The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-19
6O-62 West 23d Street.
AUTO EXPERTS ENTERTAINED.
Thery and Caillois Compare Vanderbilt
and international Cup Races.

and international Cup Races.
Leon Thery, this years winner OF the
International cup, and George Caillois,
who was fifth in the French elimination
trials and won the Gullion Hill climb in
1902, were the guests OF the Automobile
Club OF America at an experience meet
ing last night, whose announced topic
was Automobile Road Racing in Europe
They were also for nearly an hour the
targets of fusillade Of all arc und ques-
tioning by the enthusiasts and racing
experts present.
M. Callois, who speaks English that can
be clearly understood with close attention.
acted as spokesman for the pair. He fire.
quently deferred to M. Thery in questions
relating to personal experiences and
opinions, modestly assuming that his in
terrogators wished reply from his more
recently famous associate
The visiting French cracks spoke com
paratively of the great European road
races and the Vanderbilt cup contest, but
only in reply to direct questioning. In
their opinion the American race did not
present. the same difficulties, nor furnish as
thorough all around test Of cars, as did
the international cup contest In the first
place the Long Island race was but thirty
miles to the lap, while circuit of the Ham,
burg course measured over ninety miles
Greater variety was thus secured by the
latter.
.The course OF the American contests
was practically level, while that of the
German race presented many hills. Then
we've more turns in all to the Vanderbilt
race, 100 to be exact but yet the international
racers had to round seventy-two corners.
Their conclusion was that the European
contests gave better all around tests Of a
car, and that special cars would be built
for future Vanderbilt races which would
not possess practical II around turning
qualities.
In introducing the visitors to tho members
Winthrop e. scarritt. the president Of the
club, reviewed briefly the history Of the
automobile, declaring that an ancient
sculptor showed a chariot propelled by
repellant jet Of steam, and that later the
Romans wrote Of chariot driven by inter-
nal mechanism. Mr.. Scarritt went on
tracing the motor car down thro ugh its
more reoent and familiar history and wound
up by paying q tribute to the pioneership Of
the French In the industry and comph-
menting the French drivers as the Skin
mishers Of the army Of auotmobile progress.
I06 OIaVSEy 6ln1 COuIb&o VI lilc
drivers, he said, in their road races had
all 10 do with the prestige Of the French
In the motor car art.
After politely expressing thanks, for
their reception, NJ. Caillois was straight
way put on the interview griddle
You ask mo when think Americans
will equal u.s. he said, 'in road racing sue
oess. I will answer as soon as you have as
good roads as we have. We Frenchmen
had roads before we had railroads, andtyou
lie hafN Eo,-
roads Your Vanderbilt race cars needed
but two speeds. ours required all four
speeds; for the course presented every
variety Of going. This requires different
construction OF the cars.
The greatest danger Is at the corners.
There IL no fear whatever when racing in the
stretches. NJ Thery has no fear OF any
casualty from q punctured tire, except
when the puncture comes at turn. Here
Of course, the strain is great and disaster
And how fast did you take the hillsp'
I'VE used the second speed and attained
with it q rate Of about fifty miles an hour
when we reached the top. You see, the
steep a grade that one had to put on his brake
to keep from baokaliding. The grade was
is per cent and the length Of the hill
about two thirds Of mile
How best Gan we avoid danger IN TINS
RAGS Oh OuTsI puet icN ieoi.'oAie ~ o'Aies
Tn the first place you must restrict
the number Of cars. II YOU had twenty-five
or thirty entrants In the Vanderbilt race
1t could not be run with safety. You should
permit only competent drivers to race.
Abroad we allow no maker to enter more
than three cars.
in this way he naturally mans them
with expert drivers We have run three
biz rosd races this year and no one has
been killed. This Is because we have had
only skilful operators handling the ma
ohinea- A good driver must always be
cool. he must never think OF danger.