The record-union., 1897-01-18
CAB OF THE FUTURE.
Luxurious Vehicles Driven by Elec
tricity to be Used in London.

tricity to be Used in London.
Motor traction for town traffic is now
the problem oil the day. Some attention
has been given, especially IN France, to
petroleum and benZoline as the motive
power for the propulsion of anto- cars,
but Tor iutercity traffic there is no
doubt that the palm wiz be given to
electricity, inasmuch as with electricity
there is no smell, no noise, no heat, no
vibraton-nothing, in fact, to disturb b
either passenger or passing horses. The
cab Of the future is the electric cab and
the London Electrical Cab Company has
been formed TO create In the metropolis
fleet" of electric cabs which shall ply
Tor hire from the furtnest East to the
squares and crescents of the West and
the most distant suburb beloved Of the
city man. These cabs are to be of a
construction and design registered and
protected by the company, to whom also
has been granted the sole license from
the British Motor Syndicate of all their
patents. Needless to state, that in form
the cabs fulfill all the requirements of
the new Act, which comes into opera
tion on the 18th inst, and also with
the police regulations.
Henceforth the gentlewoman may take
her airing or do her shopping in lux
urious electric cab, fitted with charming
upholstery, spring cushions, electric
lamps inside and out, and rolling silently
along on rubber tires. Never again may
a nervous lady dread the fall on the
smooth and slippery asphalt, or the shy
ing and boiling Of vicious horse The
vehicles are luxurious in every sense,
even to safety arrangements for opening
windows and doors. The electricity for
driving the cabs is carried in cells
placed underneath the vehicle, and the
driver, who requires no skill in electrical
or other engineering can regulate the
speed with the utmost ease by the
touch Of switch-sending the cab
backward or forward, or stopping it on
the instant. Hence the electrical cabs
are far more under control than those
drawn by horsepower, and there can be
no possibility of an accident from bolt
ing, overturning and the like.
Naturally every precaution will be
taken by the company to insure that the
drivers Of the new cabs shall be reliable
and steady men, competent to have
charge Of a vehicle. and possessing an
amount Of knowledge and skill in guild
Ing and governing the cabs which will
insure the safety of the passengers
Fitted as they are with a powerful foot
brake, capable of bringing the cab to
an absolute standstill almost as soon
as applied, the cabs viii attain degree
of safety which has been lacking to
such marked degree hitherto in Lon
don
Many viii be built on the coupe design,
cbviating the difficulGy-as also the
Ganger-of getting in and out with
which we are all familiar in the pres
ent form of hanson cab; while the saw
ing of ones dresses, which at present,
in nine cases out Of ten, brush the
wheel of the hanson, Will alone be suffi-
cient to commend the new vehicle to
geDtlewomen. Draftless, noiseless.
swift and safe the electric cab bids
fair to relegate the ordinary cab to the
museum.
Another feature Will be that luggag
can be carried, just as at present, as
the new cabs viii of sufficiently strong
build 10 stand the strain Of the extra
weight which the family trunks and
bags put upon them. while however
heavy ones inpedimenta may be. pity
for the suffering animal wil6ah has
hitherto boued weariiy to the station
VIII be q vanishing factor.
Every cab has two sets Of accumula-
cor cells. each capable Of propelhng