --1 tA.. alone, the number of vehicles using points of a scheme for relieving - g Egs VV.V V. ...AV& 6,46/66 ,6666,7 •6 London's traffic congestion shortly creased by about thirty-five per to be presented to the Minister of ' • . • • cent., and, despite traffic lights, - • Transport by Sir Charles Bressey. , one-way streets, and the partial Sir Charles was appointed by Air. - _-- restriction of horse-drawn vans, Hore-Belisha in 1934 to draw up saturation point cannot be far proposals for unscrambling Greater A\ _1 off, if, indeed, it has not already London's road chaos, and the re- been reached. sultant report will outline a plan It is true that spasmodic efforts embracing 900 square miles and are being made to fit the thorough- designed to meet the growing fares to the traffic by widening traffic needs of the Metropolis ▪ Why not make the relief of existing streets. But that is little during the next thirty years. road congestion solve the more than playing with the prob- Linking the arterial roads now • problem of air defence ?—says • lem, being both uneconomic and discharging streams of vehicles our contributor. • slow. on to the overloaded streets of • • London land is so valuable that Central London, the traffic tubes : By DAVID LE ROI : the cost of widening a mile of would be tunnelled below the street may well entail an expendi- level of the underground railways, ture in excess of r,000,000 ; and, carrying through traffic beneath London, would whereas a mile of vehicular tube could be burrowed leave the surface streets free for the use of strictly under the same street for about £85o,000. local traffic. As there would be no junctions in the ORA Widening an existing street is slow because the ,torp tunnels, vehicles proceeding from one end of London 'A work seldom can be commenced and finished as a <<, to the other would be able to travel at the maximum continuous operation. legal speed without any halts to permit passage of Consider, for instance, the leisurely process of cross traffic. widening the Strand. A start was made shortly after Moreover, underground roads would be invaluable the war, and the scheme is still incomplete ; the in case of war. Not only would they provide ideal addition of a few feet to the width of the street for air-raid shelters, but transport carrying supplies or its greater length has merely led to a bottleneck at evacuating the population could move in complete Charing Cross. Similar slow progress inseparable safety. Even in peace-time the tunnels would mean from street widening dams the Edgware Road at a saving in human life, for if they were put to their the Praed Street crossing. logical use and reserved for motor traffic to the ex- The Brixton Bottleneck clusion of pedestrians and cyclists, something would he achieved in reducing the toll of the roads. There is another sorry example of street-widening That London's main line traffic must eventually in " progress " south of the Thames. From Kenning- either go to earth through tunnels or sweep across ton Gate the traffic for Streatham flows smoothly the present inadequate streets by means of elevated along a broad thoroughfare to be jammed at Brixton, highways is indicated daily by the creeping pro- where there is a short but effective bottleneck on cessions of buses, cars and lorries jerking from crossing one side of the railway bridges. Incidentally, when to crossing. this particular piece of roadway is widened, there These vehicles were meant to satisfy the twentieth will be the extra expense of rebuilding one of the century's demand for rapid transit, yet we promptly railway bridges, or else a massive supporting pillar immobilise them by trying to run them on the streets will be left standing between kerb and tramline. that barely sufficed for the horsed traffic of Queen From Brixton the road widens again and carries Victoria's reign. traffic in an even flow to Streatham, where a bottle- neck in the High Road compels single-line working London's Problem of the trams ; and even then there is barely room There you have London's traffic problem in a for a bus to pass between kerb and rail. nutshell, for, broadly speaking, the amount of road Until recently, the most favourably-debated alter- space in Central London to-day is little more than native to what has proved the expensive and slow it was forty years ago. And into that pint measure of schemes of street-widening was the overhead high- thoroughfare ever-expanding London is attempting ways like those built by several cities in the United the impossible task of forcing, not a quart, but quarts States. But the pillars supporting overhead roads of traffic, with the result that thousands of hours of rest on land that has to be purchased from someone, ORA crs' MARCH, 1938 59 The MORRIS Owner Shall We Send the Traffic to Earth ?—contd. We already send trams underground from the Embankment to Southampton Row. Indeed, but while before any such solution of our traffic problem for the fact that the London County Council that could be embarked upon there would be a whole built the tunnel was then the tramway authority, host of legal obstacles to overcome regarding spolia- and, consequently, disinclined to encourage other tion and the deprivation of lights. forms of transport, vehicles other than trams would Curiously enough, American engineers who have .probably now be using the Kingsway subway. achieved remarkable results in their own country Road tunnels have proved successful on the Contin- with elevated highways are doubtful if such structures ent, while Los Angeles is running a main traffic would be of much use in London. As more than artery through a tunnel. one traffic expert impressed upon me when I was One of the favourite arguments against running in the United States some years ago, the seeret of motor traffic through tunnels is that the provision the overhead roadway's transatlantic success lies in of adequate ventilation provides a serious problem. the fact that streets in American cities are invariably Tunnels the Solution broad, straight, and cross at right-angles. On the other hand, London streets are comparative- Liverpool, however, has proved in Queensway that ly narrow and tortuous, so that to run an elevated exhaust fumes can be abolished from tunnels carrying road in a straight line would involve the prohibitive nothing but motor vehicles. expense of purchasing and demolishing buildings Driving through those three miles of roadways be- on the proposed route. neath the Mersey, one breathes considerably purer air than when jammed in traffic blocks on surface streets. Viaduct Disadvantages Liverpool's triumphant tunnelling of the Mersey Then, for a city so vulnerable to air attack as raises doubts as to whether London would be wise London, elevated highways might well develop into in building any more bridges across the Thames. liabilities in the event of war. One lucky hit from In these days of accurate bombers, bridges seem a bomber on a main overhead road or junction might somewhat flimsy structures to link the two halves paralyse for miles around the movement of batteries, of a city so vulnerable as London. fire-brigades and rescue squads. Two or three years ago Mr. John Murray, a No, London's traffic seems more likely best to former architect to the Commissioners of Crown solve its problem by going to earth and burrowing Lands, proposed a tunnel in place of the much ,torp through the heart of existing built-up areas. (continued on page 63) ce <<, NO TRAFFIC PROBLEM HERE.—This pleasant spot at Calbourne, In the Isle of Wi0t. Is called Winkle Street. 