New-York tribune., 1907-01-20
COSTLY TO CRATE CARS.
To Take 4uto to Europe on Ocean
Liner Entails Much Expense.

Hundreds of thousands Of dollars are wasted
annually, according to leading automobilists, by
travellers in complying with the rule of transatlan-
tic steamship lines that machines must be Grated
for foreign shipment.
Prominent members Of the Automobile Club Of
America which is waging a campaign to get the
steamship lines TO abolish the Grating rule tell
ing Of unpleasant experiences taking abroad
Colgate Hoyt. president OF the club, said:
To crate automobile take It 10 Europe. recrate
II and bring 1t back. now forces the travelling
autoiHoDII!St 10 spend uselessIy $50 lf the rate
recurring thls expensive Grating were abolished ana
owners were permitted to ship their uncrated
saved am most heartily in favor Of PROPOSE
ton which would make foreign touring far less
In the first first place. Grating car does not give
was damaged on a trip from Havre 10 New York
On the other hand. in moving about Europe. where
sent my machine without damage from Paris 10
dublin Dublin. This involved railroadng from Paris to
from Dover TO the other coast and trip across
boat and from boat to train my machine was not
damaged. II was put in crate. however for the
Moreover. if one wishes 10 take his machine to
have II Grated and icse the use Of his machine
during this time When he gets the other side
there is another delay due to unpacking. On ,ne
return trip all this must be gone through again.
There also the storage charges for the crates.
Of buying new crate. or having the Old crate
away with. one could drive his machine to the pier
the day Of departure, have It lifted rolled
deck. Upon arrival the machine could be taken of
stantly into commission II the steamship compa-
MES would machines in this shape. a
sonable price feel that II would encourage foreign
travel among automobists
Albert r. ShattUck. eX-president OF IN" club. IS
taking active part in the campaign Mr. Shat
tuck points out that in Europe the almost invari-
able rule IS TO ship machines by without
They are hosted platform into the hold and
covered by "a tarpaulin else lifted 90 the deck.
rolled into and partiJoned of and carried
in this way on short trips
1T to be the universal practice" continued
Mr.. Shattuck. TO consider that every owner OF
automobile is a fair mark for all sorts OF
cessive charges. The cost of IS about
$50; the crate weighs nearly ton. and this. with
the weight Of the automobile. makes IL exceed
iugly heavy package. II has 10 DO taken the
ship dray. which usually costs SO and then,
the other side II has 20 be taken 20 garage,
where the crate is opened. This costs another $40
The crate must then be stored for the return yoy
age. II returns by another port. a
crate must he purchased.
one line has OF charging for the
use OF derrick in hoistnB automobiles
board and taking them off its ships. This IS not
charged I believe. by other lines.
Cattle shipped across the Atlantic on many
steamers. and doors provided in the ship by
which the cattle. without danger 10 themselves,
walk and OF a ship Why should not doors
be provided in the large ships crossing the Atlantic
through which automobiles could simply be rolled
on and of. as they are on many coastYse vesses7'