The Washington times., 1911-07-30
PRINCE HENRY TOUR
AROUSES INTEREST
OF MOTOR PUBLIC
Amateurs Of England and
Germany Enthused by
Event.

International touring contests have
been given a boom by the recent Prince
Henry tour, in which a team of anna
teur car owners from Germany contest
ed in friendly spirit against a team In
England. says Motor Age. Manufac-
turers were strictly barred from the
d contest
1t is not known exactly what inspired
Germany to change its Prince Henry
classic from a tour contested in by
manufacturers by their expert drivers
to a tour for amateurs. No matter
what the reason for this change may
have been, the result has been phe-
nomenal. The tour has attracted more
attention from the public point Of view
than ever before. The public felt that
1t was tour for themselves, in which
private citizens drove. and they felt
that what one private citizen could
do they themselves should be able
TO do.
Inspiration Tour.
This tour might better be named an
inspiration tour. because it has already
created in the minds of thousands the
feeling that they also can tour success
fully. This means much to the motor
car industry. There is not enough tour
ing. The towns and cities are getting
filled with cars, but so many of them
are afraid to leave the boulevards and
invade the country roads. In many
cases there are good reasons for this
fear. The conditions of the roads are
such that they are only passabIe in dry
weather. 1t is however, valuable to
have the public feel that their own
members can tour continuously for sew
eral days and that the car is not such
an intricate problem or such a white
elephant possibility.
Taught Here.
This same lesson is being admirably
taught in America by the inter-cIub
contests which started in Chicago three
years ago. These contests have been
largely for amateur owners Many of
these owners never ventured into the
country until these tours were started
but since they have become confirmed
tourists and enthusiasts of the real mo-
tor car spirit.
This enthusiasm is what is needed. If
man never gets into the country, his
car becomes to him a utility, having
little more meaning to him than the
electric trolley car or the steam train,
being merely a convenience As such
ne Will not talk IL to his neighbOrs and
will not spread the gospel of the car
which 1T Is SO necessary to have at
present.
Emerson & orme ere receiving many
inquiries about the 1912 Regal cars. par
ttcrlarly the Regal ''35' undersiurg
touring car, which will be listed at 81, 400
The fact that the car will be equipped
with demountable rims will prove in
teresttng to many prospective buyers.
The new model will have a wheel base
of lis inches, selective sliding gear
transmission, with three forward speeds
and reverse, dual ignition. Hyatt nickel
steel roller bearings, together with
standard equipment
Ted S. Johnston. manager Of the
Washington branch of the Buick Motor
Company, has been advised that the
production of Buick 1912 models ig under
way. While not all of the departments
of the big Buick plant are working on
the new models, the production of 1912
cars is we'll under way, and It is ex-
pected that deliveries will begin next
week.
The class of entries being received
for the national stock chassis races TO
be run at Elgin, Ill. August 25 and IS,
indicate that the four races will be
among the premier events Of the 1911
racing season. Ralph De Palma and
Spencer Wishart have just entered SIM
pick cars, while the Alec team consisting
of Grant. Hartman and Lee, together
with Ralph Milford and the two Ma
tional drivers, are kmong the early
entrants.