4.12kOR442p ( .16 -WV ORA crs' The MoRBIs Owner 60 MARCH, 1938 PIPPON PMENT THE EFFECTEFFECT OF A FAR-REACHING ACT OST motorists know that in 1935 Parliament in deciding whether or not to do so, and in deciding °IL? passed into law a measure rejoicing in the under what conditions to do so, they must have ,torp M 44" 'A name of the Restriction of Ribbon Develop- regard to two factors ; the need for preserving the <<, cis• ment Act. "And about time too!" said many amenities of the locality, and the securing of well- drivers. "Look at what's happened to the Great planned development. West Road I There will be no more of that in Amenities and well-planned development : those future." are large and airy terms, and may mean anything. Well, if the local councils do their job, there ought But now that the Act has been in operation for now to be no possibility of any more arterial roads some time the cases that have been decided under it being ruined by speculative builders. And already have begun to show the interpretation put upon the beneficent operation of the Act can be seen in those words by the authorities who are called upon the service roads that developers are being forced to enforce them. to put in where they build alongside the highway. But the Act affects others besides estate owners and A Sensible Safeguard building contractors. It comes a good deal closer Naked ribbon development, we find, is prohibited. home to the motorist than that. It may prevent Isolated building is frowned upon. And—an im- many readers of this article, for instance, from portant point this—more and more the cases show erecting a garage in their garden. that highway safety is one of the main grounds for refusing consent to new building. Obstructive Legislation Some councils have come to some extraordinary For it is a drastic piece of legislation. It says decisions. But their caprices are checked, and this : No one may in future construct a means of uniformity throughout the country is furthered, by access from his land to an A road or a B road, nor the fact that any person who has been refused may he build within 220 feet of the centre of an consent to build, or to construct an access to the A or B road, without the local council's consent. highway, may appeal to the Minister of Transport. Further, a council may, by a resolution approved by How the Act is working in practice can be well the Minister of Transport, apply the Act to other exemplified by taking two groups of cases of interest (unclassified) roads. to private motorists—those concerned with petrol So if your house fronts on an A or B road, or on stations and with private garages. another road to which the Act has been applied, The Minister in his recent report upon the working you cannot even make a footway gate on to the of the Act tells us that in considering appeals as to highway without the consent of the council. petrol stations he has based his decisions upon four But the Act is not designed to sterilise develop- main principles. They are as follows : (a) Adequate ment and prevent all change. In proper cases the provision shall be made for the accommodation of council will give their consent. But, says the statute, waiting vehicles off the highway (so there will be .40ORA*. crs' — MARCH, 1938 63 The MORRIS Owner Ribbon Development and Your Garage—contd. There are other cases in which the Minister has overruled a council in favour of a private motorist. ito more kerbside petrol pumps) ; (b) two means A motorist living on A.' at Newark already had of access shall be provided to the station, distinguished double gates leading to his garage. He wanted to by appropriate 'in" and "out" notices ; (c) the shift his motor entrance to a more convenient spot means of access .must be so designed and sited as farther down the road, and to reduce his former not to prejudice road safety. double gates to a pedestrian access. The Nottingham And (d) regard shall be had to the amenities. For County Council did not mind him shifting his car this reason the Minister refused to allow the erection entrance, but they wanted the old gate stopped of a filling station at Clifford Moor in Yorkshire. up entirely. The Minister evidently thought this He said : "It conflicted with the amenities of a a silly decision, and reversed it. There could be conspicuously beautiful section of the Great North little potential danger, he found, in allowing a Road." pedestrian access to A.' here--for the footway out- The effect of the Act upon the private motorist's side the gate was twenty-three feet wide. garage can be seen in the case of a Mr. Stevenson at Old WindS6r. He had a house fronting on road No. Reversing In or Out B.3021, and in September, 1935, he put up a wooden A case which I find a little disquieting is Rockliff garage in his front garden. In January, 1936, the v. Bradford Town Council. There a householder in conncil told him he had contravened the Act by Harrogate Road, Bradford, wanted to erect a garage. doing this without permission, whereupon he form- Permission was refused on the ground "that there ally applied for their consent. It was refused, and is not sufficient space at the rear of the house to he was told to remove the garage within six months. permit a car being turned, and that the use of the He appealed, but the Minister dismissed the appeal, garage would therefore involve a car entering or finding that a wooden shed in such a position was leaving Harrogate Road in reverse gear. The detrimental to the amenities of the locality. Council came to the conclusion that this would be highly undesirable, as it would cause danger to the Amenities Considered •- traffic using the road." More fortunate was Mr. Maunde-Thompson, whose The road in question was stated to carry a con- house fronted B.385 at Byfleet. He had one garage siderable volume of traffic. But it was no less than and one car. He wished to keep a second car, but eighty feet wide. However, the Minister agreed with ORA _ JO. • "••■•••,- ORI? ,tg..2ah ( cis• 40*ORA , crs' The MORRIS Owner 64 MARCH, 1988 YACHTING AND MOTOR -BOATING By " COMMODORE " HERE must be a large number possessing one which is not really From his experience with these of men and women in the country suitable, either because the initial craft he evolved the Sindbad cruiser Tto-day who yearn to become boat purchase price is rather more than which he has now made a standard owners, and to whom the proprietor- one intended to pay at the outset, or production, and the only model that ship of a boat is one of their greatest it may prove, owing to lack of know- he builds. ambitions ; but the chief deterrent to ledge and ability, not possible for you "Sindbads" are practically exclu- its realisation is the fear that they to handle satisfactorily. sively powered by Morris engines, of will never learn to master all the The writer knows personally of the performance and reliability of intricacies of sailing. many cases where great enthusiasm which he always speaks very highly. There is a great deal concerning has been developed for yachting, only Only last week I visited Mr. Desty, boating which can be learnt by the for the ardour to be damped, and of the Rampart Boat Building Works novice during the Winter evenings at sometimes lost, because the novice at Southampton. Here Mr. Desty home by study of various works such bought too big a craft in the first and his son, with skilled workmen, as the Lonsdale Library's Motor place and, being disappointed at his are building standard 43 ft. and 45 ft. Cruising, The Motor Boat Manual, inability to manage it efficiently, twin-screw cruisers, all of which are etc. A call at Captain 0. M. Watts' decided that the pastime was not so engine(' with Morris "Commodores." showrooms in Albemarle Street, attractive as he had thought. Going farther along the coast to London, will enable you to choose Elkins' yard at Christchurch. I found several books which will give suitable Around the Boatyards a 32 ft. twin-screw cruiser and a advice. NE of the most interesting boat single-screw 30 ft. cruiser being plank- Better off still, of course, is the man building enterprises on the South ed up. Both these cruisers are being who has a yachtsman friend. By O Coast is that of Guy Shelley, of equipped with Morris "Navigators." cultivating the acquaintanceship Gosport, Hants. Messrs. Watercraft, of East Molesey, further, much useful information and Mr. Shelley has had considerable I hear, are very busy building 20 ft., advice can be obtained. To the man experience in all types of engineering. 