Page:Motors and motor-driving (1902).djvu/32

8 two chains and an intermediary shaft. The steering of the car was obtained by the revolving of the front wheels on two pivots set at an angle, giving a dish to the wheels.

The Bollée company constructed about this period many equally interesting cars possessing speed-changing devices. Since then the firm have built very many interesting cars of various designs, but a full description of these would take up too much time and space. Suffice it to say, however, these cars were as well constructed as designed, and that many firms have between then and now constructed cars far inferior to those of Léon Bolée.

In France, about 1885, the automobile vehicle was again in evidence, and attracted attention. At that time the Comte de Dion, at Paris, also constructed steam vehicles which ran in a satisfactory way. Then Serpollet devised his instantaneous vaporisation boilers, which reduce to a minimum the chances of danger, so far as steam engines are concerned.

After that time, automobile locomotion became a subject of talk, but the appearance in 1889 of a petroleum motor, with quaternary explosion features, gave matters an impulse which promises continuance.

In 1894, the 'Petit Journal' asked M. Pierre Giffard to organise the first meeting of automobile vehicles. It took place between Paris and Rouen, with a stop at Mantes. Although the design of the promoters was not that the vehicles should be run with a view to testing speed, the event from the very outset took on the character of a race. The Dion and Bouton steam carriage won the race, making the run at a mean velocity of about twelve miles an hour.

This was a sturdy little four-wheeler, on the back of which rested the pole-bolt of an ordinary carriage, the fore-part of which had been removed. This constituted a six-wheeled affair, remarkably supple and manageable, in spite of its length. The vehicle, empty, weighed 1·4 ton; loaded 2·25 tons, and could develop fifteen horse-power. The two front wheels, steering-wheels, were rubber-tyred; the rear wheels, driving-