Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16
NEWS OF INTEREST
TO AUTOMOBILES

- ONSJrL General d. F. WILDER. at
Singapore reports that there are
a number of automobile agencies
~ in the metropolis of the straits
Settlements. all of which are for
eign houses pushing the sale of motor cars
manufactured in their own countries. only
one American machine having an agency
there Mr.. WILDER continues:
I'VE have two other American firms who
might be induced to take the agency of
motor cars for pleasure passenger and
freight purposes l think 1t would be prac-
tically useless to form connections with for
eign houses. as they will not push Amer
lean goods when having agencies of those
manufactured in their own country. An
American mechanical engineer here fur
nishes me with the following information:
As to conditions in Singapore the Straits
Settlements. Federated Malay States and
the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo.
the motor car trade is yet in its infancy.
In Singapore there are at present ABOUT
sixty passenger machines and some fifteen
10 twenty freight-carrying lorrtes. There
are about four American cars here. Inc
balance are entirely English and French in
manufacture. This is apparently a fault OF
American manufacturers. because their de-
liveries are so uncertain, while with Euro
pean competitors they are most prompt;
cable being sent for rush delivery is usually
followed by shipment by the first boat out.
Then, again. the freight rates are too high
from the manufacturers agents stand
point and it is practically an impossibility
to enter into the market until something
has been done to lower rates.
an the city of Singapore the cars are all
owned by doctors. professional men and
some few motor enthusiasts, and the inter-
i ln,l Nl,n Enl
being practically uncanvassed for many
years. it has not as yet been thoroughly
gone over, nor have the majority of the
right people been approached for the sale
of motor cars. There is no need to dwell
upon relative qualities in manufacture. nm
ish or cost of our ears. as compared with
foreign cars, and it still remains for some
of our enterprising Countrymen to get their
heads together AT home and obVlate me
handicap that they are now laboring under
in selling ears in the east, and then II the
chances are on a par with the foreign
agents there is no Coubt in my MIND out
that in five years the majority OF the cars
will be of American manufacture.
1.-THE roads are excellent, being entirely
macadamized, and are constantly cared for
by the government; in some portions or the
city the gradients run from to 80, ana IN
no instance are the roads less imam ~ rect
wide To obtain a license to drive a motor
car or a motor cycle. one must apply ana
pass an examination before the chlet OF
police and if, in his estimation, the candl-
date is capable of handling a car the
license is granted on payment of fee OF 81
straits currency. equivalent to Jb cents
United States gold The drivers, outside OF
Americans and Europeans are mostly chi
ncsr and East Indians, / have observed IN
Notwithstanding cars. which are used eX-
tcnSiNely, owing to their ability 10 neSo-
tiate the hills with fairly large loads. that
the cars are not up TO our standard-carry-
ing motors. In several instances Icy are
no more than steam traction engine pull
ing a couple of vans behind. This class of
business is going to be big one.
THE demand for motor cars, as have
stated before. is increasing, and aside from
Singapore II is growing extensively in the
Federated Malay States and in Sumatra
and the other islands in this vicinity. The
Chinese and natives take to motoring very
kindly. their chief interest being centered
I'm tn, decorations and color of the BODY
of the car rather than in the ABILITY OF
workmanship of the engine. OF course. II
IS needless to comment upon the tastes or
Europeans, there being a sort of national
pride on the part of the Engllsh ana
French to drive nothing but their own
manufactured cars
The worst difficulty in this part of the
globe, is the constant heat which, by the
way The writer can vouch is in no way
more oppressive than the neat IN ne"
York and Chicago in the early summer
This causes constant tire troubles. and
while the majority of cars are equipped
with rheumatic tires they are now putting
on cIincher tires taking the risk of injury
to the engine and car in preference to con-
slant purchasing of new tires.
"A, present there is one fairly good gar
age here; besides this there is a motor
engineer expert from home who Is passing
upon defects and breakdowns that occur
and handing them over to the garage peo-
pie which permits Of the same care and
attention to the cars that one gets In the
states 1t is possible to get extra parts,
castings and other special work made IN
the local machine shops. so that we really
do not suffer much by being so far from
the headquarters of the various factories
The favorite car for these parts Is a
four-seated 10 to 10 horsepower double
cylinder: and although we have no speed
limit there Is not nearly so much screening
as one sees at home. Gasoline can be had
in any quantity and fairly cheap as there
is any amount brought from the Island Cf
Sumatra The motor spirit is not so heavy
as the American article, there being ten
dency for evaporation and Leaving water
in the bottom of the tank. This. however.
is rapidly getting better, and we are not