25 ft. and 30 ft. standard cruisers. who has assimilated all these ideas He will tell you how he inherited from These, it will be remembered, were on and is looking round the various yards, many generations of boat lovers and view at Earls Court Motor Show. we would once again repeat the warning which we gave last month, and that is not to buy a second-hand boat unless it has been properly surveyed, so that the advice of experts can be obtained as to the actual conditions of the hull and engine which he is buying. There are many so-called bargains on the market, but when they are looked into with an expert eye one finds there are a number of faults, which would take quite a lot of money to put right before the boat could be considered safe for either river or sea use. Ample Choice There are plenty of yards in the country, both large and small, which are building sound cruisers and sailing boats at most moderate prices. Some yards specialise in small motor cruisers and others in auxiliaries. The most important point to bear in mihd in choosing a boat for the An interesting 30 ft. Walton cruiser, fitted with a Morris " Navigator " engine. first time is not to select one that will be too big, either from the point of empire builders a more than ordinary Orders are pouring in very fast for view of the purchase price or of love of boats, even for a Britisher. these excellent little sea-going boats. manipulation. He first set up in Gosport in 1921, We have been informed by Saunders- The boat builders offer a bewildering and four years later he built his first Roe Limited that their shipyard selection of craft of all sizes and boat. In 1926 he started with the section has been formed into a separate descriptions, and it is only too easy craft what became the largest sea- company under the title of Saunders to be led away by the glamour of going hire fleet in the country. Shipyard Limited. .4sisVpORA, ( MARcn, 19:38 67 The MORRIS Owner THE FOURTH MORRIS CONTINENTAL RALLY A holiday run via Calais, Arras, Verdun, Besancon, Geneva, Grenoble, to Nice, returning along the Rhone Valley, through Avignon, Valence, Avallon and Paris N giving the following particulars of the forthcoming Morris Owners' Con- Jj tinental Motor Rally we believe it will be opportune to give first of all an idea of what the Rally is like. 13191: 1?":r- Those who have not taken part in one '( <‘c before find it difficult to visualise the Procedure and write to say that although the itinerary sounds attractive and the cost reasonable, they would like to ask a few questions before making their decision. This is. obviously, a natural attitude and we would like to answer in advance several of the questions usually asked. The Morris Owners' Rally is in no sense competitive. No points are awarded for Monte Carlo by night (top), and a section of the Route des Alpes. braking tests, coachwork or speed records ; it is neither a race nor a reliability trial ; it is experienced travellers who want to take advantage essentially a holiday tour. of a well-thought-out itinerary, with none of the Go as You Please fuss and bother of having to make their own arrange- In ments. Comparing the advantages of a Rally with As mentioned in the previous number of The independent travel we would emphasise that a Moms Owner, the Rally is going to have as its Rally is largely independent travel, each driver objective the French Riviera, and little description travelling at his own speed, stopping where and is needed to portray the attractions of such a centre When he wishes ; the only thing asked is that all --glorious sunshine, warm seas, first-class hotel and members arrive each evening at the appointed hotel very good food are a few of the pleasures to be had in good time for dinner. at Nice, at which town the Rally will stay for five For those motoring abroad for the first time the nights. advantages of a Rally are manifold. The pilot (or courier) is a man who knows the Continent extremely The Itinerary well and the languages spoken, and his advice when REIMS—LAKE OF GENEVA—ROUTE DES ALVES—FRENCH required, and help, are of great value to those RIVIERA—RIIONE VALLEY AND PARIS 15 DAYS unfamiliar with continental customs, traffic regu- August. tatm.ris, etc. It must not be inferred, however, that Sat., 20th Leave DOVER in the morning via Townsend Rallies are run solely for novices. In fact, the party Ferry for CALMS. Proceed to ARRAS via St. frequently is made up of the majority of well- Omer, St. Pol. ORA crs' The MORRIS Owner 68 MARCH. 1938 The Fourth Morris Continental Rally— contd. The Outlay August. RATE PER PERSON Sun., 2 rst ARRAS to VERDUN via Peronne, St. Quentin, . Laon, Reims. LENGTH Or WHEELBASE BESANcON No, or I Mon., sand VERDUN to via ›.ienichateau and PERSONS Under I Over Langres. 3, v r 6"-9' o' 9' e-9, 6.19' 6"-so' e ,,, (,.. Tues., 23rd BESANcON to GENEVA via Salins-les-Bains, St. Laurent-du-Jura, Col de la Savine, Col de £ s. d. £ e. d. £ s. d. £ a d. 4 a. d. Two ... 22 9 6 23 I o 24 I 0 25 3 o 26 I o la. Faucille. - Wed., 24th Free day in Geneva. Opportunity will be Three ... at 6 o 22 13 9 12 7 0 23 2 CI 23 23 9 provided for a visit by car or lake steamer to ... 20 14 3 21 0 0 21 20 0 22 I 0 22 10 0 the surrounding resorts. Four Thurs., 25th GENEVA to GRENOBLE via Annecy, Aix-les- Five ... — 20 12 0 21 0 0 21 9 0 21 26 o Rains, Chambery, Grande Chartreuse. Fri,, 26th GRENOBLE to NICE via Briancon, Barcelonnette, Puget-Theniers. The Service Sat., 27th 1 1. Return transport of car via Dover-Calais Townsend Sun., 28th t Free in NICE. • Ferry. Mon., 29th I 2. First-class return passenger fares via the above route. Tues., 30th / Wed., 31st NICE to AVIGNON via Cannes, St. Raphael, 3. All British dock dues. Brignoles, Aix en Provence. 4. All charges for full foreign touring documents, G.B. September. plate, etc., excluding Customs guarantee insurance. Thurs., 1st AVIGNON to AVALLON via Montelimar, Valence. 5. Hotel accommodation throughout the tour, single or sur-Rhone, Vienne, Lyon, Macon, Chalon-sur- double bedrooms. Saone, Autun, Saulieu. 6. Dinner and continental breakfast at each hotel. Fri., 2nd AVALLON to PARIS via Auxerre, joigny, Sens, 7. Taxe de sejour and government taxes at all hotels. Fontainebleau. 8. AU gratuities to hotel servants. Sat., 3rd Free in PARIS. Sun., 4th PARIS to CALAIS via Pontoise, Beauvais, Abbe- 9. Garage accommodation each night. ville and to DOVER by the Townsend Ferry io. Farewell gala dinner at Paris. leaving in the afternoon. it. Services throughout the tour of the Autocheque Pilot. ,torpOR A 23 ca. ON SULPHATION - How to ensure long life to a battery cts' ERIODICALLY one is reminded over the active material in the plates, is very doubtful if they can be shown of the causes which lead to a and being a poor electrical conductor to have any lasting value. p car battery giving trouble, and is difficult to act upon by a charging "In the case of bad sulphation the new remedies are offered us for current. safest course is to pour out the electro- restoring an unhealthy battery to "Sulphation can be recognised as lyte, fill up with distilled water, normal condition. a hard white deposit on the plate or and give the plates prolonged charg- Mr. E. C. McKinnon, M.I.E.E., plates, but this should not be confused ing, exchanging the electrolyte again Chief Engineer to the Exide Company, with the appearance of hydration—a for distilled water when the correct writes to us on the subject as follows: sulphated surface is fiat, whereas specific gravity has been attained. "It should be understood that if hydration has a softer and creamier This is, of course, best carried out a lead-acid battery will not sulphate appearance. at a battery service station." it will not function. "From time to time special battery "From this it might be inferred electrolytes and solutions have been SUMMONED at TOttenhanl police that the evil of excessive sulphation put on the market for which claims court for speeding, a man said; "1 is inherent in a battery and cannot be are made as a cure for sulphation or was anxious to get to the burial ground avoided, but this is not the case, for its preventative. Many of these quickly, because I had my employer although the plates in a lead-acid cures or dopes are harmless, but it with me." battery will sulphate badly if neglected or ill-treated, they can be kept free from severe sulphation if the battery receives the right kind of treatment. "Discharge from a battery depends essentially on the combination of the sulphuric acid and the active materials on closed circuit forming lead sulphate in both plates. Moreover, a certain WHOSE CAR WAS amount of lead sulphate is beneficial THIS ? — A corre- spondent sends us in a healthy positive plate for cementa- this picture of the tion purposes. Without it the active remains of a car material might tend to be too soft. seen in the mouth of the River Gannet, "Normal lead sulphate is in an un- at Crantock, Corn- crystallised state. Sulphation becomes wall. It had been troublesome when a battery is under- stripped of almost everything, but the charged for too long a period (varying Chassis No.S2 ITW/ according to several conditions) and 60582 and the En- the lead sulphate passes from the gine No.10582 