Evening star., 1914-08-09
Handling Of Machines.

cart at the outset.
Handling of Machines.
THE steady miscellaneous traffic going
on all the year will be at first all that
can be dealt with. but by combining the
services along a number of routes under
one administration II will be possible by
transfer of motor vehicles from one route
to another and by holding a reserve of
carrying capacity to deal with seasonal
traffic to some extent. Bearing in mind
that the main object of these motor
transport projects. will be to prepare the
way for railways. 1t will be easy to de-
termine along what roads they should De
first established.
In an undulating country like Mysore
light railways can hardly be expected to
cost less than $4,000 mile. which means
that for line thirty miles long the cap
ital required will be $500 0OD. For S16.666
a service of motor cars carrying fifty to
sixty passengers each way per day can
be provided. and If effectually maintained
they will soon test the demand for I'M
proved means Of communication. Further,
II kept running for a year or two they
will create traffic. and even If they no
more than pay their expenses they will
prove an economical prelude to light rail-
ways.
Urges State Ownership.
Regarding the employment of motor
vehicles as a preliminary to railways and
assigning to them the function of pre-
pairing the way for more costly perma-
nent Improvement in methods of trans
port and regarding as a matter of sec
ondary importance. but by no means neg
lecting this aspect, the prospects of i'm
mediate profit. 1t seems obvious that the
government should undertake this estab-
lishment of regular motor services. A
central administration. with central work
shops for repair work that cannot be
done In the running sheds. will prove
much cheaper and more efficient than
number of separate motor vehicle COM
panies scattered over the state.
1T is not proposed in this note to dis
cuss technical details. Special inquiries
hicles are by no means stereotyped. All
that can now be said with advantage is
that for passenger traffic the vehicles
should be propelled by internal combus-
ton engines, while it is an open question
whether steam or petrol should be the
source Of motive power in vehicles of the
heavier type and much slower speed, suit
able for the transport of goods.
Merchandise Moved.
A tabulation of the merchandise export
ed from twelve of the most important
provinces In the empire during 1911-12
showed that about 100000 tons were
moved. This gives some idea of the i'm
mense mass Of material to be transport
ed and the scope of the practically virgin
field that Is opened to motor truck manu-
facturers.
English manufacturers are awaking to
the opportunity. Only recently the i'm
perial motor transport conference in Lon
don had placed before 1t clear details OF
the prospects in India by delegates from
Ceylon and from upper India. The latter
htv1 cyN{t la for l.
ing cotton. yarn. piece goods, grain and
similar material within the limits OF
towns, but not on the main roads between
towns. Such goods are at present carried
by two-wheeled carts drawn by bullocks
and in some cases by men and bullocSs
combined, at a speed of one and half
miles an hour. AS an example OF the
efficiency of the method. he stated that
in one case it took seven months to get
shipment of fertilizer from the railroad
Saving in Army Work.
The Indian Office of the army was also
represented. the delegate being Col. r. II.
Ewart He stated that a two-ton truck
could do army work in India in ten days
that would take six bullock carts eighty
days 1t is probable that the Indian army
will purchase few machines in the near
future for experimental purposes.
Private capital Is being interested In
motor transport services In India. Only
recently a company was formed in Cal
cutta to conduct a commercial trans
port business using motors. The man
aser Of this has been visiting London,
Paris. Berlin and other European cities,
In order to become informed as to the
best methods of conducting such serv-
Ice. and to inspect the various machines.
The company is the Calcutta Motor
transport Company, Limited. and has Of
Acc. IN Calcutta 1t will commence oper-
ations as soon. as its organization can be
whipned into shape and the necessary
motor vehicles purchased and brought to
India.