New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

have developed from one idea-the inVen-
ton of Gottlieb Daimler, who in 1885 per-
fected a combustion motor with petroleum
spirit providing both the fuel and the
power The steam engine gets its force
from the expansion OF steam inside OF
boiler. which forces piston rods in and out
Cf a cylinder: Daimler's invention pro-
duced the same force by letting petroleum
spirit-petrol, gasolene, naphtha or what-
ever Il may be called-into cylinder ana
then exploding it by an electric spark thus
forcing into action a piston rod whlch
would move whatever machinery II was at
tached TO. Daimler's invention resulted IN
the perfection of three devices for trans
rortatlon-the motor boat, the automobile
and the flying machine.
The first OF these to be used with any
success was the motor boat, which was
exhibited in small lakes in the Paris Ex-
position grounds IN 1881 But Daimler had
been struggling with his invention for some
time before this. and il was only when us
worth was recognized by VI. Levassar, OF
I.evassar & Panhard. Of Paris, makers OF
wood working machinery, that the idea was
put into practical shape. N. Levassar IN
vented what is called transmission a
mechanism through which the force on
piston rod. as discovered by Daimler, was
used 70 make wheels go round. But in
stead OF a wheel. the mechanism was first
applied 70 the screw prOpellers Of the boats
built for the Paris Exposition Of 1857. Their
success set their own inventors and others
TO thinking.
Seven years or experimenting followed,
during which French manufacturers spent
large sums in efforts TO perfect a self-pro-
pelling land vehicle The motor boat had
been pushed aside as a toy. and the ap-
Ulication Of the explosive device 10 the fly
:nz machine had as yet been barely thought
OF. Then came the perfected machine. due
70 the inventions Of Daimler. Levassar and
Panhard. on the general mechanical lines
of which all the automobiles of to-day are
constructed.
The first evidence to the world OF the per-
fection and practicability Of the automobile
came through a trial run from Paris to
Rouen. in 1895. Soon after this there was
o. race Of machines made by rival inventors
from Paris to Bordeaux and return, a dis
tance Of IA miles. This settled all DOUBTS
a. to the practical worth Of the automobile.
The toy became a thing Of great COM
rercial value. First used for conveyance
by q few wealthy persons who could afford
IL as a novelty. il soon became a public
conveyance as a taxicab. a stage, or Omni-
bus. and As our own American sightseeing
automobile Then followed the commercial
machine, the auto truck and the auto dc
livery wagon. the growth OF which has
made a horse drawn vehicle seem strange
in a city street The horse that now vent
ures into the Avenue De rOpera, Picadilly
Circus or the theatre district OF Broadway
otter dark is in danger Of his life.
The automobile manufacturers OF the
world are now turning out vehicles so
rapidly that IT is difficult 70 keep pace with
them. In 1909 the number of automobiles
made I'm this country and Europe was ap-
proximately 10000: in 1910 II was 10000
and the output for this year. II Is esti-
mated, will be close TO 10000. The extraor-
dtnarv growth Of the use OF automobiles is
shown by the fact that there were 10000
machines I'm use in the United States at the
end of 1909 and 100000 at the close OF 1910
II is estimated that the number In use at
the end Of this year will be nearly 10000
or course. this includes taxicabs and all
self propelled vehicles used for commercial
purposes.