were uncrystallised to the crystalline state. readable. This can be compared to a hard shell (OR'? • 0stinri119 Qrs'( gARcn, 1988 71 The MORRIS Owner MORRIS ENGINES IN _INDUSTRY VERY year more and more manufacture of such equipment is Morris range can be adapted in a firms are realising the importance Marshall, Sons & Co. Ltd., Engineers, number of ingenious ways to speed E of assisting their employees to of Gainsborough, who make the up work. Another use which has obtain reasonable recreation facilities "Marshall Motor Roller." just been found for Morris industrial in addition to those afforded by the This roller is particularly suitable petrol engines has recently been municipalities in which they live. for sports ground work, as it can be discovered by Lacy-Hulbert & Co. With that object in view sports adapted for almost every purpose for Ltd., pneumatic engineers of Croydon. grounds are provided, with club houses which such a machine could be re- This company was recently approach- in which dances and other social quired. ed by one of the big railway companies gatherings can take place after the Powered by a four-cylinder Morris for a portable petrol-engine-driven employees have enjoyed the amenities petrol industrial engine developing compressor, capable of operating four of the football or cricket pitches, the 12.8 h.p. at row r.p.m., it can be large paint spray guns, and they tennis courts or putting courses. utilised either for the construction or insisted upon a four-cylinder engine Employers appreciate that any maintenance of footpaths and side- being used. expenditure involved pays a handsome walks, and can be operated easily This may seem a somewhat unusual dividend in return as a result in a close up to a wall or fence, or to kerbs, request, as spray painting is ordinarily decrease of leave owing to illness, and a channels or grass verges, for which connected with the finishing of the greater increase in general good health. type of work its compact design lends modern motorcar, and it is not always itself. For working on grass surfaces, fully realised to what extent the For Economical Working hind rolls two feet wide can be fitted, application of paint and bitumastic Such grounds, however, have to be giving a rolling width of six feet. A solutions, etc., has grown industrially run as economically as is consistent valuable additional feature of this among large manufacturers, steel with maintaining the premises in equipment is that it enables the works and such concerns as railway first-class condition. The problem of machine to be used for hauling gang undertakings. A Portable Air Compressor As a result of this request, Lacy- Hulbert & Co. Ltd. developed a portable compressor plant incorporat- ing a 6/x2 h.p. four-cylinder Morris petrol industrial engine. As in this sort of spraying work an interval between operations may last as long as half- an-hour, due to the moving of scaffold- ing, etc., an extra-slow-running device was manufactured, which cuts the speed of the engine down below the minimum obtainable by the standard governor. This auxiliary governor is pneumatically operated, and so de- signed that the engine is run up to its „full governed speed, namely 1200 r.p.m., a.few seconds before the load actually comes on the compressor. The compressor, capable of deliver- ing 25 tu. ft. of free air per minute against a pressure of 100Th. per sq. The Marshall motor roller, powered by a four-cylinder Morris petrol industrial in. when running at 12oo r.p.m., is engine developing 12.8 h.p. at 1000 r.p.rn. of patented design and. has a very high volumetric efficiency. what equipment is necessary for this mowers when required, while by The compressor and engine are purpose is, therefore, one of consider- fitting a fifteen-gallon tank it can mounted together on a combination able importance. also be employed as a water spra: Y. fabricated receiver frame, the receiver Por example, the question of keep- One man can easily learn to ope: rate part consisting of three small drawn ing the turf of any sports or recreation the machine for all purposes, and by steel tubes built together in such a ground in first-class condition is never fitting a suitable awning he can b e SO way that, as the air passes through an easy one to solve. Turf must be completely protected that work x ieed them, it is filtered and cooled. rolled and cut regularly, and this is seldom be postponed on accounl t of This frame is supported on two often no small item of upkeep costs bad weather conditions. large size motorcycle pneumatic tyred unless the equipment is right. The modern industrial petrol or wheels and two smaller ones, so that One firm which specialises in the paraffin engine as typified by the it is quite easy for one man to wheel. The. MORRIS Owner 72 MARCH, 1938 TALKING SHOP CaNTERFOILl NOTES, NEWS AND NOTIONS FROM THE INDUSTRY A Patriotic Gesture there is little that can be told in this Co. Ltd., marketed this invention brief space, but in the case of the under the name of the Wefco Spring ROIVI a letter recently received insulator and the cement matters are Gaiter, still on sale. from The Eastern Garages Ltd., of During the past twelve months, I F Chelmsford, I learn that that particularly interesting. The core of a Champion plug is made am informed, hundreds of private concern and its associated Company. motorists have written in response to Eastern Automobiles Ltd., have for of Sillimanite, an exclusive feature of Champion plugs, because the the Wilcot Co.'s advertisements and the past ten years given their regular have fitted Wefco Spring Covers. staff at least one Week's holiday with Company has bought the only known pay, conditional upon an individual commercial deposit in the Inyo Moun- twelve months' service. tains, California, and it is claimed to Barimar Lantern Slides Now it has recently been announced possess exceptional strength and re- • ARIMARS tell me that they have that all members of the firm joining sistance to heat shocks, insulating • prepared a series of sixty lantern the Territorials • would be granted properties and high heat conductivity. slides which illustrate, in a niost leave of absence to attend camp each Sillimanite is also used for the seal graphic manner, many clever welding year in addition to their ordinary between the body and the insulator, repairs which this firm have carried holidays with pay, and would have where it is necessary to make an ab- out to motorcars, commercial vehicles, their service pay made up to that of solutely gastight joint. industrial machinery and other metal their civilian employment. The Sillimanite is ground into a parts, such as large bells. powder so fine that it will pass through These slides are available on loan Champion's New Factory a screen with a mesh of 23,000 to the to motoring organisations, engineering rrHOSE of you who have occasion square inch, and this fine powder is societies, technical colleges, and similar institutions, together with ample de- 1 to use the Great South-West virtually hammered into place. A pre- Road between Feltham and determined measure of Sillment is scriptive material, which can be used Staines will assuredly have noticed poured into the insulator and is either in the form of a lecture, or sections can be abstracted for inser- the fine new Champion building opened " tamped" down (Champion's word, a few months ago. not mine) by a fixed number of blows tion in other lectures intended to deal more generally with engineering sub- This building has been erected at of given force. This has the effect of a cost of some £100,000 to supply the compressing the Sillment almost to jects. European market with plugs. solidity. Application for the slides should be I was told that these cores would made direct to Barimar Ltd., 14-18 I was recently given an opportunity Lamb's Conduit Street, London, W.C.r of looking over it, and I can assure then stand a pressure of 130 lb. per you it was a very interesting experi- square inch, which is much more than they would be For the Woman Driver called upon to resist ak\ YLER & CO. LTD., of 62 New in use. ll Cavendish Street, Great Port- It is hoped to pro- i land Street, W.', have recently duce a small matter sent me particulars of a little article of 6,000,000 plugs in specially devised for the comfort of this new factory dur- the fair sex. This is their "Achilles ing the_first year. Heel Pad," designed to overcome the obvious disadvantages of high-heeled shoes when driving, supporting the foot in a natural position. It has a sponge nibber centre providing a cushioning effect for the feet, is covered in a durable but soft and pliable Assembling the elec- material, and is available in five pleas- trodes in the corcs at ing shades of blue, maroon, green, drab Champion's new factory. An exact quantity of Sill- and brown. In the standard model ment is fed in in two it costs 75. 