The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-08-02
HOW ENGLAND Gets
BEST CLASS Of
ARMY TRUCKS
The Engineer" Explains Sub
sidy Scheme Which Enabled
Allied Forces to Maintain
Ample Transport Facilities.

National preparedness. as a sub
jet. Is one OF the most engrossing thai
IL before the American public today.
Newspapers. magazines and public
speakers have handled many phases
OF u In the past few months a there
rs one element of The question that,
seemingly. has been giyen a small
share Of attention. that Of motor
truck subsidies IL was through hnv-
Ing adopted the policy OF giving sub
Eidics that France, Germany and
Austria and to a certain extent, Eng
nnd we're enabled to gather great
fleets of motor trucks together at the
outbreak Ut the European war.
Just prior 20 the start u hostillties
the British War department drew up
subsidy regulations that were the re-
suit of "A number Of years experience.
In a recent number of The Engi-
neer.' II recognized English authority
on engineering matters, the FIRST
truck To conform to tho subcidy rcgu-
lations was described and az q pre-
face TO this description gave a resume
of the conditions imposed by the war
department These have a particular
interest In this country now az a pos
Hible development OF the move for
military preparedness ln the United
states must. sooner or later bring up
the question Of government subsidies
here. The Engineer says:
In all matters relating to military
transport the military point Of view
must take precedence Tor The mo-
mcnt hut peace will come sooner or
later. and with II presumably a some.
what sudden cessation ~ the demand
for military supplies and "A period OF
anxiety IN the part Of manufacturers
Of lorries. among other things. as to
the disposal OF an output swcllcd. as
II viii nave been. by the present alb
normal and unsuitable requirements
of war. Terrible difficulties would
arise IL the vehicles which now have
"a hc built tu meet service require.
ments were inherently unsuitable for
other than military purposes. This
~ u point to which the mechanical
transport committee gave very full
consideration when drawing up the
regulations governing It's subsidy
scheme for times u peace and which
apply. we believe. TO an vehicles now
being constructed for the war office.
II viii bee remembered that the OBJ
tect of the scheme was To- put the gov
eminent, on the outbreak of war. not
then forosccu. In possession ~ an
adequate number Of mechanical
transport vehicles ~ 20 more or less
standard pattern, without involving
tho taxpayer IN enormous expenses By
the direct purchase 81 large fleets
which would have hcen comparatively
idle during peace time. with these
combinations iu mind the mcchani-
Cnl transport committee drew up a
subsidy scheme, which was put into
final form last ycnr. Under II. 10 the
civilian owner Of q lorry agrees To
have embodied IN n construction oi
his vehicle certain features which are
desirable from n military standpoint.
hut which In no wise interfere vii
its utility for commercial purposes,
and allows the vehicle To be inspected
every six months rs an official of tho
var office. he not only obtains grants
amounting In all To from ttiO to Ii2O.
hut on the outbreak of a wal is paid
o prc-hrrangcd price Tor his lorry.
Thus not only Is the owncr assured Of
q 70 r-cNcn gcncrous-pItCe. nPt hG
uhtains u report every siN months ii
show that his vehicles are hcing
properly looked after and drivca b.
his staff : careful study of the reg
ulHtiuna indicates that i'm only one es.
scntiul feature of design is the ubcrt,
at the designer iutorfcrcd with
chain drive rs barred on any bethel,
which is Co EARN the subsidy. The
reason for this is a military one. or
active service the work which tn,
lorrv has 10 do is very severe OF
wheels ana tires, and the wheels mus
therefore be able "a be removed ant
replaced In the least possible time. IL
n gcar-driycn vehicle the wheel may
hc taken or ny the removal OF "a fca
nuts II is equally simple To- replace
a. In q chain driven vehicle there an,
difficulties In connection with worr
chain wheels and stretched chains {,
hc allowed for on the score Of cas-,
Of replacement OF the back wheel
gear drive is, therefore called for
This does not matter in the least {,
the owner, IN fact. he gains the Ham,
advantages as the military man does
though they may not he ~ quite IN,
same value 90 him The worst tina
hc has 10 suffer js the sacrifice q
f'f'h i'A"'fAhA ~ fAl' NlHNl ~ INV fN ~
the chain derived perhaps from lonl
and satisfactory experience with thi
form Of drive.
The insistancc on u gear drive 2
tho only really important point In tn
contrast of a subsidy lorry which ma
fail To- commend itself to the civiliaI
owner unless he attaches more i'm
portance 10 70 low platform than 4
the advantages Of a large wheel al
ameter and ample ground clcaranc,
Altogether then II viii be seen tina
the civilian owner has everything {
gain and nothing ~ lose by buying
vehicle built To earn the subsidy, an
there Is no hidden trap behind IA
excellent bargain that Is Offered hin
The story In The Engineer" the
goes ON 20 give "a lengthy techhiS,
description Of "a Dennis truck. sayin
hut we must point out IN the firi
place. that II IL the only worm-drive
vehicle which has as yet passed IN
official war office tests imposed prit
TO the war" Makers of internal yea
driven trucks In this country feel th'
their position will be material