The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-07
STRONG PREJUDICE AGAINST
AUTOMOBILES IN ENGLAND.
Sir Ralph Payne Gullwcy Voices
Strong Sentiment When He Advo-
Gates Use Of ShotGuns.

| SPECIAL BY CABLE TO THE NEW YORK
| HERALD AND THE ST. LOUIS REPUBLIC.
London. June 6. Copyright. 19o3.)-If Sir
Ralph Payne-Gallwey did not exactly awake
| to find himself famous. he at least achieved
| In one day greater measure Of notoriety
than, possibly. he had ever bargained for.
Sir Ralph. like former President Cleve-
| land. Is an enthusiastic duck shooter and
| has written several illuminating books on
the subject. Nothing he ever wrote how
! ever. had quite such n success as letter
he sent to the Times advocating the use OF
shotguns for refractory automoblists.
Mr.. W. g. Gilbert proceeded on the fol-
| lowing day 10 make ducks and brakes Of
Sir S'ayhe-Gallwey's snipe-shot remedy for
automobile scorchlng.
Not only" wrote the author OF the Bah
ballads. will Sir Ralph, Payne Gallwey's
suggestion provide a speedy, and effective
punishment for erring Automobiles. but II
will also supply the dwellers In popular
! highroads with a comfortable increase Of
income. Auto shooting for a single gun will
appeal strongly to the sporting instincts of
the true Rr.ton,"
Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's letter. by the
way. was symptom. There exists in con-
serva'ive quarters very strong pref
ud'ce against what many Britishers are
disposed to regard as a new-fanaled method
OF locomotion. Sir Ralph went further than
most of those who think like him dare to
90: out there are numerous Indications that
only courage Is lacking to the convictions
OF many antiautomobilists.
II is the fashion in certain papers to rep
resent artomob!linR first as a very danger
Gus pastime: secondly. as a movement con-
nned to and benefitine only the very
wealthy. As the Automobile Club points
OUT this newspaper campaign won't be Of
any value If It reminds atitomoblists of the
strong prejudice against them latent in the
country
Automobiles have been rather inclined
10 underestimate the forces opposed IN
them. They have had rude awakening.
Inc battle between Automobiles and pub
lie prejudice has yet to be won The worl,
OF overcoming this prejudice cannot be left
to chance. and the Automobile Club is TO-
SUING statistics designed to show that there
is nttie or no ground for the panic into
winch John Bull has been thrown over the
reported dangers Of automobiling.
One morning the Daily Chronicle dis
cussed Sir Ralph Gallwey's proposal to try
pot-shootins at Automobiles very seriously
anu came 70 the conclusion that either ex-
tremely strict legislation would have tn he
imposed or automobilists themselves would
nave to construct special tracks where thev
could go their own pace at their own risk.
just such track Is to be laid OUT nv
the Automobile Club of Great Britain.
which has purchased, near Purley. at n dis
lance OF about fourteen miles from West
minister bridge, tract of ground. where n
special course for trials and race meetings
WIN De MADE. The track will have circuit
OF seven and one-half miles, with width
ranging from fifty to seventy feet, and one
perfectly level stretch of about one rni,e
and quarter.