6d., but special sizes to suit shots with a tamping individual requirements may be had operation after each, producing a perfectly at los. gastight seal. Appleyards' Profit Sharing Bonus : i..1 T the Annual Staff Supper of Appleyard of Leeds Ltd., Mr. A J. E. Appleyard, the Governing ence, as the general layout has been Director, announced to the 380 em- planned on. the lines of the American For the Springs ployees a continuation of the profit and Canadian factories. WENT Y years ago, when motoring sharing bonus which has now been in As you all know, the principal in this country was only just existence for the last fourteen years, parts of a plug are the metal shell, Tgrowing out of its infant stage, during which 418,00o has been distri- the insulator and the electrodes. Apart though proving a very lusty child, buted. • from the ingenuity which, on auto- Mr. W. F. Cottrell invented a method Mr. Appleyard also announced a matic machines, converts long steel of protecting car springs against continuation of holiday pay to all bars into plug bodies at the rate of water, mud and grit, at the same time employees at the Christmas, Easter, ten per minute, and the clever machine keeping the leaves properly lubricated. Whitsuntide and August Bank Holidays which makes and bends the electrodes, His company, the Wilcot (Parent) for the seventh successive year. °R I?, 4.01Li- -Vp 1,13P,.ce 1988 75 The MORRIS Owner OTI-IER OWNERS' 1VIenal Bridge Tolls - by the proper authority and treated as part of the national highway entitled to z00% maintenance grants from taxation. I AM enclosing copy of a letter I have sent to the Chancellor We suffered in the past because the bridge was not treated of the Exchequer and the Minister of Transport. A copy has as part of the highway. We were then liable to contribute also been sent to our Member of Parliament for Anglesey—. 40% of the maintenance cost, but our grievance then was Miss Megan Lloyd George—who presented the original that our contribution in tolls was considerably more than petition on our behalf to the Ministry of Transport. it should have been in rates. As you will observe, -a-much-stronger case is now presented. Thanking you on behalf of the public and motorists for We were very surprised that the Ministry of Transport your co-operation with our efforts to obtain reasonable im- did not abolish these tolls on 1st April last, when they took provements. over the road and bridge as part of the Government's national Llanfair P.G. WILLIAM JONES. road programme. [Copy] LEGALITY OF TOLLS LINDER THE NEW SYSTEM te' MENAI—NATIONAL—BRIDGE CfS' It is very difficult to know how any Minister of the Crown ABOLITION OF TOLLS can establish a legal right to continue an extra toll on a I HAVE once more been requested, on behalf of the motorists and toll payers that cross this bridge continuously, to approach you regarding the date when these tolls are to be abolished. Will you kindly allow me to draw your personal attention tor the first time to the petition that was presented to the Minister of Transport early in March, 1934, pressing for the total abolition of these tolls. THE OLD SYSTEM As you are aware, this bridge has been maintained for many years by direct tolls and the system of collecting them was let on a lease for a fixed amount. We urged the Govern- ment to terminate that system and collect the tolls directly. TIUs was done, and since then the Treasury has benefited in profits to the extent of £120,000 and more. It had reached that figure nearly two years ago. INCREASING PROFITS is estimated that the profits since the last reduction in tog are approximately Lio.000 a year. In addition to this the total profits made are either earning or saving the Treasury the stun of at least £3600 a year at the rate of three per cent. 13y. the end of next March it is estimated that the accumulated Profits with interest will have reached £145,000 made out of t olls. PRESENT SYSTEM CONTINUING Although large profits had been made up to 1934, we were ;Hf°, "lied by the Minister of Transport that the present system "" "0 be continued as long as the whole maintenance costs wt.re met out of tolls. In his letter dated the 8th February, 1 935. he stated that having regard to the fact that the high- waY authorities were not prepared to take over the bridge alki treat it on the same basis as the main highway, he was unable to abolish the tolls at that date. AUTHORITY AND NEW SYSTEM "e now have a new highway authority working under "Would you believe It ? He had the whole field to land in, and yet new sYstem entirely and the bridge has been taken over he must come right down 911 top of our two cream buns." (OR)?4itik2p 16-W ORA crs' The MORRIS Owner 76 MARCH, 1988 Other Owners' Opinions—contd. Inn. The signpost points to Christleton, and although the lane does reach that village, for motorists the road is im- t00% maintained national road. We feel that we have a passable. Three packhorse bridges (a photograph of one just claim in pressing for these tolls to be abolished at the of which I enclose) in quick succession limit the use of the end of the present financial year. track to pedestrians and two-wheeled vehicles only. to the main road the lane appears to be quite passably. BETTER FACILITIES Liking by-roads, the other day I ventured this way, and It would also curtail the inconveniences, and hardships I found that the lane depreciated into a cobbled path. From that now exist. This will be even greater during the period here I walked towards the River Gowy and discovered (heat of reconstruction. By doing away with the tolls now, it three nartow bridges spanning the river, all within out would be easier for the bridge officials to handle the long hundred yards. They are paved with kidney stones and waiting queues much quicker. worn slabs. By subsequent investigation 1 have learned It would also be more convenient (or motorists, as there th a these bridges and the track form part of an old mediwval would be only one stop and one restart. way that wound across the North of England, and can lk• Taking again the bus passengers, they have a real grievance. traced for a considerable distance. I have read that Om, is nothing like these old bridges anywhere else in Britain On a map of Lea's, circa th6o, this old way is slam!, r 4 trIc s., with greater importance than the nearby Watling Street. Local tradition has it that these bridges arc Roman, but this view is discounted in authoritative quarters. At ob Plough Green, near Christleton, there was once a gibbet 111 ' on this old way, and a raised mound still marks the site. , ., Birkenhead. F.M. The Twin Trees I WONDER how many of your North Country readers have seen the twin trees in a farmyard at Cumberworth, on the , main road from Barnsley to Manchester ? .. . .- • , c,.--, „... •.. , , . 4.4 - . - • ''- „"%:-`• .-- - . . - ). qv e;...-..,.. . ,z. :1■01-...n. ,..- * -k 44" r , i r. . .i. . : + .. ..e..•-.4.-e- ,...; 'S., 'ZA.:^ ...0*-■,,,t. • - ., -.' . -", • ,f.il•'.-r. . ,, ,. .. il •V • • , • .5.