The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-01

Prom the very birthplacSs OF mo-
toring in Europe. experts are now
coming TO look at American cars
and they are not only looking-they
are leaving their orders. Our export
business for this year liz more than
double that OF last year" Victor l..
Palmer, secretary and general sales
manager of the Michigan Motor Car
company, who made this assertion, Is
enthusiastic over the success OF
American cars as an export propo-
sitien.
I'VE have splendid distributing
agencies for Michigan cars in FL differ
emit countries" continued Mr.. Palmer
''and that Notwithstanding the fact
that we have never made what could
be called a campaign fer export bust-
ness This year the interest OF foreign
dealers exceeds anything we have ever
known. Men prominent in the auto
mobile business have come to our fac
tory from South America, England.
Scotland, France, Germany. Russia
and China And they have left orders
with us and are sending larger repeat
orders since their return home.
"A recent days orders illustrates
the astonishing growth of the foreign
demand. We had orders for ten
Michigan cars from Shanghai, three
from yokohoma, four from Moscow.
six from Ponce and six from Dussel-
dorf all on the same day These
foreign dealers. we find, are very ex-
acting men. Some OF them--hke our
Chinese dlstrihutor-spent weeks here
to watch the construction and to test
the cars.
THE Europeans come from, coun-
tries where engineering practice has
reached its highest development In
the cars of their native lands many
features new here are almost univer-
g. hh ny
ward-speed transmission with direct
drive on fourth. The fact that this fea-
ture gives the motor much higher eff
cheney at much less expense has long
been recognized in Europe. At Olym-
pia show in Londo Mast November,
BIS of the cars shown had four-tor-
ward speed transmissions against 229
cars that had the three-speed. Many
Of the leading high priced cars of
America have used the four-speed
gear~set for several years. But with
the 1918 Michigan, Engineer Cameron
pioneered this Improvement among
American medium-priced cars, and its
widespread adoption is already follow
ing.
s'The European manufacturer with
the hard, smooth thoroughfares of his
native land always before him. builds
for this lovely sort of going. The
American, rich In experience. with
whole States of sand, clay, gumho--
everything to test the power and
strength and performance OF ma
chinery--builds cars that will run
wherever there la room to get
through Our American cars are win
ming out against European cars strict
ly on the basis OF merit at lower prices.
If the European manufacturers could
produce as good a car, at the same
price the European dealers would sell
nothing but the home product 1t Is
simply business. American automo-
bile manufacturers are apparently just
beginning TO realize the enormous pos
sibilities of business with our neigh
hors To the South. During Decem-
Der and January no fewer than ll5
high priced cars entered Montevideo.
There are now more than 1900 cars
licensed in Montevideo.
Consul Robert T. Crane at Rosario,
Argentina. said. in "a recent report:
Tn this consular district Northern
Argentina) there are at least 10000
people who have sufficient means TO
buy and maintain motor cars, and not
more than s per cent of them now
own cars There are probably be-
tween 1900 and 1900 automobiles in
the district. "