Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-04
Gear to Visit England.

where in the Mediterranean when the king
takes his usual cruise next spring.
This. however. the car found impossi-
BILE, and it was then suggested that the
monarchs should meet at Queen Alexan-
dras new villa near Copenhagen. This
meant some rather serious dislocation of
the kings plans for next spring. and would
probably have interfered with his annual
visit to the south of France. The car has
however, solved the problem by announc-
ing that If the internal affairs of Russia
will permit he will pass a few days in
London about June next.
The visit would be a state one and his
majesty would be accompanied by the
czaritsa, and probably one or two of their
elder children. and the visit would last for
about a week
Whatever its advantages to the travel
ing public, the motor omnibus as a divi-
end-earner must as yet be written down
a complete failure. This in effect was the
dictum of Alderman Sir John Pound, whose
duty it was to soothe the shareholders of
the London General Omnibus Company
smarting under the absence of a dividend
for the first time in thirty years. There IS
little doubt that the motor bus is an even
more fruitful source of anxiety to its own
ers than to the pedestrians whom 1t scat
tiers in the streets, and although Sir John
admitted there are other causes cOntribut-
ing to the loss of over f52 600 on the half
years working, the prime culprit is the
motor bus. However, once launched into
the motor bus business by the stress of
competition, there is no turning back and
in the interests of shareholders and public
alike it Is to be hoped that the costly ex-
permental stage through which this form
of vehicle is now passing will be of brief
duration and that an efficient and econom-
cal motor will ultimately be evolved. This
company has now 100 motor buses in serv-
ice, and from one-quarter to one-half of
them are always laid up for repairs.
Motor Policy Forced on Companies.
The policy of motor traction was forced
upon the old established bus companies
by vigorous new companies flushed with
hope and an abiding faith in the internal
combustion engine. The first of these new
| corners, the Vanguard Company, still ex-
| lists, but in a chastened and reconstructed
| condition; the others have for the most part
disappeared, and a stud of fourscore buses
will shortly come under the hammer Ii is
| chiefly to revision of fares and the cessa-
| ton of cutting" that the carrying COM
panies in the metropol!s-'bus, tube and
| ralway-now look to enable them tc Face
| their businesses once more on divioa.li
| paying basis. Meanwhile, the horse now
\ more than ever the friend of man. has OBJ
| tanned new lease of life.
One line of motor omnibusses plying be-
| tween oxford Circus and FinchIey, dig
| lance of seven or eight miles has been
| withdrawn altogether. and the horses are
| again to be used on the route.
| There to be no more state concerts
| at Buckingham palace, / hear. The king
| has decided that they are purpoSeless and
obsolete entertainments, and, although. ap-
propriate enough in the late reign, wheE no
| ticable
1t is found that it Is easy to ask 1.50C 10
1000 guests to state ball without ircoi.-
| veniencC. whereas at n concert no more
| than 1000 at the outside can be acccIc :
| modated. Now, this matter is too small
for what is known as 1.-The general circle