• • •: This curiosity is to be observed at Cumberworth, between Barnsley and Manchester, according to S.M., whose letter is on this page. MI the passengers except eight are forced to walk over the bridge through all kinds of weather. The present state of affairs should come to an end and better facilities provided. If the tolls were abolished it would mean a considerable saving to the bus owners. It could then be reasonably ex- pected that they should provide the only practical alternative as long as the present restrictions remain in force, and that F.M., writing above, complains that packhorse bridges like this obstruct a Cheshire by-road, entirely without warning to is to run one or two fourteen-seater auxiliary buses to carry possible wheeled traffic. the passengers over the bridge. Really the Minister of Transport should then make it To see this curiosity the motorist should turn down Park compulsory that all fare-paying passengers are carried over Lane, and then in the farmyard on the left he will see the two the bridge. trees joined together by a bough about fourteen feet from We sincerely hope that you will give this matter your the ground and resembling a letter H in shape. careful consideration, and that you will be able to decide The farmer tells me that the bough which joins them was in favour of abolishing these tolls at an early date. originally a "hay brode," i.e. a pointed stick used for Your decision will be awaited with great interest. pinning down the thatch of a stack, which was placed between I am, Sir, Yours obediently, them and eventually the bough was formed. WILLIAM JONES. It would be interesting to learn whether any other such Organiser of the Motorists' Petition. curiosity exists in the country. Huddersfield. S.M. Packhorse Bridges in Cheshire I WRITE to warn your readers of a lane near Tarvin, Climbing Hardknott Cheshire, that is possessed of a most misleading signpost. I READ with great interest the article "Over Lakeland Coming from Tarporley towards Chester the lane is on the Mountains with a Ten " in your January issue. left, about a quarter of a mile past the Headless Woman It may interest you to know that during a recent tour I ORA, 4sitok!p ( "?ces%74,z- .40Ong* , crs• liARcif, 1938 71) The MORRIS Owner Other Owners' Opinions—contd. result that corrosion of terminals is liable to occlir, this idea will eliminate a good deal of ignition trouble. oode the same journey. The stiff gradient and loose surface Before the positive and negative terminals are clamped ‘NreyneSe and the hairpins of Harclknott were taken as a on to the battery lugs, place a 'felt washer soaked in oil over tooter of course by my Morris Eight four-door saloon, with the post. I have tested this idea for two years and have two people and a full complement of luggage. not seen any sign of corrosion, even after increasing the In fact the car behaved perfectly during the whole of my dynamo output considerably beyond the usual. tour and I feel that, after experience of other makes of car In over two years my battery has never been taken off o r the same horse-power, I must write in praise of the Morris for charging, the starting handle never used, although the Eight starter is used hundreds of times per week. Ryde, N. H. COLLYER. Stapleford, Notts. RUSSELL LEARMAN. Those Cornish Gutters An Old Milestone I NOTICE in The Momus Owner January issue, on page I ENCLOSE a picture of an old milestone which stands at a paragraph on "Safety Last," which reminds me the junction of the Grange-over-Sands, Inverston and Newby very much of when I was touring Cornwall during September Bridge roads in the quaint old Furness market town of Lea. I stayed at Ncwquay, in Mount Wise. Cartmell. • j was reversing my car in Mount Wise and my exhaust This is a reminder of the days when the old route across pipe was knocked clean off the car owing to the state of the sands of Morecambe Bay from Grange-over-Sands to the kerb, as shown in the photograph. I wrote to the Hest Bank was in frequent use and formed the readiest Newquay Council about. this, pointing out the clanger, and means of communication between greater Lancashire and they informed me that they could do =thing about it as the detached Furness area. it was a matter for the County Council. In the sixteenth century the Prior of Cartmell appointed I know for a fact that the residents in Mount Wise have a guide to conduct travellers across the treacherous sands, protested vigorously about the danger of this kerb, but and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Crown kept up the appointment. With the institution of the mail coach the duties became onerous. Even to-day there is a Kent Sands guide, who receives a salary from the Duchy of Lancaster, and he still takes about niustrating Mr...... Russell Learman's method of prevent- 0 ing battery terminal corrosion. See his ).- Wiefer /GORNMINNOM explanatory letter herewith. FeLt Washer Soaked. in. Oa ORO .ctot'p nothing has been done, and I consider that some action cV should be taken as there is sure to be a nasty accident some cts day for strangers. 1 might mention I sent the account for the repair of the exhaust pipe to the Newquay Council, but they informed me that it was not their liability and I had to pay the account myself. I thought on seeing the photograph in the journal that this might interest you. Rochdale. E. EARNSHAW. A Minor in Ireland wotmo like to draw your attention to the remarkable performance of my Morris Minor car. As a clergyman who has a lot of travelling to do, and a slim purse to do it on, it was essential that I should purchase a reliable, car possess- ing lasting qualities. In April, ie33, I obtained from Mr. G. A. Brittain, Dublin, that year's Minor model. The speedometer stopped at some 97,000 miles several months ago, and I am sure I have added at least 3000 miles to that total since. The car has not been rebored, and is still able to tour up to 35 m.p.h. comfortably. Of course, the oil consumption has now increased to some extent, but not unduly. The appearance of the car is little worse than what is called shop-soiled, and it has not been repainted. Never once has the Morris Minor let me down in all my a hundred people—chiefly visitors who cross for the unique journeyings. I have paid careful attention to oiling and experience—over the old route each year. adjustments, but with the exception of grinding-in valves Bolton. M.S. 'Ind decarbonising, and renewing a few worn parts, such as Shackle pins, etc., garage work has been very light. Wanted—A Holiday Venue I wonder whether your records can surpass this perform- WE holidayed in August last year at St. Quay in Brittany ance ? When I can do without the car for a week or so I and enjoyed it immensely. Through your "Letters to the Purpose having it rebored. Editor" column I gathered some very useful and practical Monaghan. J. ARTHUR HYNES (Rev.). information. Has anybody any interesting suggestions to offer for this year's August (or July) vacation of a like nature To Stop Corrosion somewhere on the Continent and at the seaside—good sands, , BEING safe bathing, and good accommodation ? a driver of a Morris vehicle I have an idea in which A. MAIR. -1. think you may interest your readers. Knowing that the Glasgow, C.4. inajority of drivers overlook the care of batteries, with the [Letters or post cards will be forwarded.—Ed.] 410*.ORA 73 cc' <6Ors"( 4 v The MORRIS Owner 80 MARCH, 1938 A Worn Clutch Thrust Ring to take up the operation of the clutch I AM the owner of a 2935 Morris mechanism. There should not be Eight car, and having covered SOFT TYRES WEAR more than in. maximum movement Q 23,000 miles I ant experiencing from this point to the position where trouble with the clutch. When the ECE NT research has the clutch pedal reaches its stop. engine is ticking over and the clutch R revealed that the reduc- pedal is depressed, the engine stalls. tion of tyre pressure by 10% Of what is this a sign ? Removing Obstinate Valve brings with it an increase in Cotters wear of 13%. Thus if tyres FRom your description of this Fitom time to time I have noticed, trouble it is clear that the clutch which should be run at 30 lb. ',OR A> A as a regular reader of The MORRIS thrust ring has become worn, due are run at 27 lb., every thou- Owner, that you do not seem to to normal wear, or alternatively the Q Ccp, mind giving advice on old cars, and car has been running with the clutch sand miles of normal wear will be accounted for in 870. therefore I venture to approach you pedal out of adjustment, causing the in connection with a little difficulty springs to become coil-bound before Verb. sap. I am having with a six-cylinder the pedal reaches its stop. Morris Oxford car, made, I believe, If the clutch thrust ring has become about 1930. In the process of de- worn, the remedy is obvious. Another carbonising, which I ant doing myself, thrust ring must be fitted. It must When checking the clutch adjust- I cannot remove eight out of the twelve be borne in mind, however, that ment, there should be at least in. cotters under the valve springs. The driving with one's foot resting lightly free movement between the normal trouble is that as soon as I press on on the clutch pedal will tend to acceler- position of rest for the clutch pedal the cotter, the valve turns round. Is ate the wear on this part. and the position where it commences there any little tip to help overeome this difficulty ? FROM your