The record-union., 1897-11-28
THE CYCLER'S COLUMN.
CHAIN AND sPROCKET-CRANK
HANGER SUIT.
Women Of Rank Awheel-The New
Advisory Member-A Plan to
Cheaper Wheels.

Women OF Rank Awheel-4ne new
Advisory Member-A Plan to
Cheaper Wheels.
1t seems that the sprocket wheel and
chain will not lose its usefulness even
if it ceases to be used on bicycles. Ike
Gently the Navy Department has tested
a device by which one man may hit
lifeboat loaded with people from It's
saddle on shipboard and launch 1t INTO
the sea. The power is applied with
chain and sprocket wheel. If the device
should prove successful one great cause
of loss of life at sea will have been
removed.
The largest manufacturer in the
country is defending a patent suit
against fundamental rights in the or
binary type of crank hanger. If ne
loses every maker in the country VIII
have to pay royalty.
The bicycle census recently taken in
France resulted in the following hg-
ures: From January / to December 81,
1896, 329, SIS wheels were registered
throughout the country, as against
256,0 ,0S4 and 203 026 for 1895 and 1894.
The total receipts of the bicycle license
tax for 1894 We're 1929 33a9 francs. or
S6315o1 ~. The Seine Department
leads all others with 62S92 wheels;
then come the Departments of Seine
and Disc with 14,343; Nord, with 10,-
1856; Seine and Marne, 9,0S5; Seine In
fA,ia OF
sica shows the smallest number of
cyclists, namely, 9S; Basses Alpes, 4O2,
and SO on. Paris paid one-fifth of the
whole license tax in 1896 amounting
to 629, ,916 francs, or $121,575 rs.
Lady Henry Somerset, who is noted
for her philanthropy and wide interest
in public affairs, is depply-interested
member of the Lady Cyclists Associa-
tion, and frequently takes a run on
the road with her fellow members. Last
autumn she threw open her grounds
and house a Reigate Priory to the
association, and entertained royalty.
Another prominent member of the Lady
Cyclists Association is the Countess of
Malmesbury. She is clever writer as
we'll as WheelWoman, and shows her
interest in the association by enter
tanning the members occasionally. The
Duchess of Somerset rides quite bit
in London and the country near by.
1t was she who made fashionable the
practice of giving bicycle breakfasts
by the artificial lake in Battersea Park.
The Countess Nadelska and Lady Bruce
made the trip from Edinburgh to Lon
a a he
They did not hurry, and made no new
records, and their party would not have
been particularly noticeable but that
the Countess, who has a great eye for
effect, rode a high machine enameled
in pink and with apple-green wheel.
Lord Dunraven, owner of the Val
kyrie, when she raced the Defender for
the Americas Cup two years ago. is
now as enthusiastic over cycling as he
ever was over yachting, and those two
tarry salts, Lord and Lady Brassey,
are on deck again, now with tales of
wheeling in southern lands. These two
true-blue sports, known the world over
for their Sunbeam cruises, have tried
all sorts of diversion, and now come
out for cycling.
John w. Kelly, Jr Treasurer of the
Amateur Athletic Union, has been Sc
lected as an advisory member of the
Racing Board of the League of Amer
lean Wheelmen. He will also act as
the representative of the A. A. u. at
the National Assembly to be held in
st: Louis in February next According
to the terms of the alliance between
the A. A. L. and the L. A. W.. all mat
ters pertaining to A. A. Y. cyclists must
be referred to Mr.. Kelly before action
is taken by the Racing Board Just
prior to the conference of athletic au-
thorities held in New York City last
spring, when the Amateur Athletic
Union appointed a Committee on Leg
islation, Mr.. Kelly who is one of the
hest-posted men in America on athletic
law, was selected as the Chairman of
this most important committee. These
appointments have been made as spe-
cial marks of Mr.. Kelly's ability and
diplomacy, as well as his keen and close
knowledge Of A. A. T.. affairs and it's
laws
A contrivance designed by a London
wheelman to show the exact speed at
tanned by the rider recommends itself to
city cyclers. The device includes a bell
affixed to the front wheel of the bicycle
which, when the particular rate of speed
to which the contrivance is set is
reached, rings continuously until the
rate of speed falls below the limit set
The machine can be set at any speed,
but cannot afterward be altered. The
position of the bell is such that the
wheelman cannot interfere with it while
riding, and it forms an accurate register
which should positively settle disputes
oil the question of speed between the
police and the cycist. 1t is said TO be
strong, simple and cheap.
In an article on the Future of BIZ
cycles" the Daily Mali of London
speaks of an invention which may re-
duce the price of bicycles to very low
figures. "A patent is now being dis
cussed in birmingham cycle circles" it
says, that may have an important influ-
ence on the future of the trade. II has
been found possible to stamp out the
whole frame Of a machine TO be strict
" accurate. the frame is stamped out
in two halves. and these halves are
afterward clamped together. but only
one operation is required to turn out
frame in perfect iigidity.
Every c-rcie maker will appreciate
the difference of cost between this sim
pie operation and the elaborate pro-
cesses which have TO be gone through
before a complete frame is turned out
by the ordinary method The patentees