Page:Motors and motor-driving (1902).djvu/50

26 smoothness of either method, and the fact that, in the case of electricity, re-charging can be done so easily from any electric light system, are advantages not to be denied; and again, as broughams and landaus are largely used for night work, the same power that produces the motion will produce also a most brilliant light for your lamps, light your cigarette, and heat your foot-warmer. If it were not that there is yet no really satisfactory form of accumulator for traction work on the market, the electric motor-car would long ago have won a complete victory. At present an electric car may be classed as a charming but expensive vehicle, almost as costly as horseflesh. The expense of running an electric carriage, including stabling, electricity, tyres, batteries and insurance, is 180l. per annum. The steam car has been more favoured of late, but here again you have the danger which must necessarily come from a live flame in connection with petroleum or petroleum spirit always called amongst motorists 'petrol' and most of the steam vehicles now upon the market are extremely expensive to run, in fact nearly three times as expensive as an internal combustion engine producing the same power. I feel convinced that we must have a great improvement in steam vehicles before they will come into general use for light town work, and electricity ought certainly to hold the field, so far as one can see, for some years in this department.

Of course I am not discussing the question of heavier traction, the vehicles for which have been much more perfected than those for the lighter class of work. The Liverpool trials last summer, and the military trials at Aldershot in December, proved that we can buy vehicles of undoubtedly great carrying power, and of 'extra-normal' capacity, able to tackle not only heavy roads and stiff hills, but even to make a fair show across country. There is probably nothing safer in the streets of London to-day than a well-driven electric or steam motor; there are no horses to fall down when the streets are slippery, and there is brake power available far in excess of any that can possibly be exercised by the horse with his four iron-shod feet