description it would seem that your difficulty in A detaching the valve cotter is simply due to the fact that there is it slight burr formed, not an unusual thing if the valves have not been taken out for some time. The best method of overcoming this is to turn the cotter so that the open end faces outwards (the cotter, as you have noticed, is in the form of a horseshoe), then after raising the springs and cap clear, get an assistant to tap the cot ter out with a screwdriver. In doing this, the valve could be prevented from rotating by utilising another screw- driver in the slot made in the head for grinding-in purposes. Care, of course, must be exercised, otherwise the stem of the valve will be bent. Incidentally. we might say that before removing the valve cotters it is a good idea to place a piece of rag all along the space underneath, otherwise the cotters will "The ear's not taxed and the regulations say it must not be driven on the:road,4" be dropped and will be difficult to ORA crs' jvIAIICIL 1988 83 The MORRIS Owner Information Bureau—contd. component, when it would be examined, THE fitting of a dual arm to the and provided that it is found to be no Series II Ten car is quite a recover. Before refitting the cotters, more than three inches out of align- A. simple matter. In the July, Ion, such burrs as may have formed at the ment we should then accept the axle issue of The MORRIS Owner on the rear sides can be cleaned off with a file. beam for reconditioning. cover will be found a description of There is no doubt whatever that the Lucas dual wiper conversion set, Reconditioning Front Axle this scheme proves safer, more ex- which can be obtained from any Lucas I AM writing you since I have peditious and less expensive than any agent at a cost of zos. 6d. had the misfortune to be in- other method, and we suggest that The fitting of this set is quite a Q volved in an accident with my you approach the local authorised simple matter, and included with the Morris to li.p. car of your Series II Morris Dealer, who would be only too outfit are instructions showing how production. The damage appears to pleased to help you. to carry out the necessary work. be concentrated upon the front wheels The bodywork is designed so that and axle and I believe that the axle Fitting an Extra Wiper Ann a dual arm can be attached quite is out of truth. Now, I do not wish to simply. Providing due care is given be involved in any big expense by As the owner of a Series II to see that both spindles are working having a new axle fitted, but at the To h.p. Morris car I should very freely and are not binding in any same time the suggestion that the Q much like to have a dual wind- manner, the existing motor should axle is straightened seems to me, to screen wiper fitted in the manner in prove perfectly satisfactory. say the least, a trifle dangerous. I shall have to foot the repair bill and . wish for the repairs to be carried out at the lowest possible cost. What do you recommend in view of the cir- cumstances? ) THE question of repairing a front axle beam is one of considerable GOOD VISIBIL- ITY.—Wolseleycars importance and in no circum- are equipped with stances should the work be caxried a non-dazzle pass- out without facilities which will allow light which pro- vides ample light for the jigging of the axle and a heat when the head- treatment process to restore the metal lamps are switched to its normal granular construction. oft on meeting For many years now we have under- another car, as will be observed in this taken reconditioning of front axle photograph taken ORA beams as a specialised repair in respect at night. ,torp 44" 'A of which there are fixed prices over crs' the whole of the range covering the early non-front-wheel-brake models up to the current prpduction (in the case of the Morris Ten Series II model, at the figure of ix Ins. 6d., ex Works). Through the Medium of Identification of Morris, Parts I RECENTLY took off the head of my ie35 Morris Ten saloon and Q found all the valves except one in perfect condition—the rearmost ex- haust valve. This was not only badly pitted, but appeared to have a red, rusty-looking deposit upon it and showed signs of scaling. It is my opinion that this valve is a "pirate" one, in which case, of course, I shall naturally wish to replace it with a genuine spare, while I should also like to be sure that the remainder are genuine Morris products. Can you tell me any means of identifying them? THE answer to your question concerning the identification of A genuine Morris engine valves for this model is quite simple. All engine valves which have been manufactured by us are stamped on the head either with the word " Morris " or with the FOR AN EMPIRE AIR ROUTE.—A Morris -10-cwt. van, emblazoned with a neat emblem in green and gold, being shipped by Morris Industries word " Mowog." Exports Ltd. to Karachi Air Port. It is noted that you wish to make quite sure that genuine Morris spares an authorised Morris Dealer, a front which the Series III Tens are now being are fitted, and this is a practice which axle beam may be ordered under the equipped. should be applied whenever possible Service Repair Scheme pending the Is it possible to have a new wiper in order to ensure satisfaction from return to these Works of the original arm fitted to my car ? your car. The MORRIS Owner 84 MARCH, 1938 Information Bureau—contd. the universal joint to the gearbox. me to utilise this oil on the grease Thus it may be that oil is unable to nipples ? Oil Leakage from Gearbox return, due to the blockage of the return duct. It will be necessary WE confirm that XS-Press oil I sitau. be very pleased if you to examine this duct and clean it should be used and that it should 11)) will tell me how I can remedy thoroughly. A not be mixed in any way with -- the difficulty I am experiencing other lubricants. The new oil is with my 1931 Morris Cowley. refined to withstand the high pressures Oil leaks from the gearbox down to A Lubrication Query incurred as a result, among other the back axle, preventing me from HAVING recently exchanged my causes, of improved engine perform- maintaining the oil level lathe gearbox. early Morris Eight for one of ance, and increased weight of complete In fact, I am unable to keep it at a Q your present Series II models. cars in proportion to their horse-power. level higher than one inch below the I was interested to note, upon reading It will be appreciated that any top of the oil filler. the operation manual, that you now mechanism, whether the engine or a advocate the use of XS-Press oil in gear system, has to be "run in" in As there is adequate provision the rear axle. order to smooth down those very for the retention of oil in the Upon making enquiries, I discover minute irregularities in the surface A gearbox of this model, we feel that this lubricant is incapable of unavoidable with the finest precision that in your case the best procedure mixing satisfactorily with the trans- machining. These new surfaces, if inefficiently lubricated, can easily become damaged early in their life owing to the extremely high local pressures developed, causing a re- sultant development of noise. Extreme pressure lubricants, however, prevent this danger by maintaining a film of lubricant, even under the most severe pressure. It will be unwise, therefore, for you to utilise for this purpose the oil you have on hand, but it can be used with advantage at the Enots nipples on the chassis at the intervals stipulated in the manual. Which Switch ? 4.0 (ORA, sARcH, 1938 85 The MORRIS Owner • _- 44"."11771L.". • I; #97*(1 • =`," We've travelled a 4,7 ;.M111.77:7 Ifir,";(.4 41' AV WI*A 1 4..."14 - •;2,..>,4"11.M 1,4444;:71, fki.eler4V, "....1/40:tra• •.; 04, „,24. - long way ti "'el) et% tiv 41hgr-4f N \' oaglet - since then . ....,_.i — fi'Vfliagr;J:sip 1 ‘...r i ,. 1 , :, ,... of ie. .,. \ ‘ „ • • ::- Ofrykig06 A., '=.---.------.-- . - --...... ----• --- lvi:"iii-47 ---4R71 . , 1,---•44-,_j:-- .•- . / ' .. . \ , peg',;;;r, , T'''. RI __ • ,?,,, I q•,sHif,k,:;;Ii , •"-,'.1,•'; : • . ,<,:. .k. - ---._- ---_.__:___-- •_..-- = -- ›- : . : :•. =---- .41 ' ,;, - mglilisPi',0;! 1 - \ . • .: ___ ,F:.-i. • . , ...• •,....- t V tS{t,:•. ..‘:Fiez' •,,1 ;,•'•,‘ ---• --,..-=,--_-. — - - - - . . -. :. • , - ,T,n,,J,,:•:•), ill ./ \ ,, :.' ...,:. k.. ."-. ::----- _ -'------:---:----;----:_ -,,- . ,,: 1 .' :- t/e4s; --- :1000'). ' -;-.„' '' 1 . ... I 4 - .: . , y - 4,1".; : • ::- .5t1P:.-3.....:....„..i-_-____,...... . • -- -. :77-----\_------,-- '> ■ \ i , -'.'.. ' .'si.:;:ii•.,,. ,,/' 42,-,.: , ..4,...,)L7:.',V- ->''''-,"-,'------, -.. ),1,'"•":"1 ,-,-- / -'• ---,, ,e-. t.'...,' ,, I ■ ":-... • • :I: • ,r; -...' ,,,'' , ,nytti.,... --...------■.:_. ./ it , ' 't: , '''',--- - - - ' .4% --- ' . \....\'';',..:. --,-=,'" Iltt'Z 111 /. •---,..----. .:'•:. ':::. .'.•:."-Y..16 :1,,;*;'4. ' ‘'---■-...... -:,..,-,.--■.' / . -Ili]; : ' . ., _.- ' - klItn` ■=.... .,:...'.,"..:.....,..:;'t ---• -...:-.--:'"------•N:`'.<4, ' • ', . . :';,•:• 1Z- ss',:—s..‹.„ ,..-•-,-\ ' ,' =,,!•iej.:.' ..„4_,.);ft .. ■■ •,....k44.4„...;;Z: -....--:-. k't` '..*. 11" '',‘,<•-''• --:..• , ' Z- , •, ,•! .' /i ••, • i ' :1 ')'' .<0.'? „.,`. -I t ` v 's"`'.. . lik •,.-- \:`,.'s., --:-'-'`-'•7:- '‘\Z.:% N N ' N.. '-'-• ._ ' "1,.:'• / ' ( .:.,,,4,1p'Wi. -tf-,._ ft, - 'N-\ liplII \ ''' \' ''\. .. • -,''- --- -:-.,---.=::";iii ,.. ii - 'i, :, ' .'s , \.- NN- -; .-.,..,,ii,% •-• . i„ ... -...:'1!.. —,---,3c. ---,„ -t, -,.- '.:-.1- ,9, !ill'/....„ ------• ----,-,---,, , \ ..,,, \\....N.,\„.. .:...... ,..,..ii.„,„, :,...... ,..,,A __ ...... , --...... „...... „ , / \ s, Si\ '....,;.„.-t0”.:'-' 111, ' '''',.-':':..',...,:,..'-'-''''---.,... ' _: 1-'-'-.----''''-----„,.''._-',::,,,• ''....'..--:."-' '''- .''..--„„-....''•,,.::...... ,,,._,.,.'-'---'-.::.....__. ,,._-''' ' • s N! \\A \\ \III, . ''''/W k N ..''''.;!! '.• '-. ..', ''.. ■ -,„ \ \. \*)15°' '■ `;Q.:- ..-'''‘' -..\,_-, -...7-7. __,....,-,., ----....- ''''-.------1:'-...■-"-,, ",---,„ --,...: - ■ - -. ■._ ■ . _ .. , : . - : . z .1 -• , - - . .,, . : -: : -› --. .- . -. ■' .- -,-- ,- -., -_ ., - ,■ „ .: : :.,.‹.-. . „ , _..,,_ _-''_ ... ,' ' " -, . . .. ,,, . . ..■--..,..,,,.. - - - - .`",....'..`:. .4-..,' 730,4 '‘ \\' \\ \i‘\s N' , S' ,.- Z', , '' ,, -,7:,,,..-..-.'-■•: 7 .‘;;.--,,--;''--• -.2...-,,,..\--- ' -...'s•-•'•'-,•- :;&■• C .I.S' Pioneers of the car went on the principle that it is better to travel than to arrive. But they won the road for speed. Every year since then, motor engineers have been beating the clock by wider margins. Bodywork to stand •■ up to high power travel, demand these experts. Slim, shining shells of tScP immensely tough steel, reply P.S.C. Pressed steel bodywork built by tp P.S.C. is the crowning glory of those beautiful cars that pass you daily in er • the street. filsk to see models whose bodies are built of P.S.C. steel. tt!pti. ssaes UM tomorrow ! _ PRESSED STEEL COMPANY P.S.C. bodywork or pressings, made by the Pressed Steel Company, Oxford, are used by Morris Motors Ltd. service advertising F. MENTION OF THE MORRIS OWNER ENSURES PROMPT ATTENTION TO LETTERS. 7oFt.c> — The MonHis Owner 86 MARCH, 1988 The story of a cowardly and unscrupulous robber who with the passage of time has acquired fame as a knight S WI F T NICK of the road. VERY lover of the King's Highway No highwayman could carry on his continues to be intrigued with the nefarious work without running many E stories of Dick Turpin and Swift risks, and Nevison, with a price on Nick. his head, often found himself in queer It may therefore be interesting to straits. learn the real character of Swift Nick Near Batley, in Yorkshire, there was, (Nevison), who travelled the road before if there is not now, a stone bearing Turpin was born. the inscription :— Swift Nick HERE NEV1SON KILLED FLETCHER Nevison, to whom Charles the Second —a crime rendered necessary if he was nave the name of "Swift Niel( " wq to save his own skin. Yorkshireman and, if we are to He was once gaoled at Leicester believe Daniel Defoe, he it was who By HENRY WALKER and, seeing the gallows looming before made the wonderful ride to York. him, he determined to make his escape As was the practice of several highwaymen, he at all costs. He feigned death, and when he was waylaid and robbed a sailor who had been paid off carried out as a corpse he made his escape. at Chatham, and then made his escape before the Later he was again captured and imprisoned in hue and cry could be raised. Away he went to York Castle, a stronghold regarded as impregnable, Gravesend, crossed by the ferry to Tilbury, spurred but he succeeded in making his escape. But this on to Chelmsford, where he baited, then by way of time there was a hue and cry for Swift Nick and, Braintree and Cambridge he made for Huntingdon, at last, he was run to earth in an alehouse at Sandal. where he rested and refreshed himself and his mare. The constable, suspecting that Nevison resorted Then they went hell-for-leather up the Great to the inn, offered to give the landlady ten guineas North Road, through Stamfoid, Grantham and if she would let him know when Swift Nick next Newark until they reached York. came to the house. In order to establish an alibi Nevison changed his clothes, played a game of bowls on the public Betrayed crs. green, got into conversation with the mayor and Eventually a note reached the constable telling made himself otherwise conspicuous. him that "the bird is in the cage." Fully armed, The ruse succeeded, for when he was afterwards the constable and an assistant went to the inn at charged with the crime the alibi was upheld, nobody midnight, where they found "the bird" asleep and believing that a man could commit a crime near at their mercy. Chatham and be found at York the same day. Bound hand and foot, he was taken to York, where Nevison principally confined his operations to he was at once placed in irons and, after trial, was Yorkshire, where he had friends on whom he could executed on Knavesmire in 1684. rely for food, and for a hiding place when pressed. Nevison has left his mark in several parts of the He was credited with robbing the rich in order to country, as at Ferrybridge, where "Nevison's Leap" give to the poor, a questionable virtue also attributed is a reminder of his remarkable feat of horsemanship, to Dick Turpin, and Macaulay has left it on record or at Giggleswick, where "Nevison's Nick" is pointed that "he demanded purses in a most courteous out as the place where the intrepid highwayman rode manner, and gave largely to the poor of that which up the face of Giggleswick Scars in order to escape he had taken from the rich." from his pursuers, none of whom dared to follow him. FOR BREACH OF FAITH BY THE MOTORIST PAYS— SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS HE following paragraph from 71/48 which surveyors ought to have been cost to the nation of slow traffic must Liverpool Echo will bear repetition, indicted for gross carelessness. The be appalling ; and we have one and a Texpressing as it does precisely Research. Board is still investigating half millions of unemployed—and only what most of us think : safe surfaces. unemployed were used on the German " Those who motor, and pay licence roads until rearmament brought in- and petrol taxes, in this country have A Mockery dustrial jobs." a charge of long-term fraud against "The Lico,000•000 Five Year Road When motorists express themselves this and previous Governments ; and Plan, heralded with a great flourish at strongly they are open to a charge of some who have been bereaved or the 1935 General Election, has become prejudice ; these words, however, were maimed have an indictment for shock- like a mockery. Over two and a half printed in a prominent national daily. ing negligence. The Road Fund has years have gone and about £85,000,000 - been pillaged, and almost everything is still unspent, with ordinary road EVIDENCE INCONTROVERTIBLE.-A connected with road work has been development behind, not advanced. solicitor at Highgate Police Court said : grossly mismanaged—from ribbon Yet motorists pay most of igo,000,000 " The load when loaded was no doubt building on new roads to surfaces for every year in direct taxation ; the a load." ------MARCH, 1938 87 _- - The MORRIS Owner , .. • • . IT HAPPENS ' . : • . ..- ■ • , ••.. EVERY DAY! '.F . • COMMON MOTORING ■ -.' . , ..;'- .. , ' ,. 4„, . J. •• „.... FAULTS WHICH ARE , •,. • .,:,,,,,, . ANNOYING TO OTHERS I... • 1 .. ,..,.•11 . ,, "H.1.1( • •/.;.- .. , . / ,,• - r• , • ' • -. I ' ' r.liiiiii., • a ' 4.4ii ' • •. , 1 ' • • •■.,:v -- ,:... „..s.3;i • , .•_.....-44 • . . . !,• 1. Stopping on a blind corner to change a wheel: the ... operation could be curried out a few yards farther on with '( little risk of damage to cover or tube and without incon- / venience to other road users, where the road is straight and visibillty good. la•RA••401% , 4•.• 0/5‘ 4ipiA2p 16-W