McGill University Libraries
GV 1021 L6 1909
3 000 736 340 R
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Royal Victoria College .
357393
1944
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THE WOMAN AND THE CAR
Photo by Foulsham &• Banjicld, I.td.
THE WOMAN
AND THE CAR
A CHATTY LITTLE HANDBOOK
FOR ALL WOMEN WHO MOTOR
OR WHO WANT TO MOTOR
BY DOROTHY LEVITT & df
EDITED WITH INTRODUCTORY
ARTICLES BY C. BYNG-HALL
ILLUSTRATED BY PHOTOGRAPHS
SPECIALLY TAKEN & & &
LONDON : JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK : JOHN LANE COMPANY, MCMIX
(1) -C
GV1021 L6 1909 McLennan
vitt, Dorothy
e woman and the car
71833860
Printed by Ballantyne fir Co. Limited
Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London
INTRODUCTORY
In presenting this book to the public the
publisher is acting largely on the request
of some hundreds of ladies, some already
motorists, others would-be motorists. Miss
Dorothy Levitt, last year, wrote a short series of
articles for the Daily Graphic on the subject
of Motoring for Women. These articles
attracted a great deal of attention and Miss
Levitt was inundated with letters from all
parts of the United Kingdom and also from
abroad, asking her for further information
on various points and also begging her to
publish the articles and additional information
in volume form.
Miss Levitt was also asked to contribute
articles on the same lines to many magazines
and weekly publications and further received
requests from a number of distinguished women
to give them personal instruction in the art
Introductory
of driving and managing the mechanism of
their cars.
As the simplest way out of answering all
these requests Miss Levitt has revised and
enlarged her former articles and has added
new chapters and a great deal of matter which
she believes every woman motorist or beginner
will find of use.
There has been no attempt to make this
volume a formal text-book on motoring for
women but rather a chatty little handbook,
containing simple and understandable instruc-
tions and hints for all women motorists,
whether beginners or experts.
The facts contained in the various chapters
are not those gathered from any standard
manual of motoring but are from Miss Levitt’s
own practical experience of six years’ daily
driving, in all sorts of cars, in all sorts of weather
and under all sorts of conditions — pleasure
trips, long-distance tours at home and abroad
and in competitions.
There may be points here and there which
she has overlooked. Miss Levitt, however,
will answer such questions or furnish such
Introductory
further information as readers may properly
desire, either through the medium of his
Majesty’s mails or, perhaps, in a later edition
of this volume.
The photographs, with which the several
chapters are illustrated, were specially taken
for the work by Mr. Horace W. Nicholls.
London , February 1909.
VII
CONTENTS
PACE
Introductory . v
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch . . 3
The Woman and The Car
CHAP.
I. The Car — Its Cost, Upkeep and Acces-
sories . 15
II. The All-Important Question of
Dress . . .2 3
III. The Mechanism of the Car ... 31
IV. How to Drive . 41
V. Troubles— How to Avoid and to Mend
THEM . 51
VI. Hints on Expenses . . 62
VII. Motor Manners . . 69
VIII. Tips — Necessary and Unnecessary . 77
Distinguished Women Motoristes ... 85
The Coming of the Small Car . . 93
Car Index-marks and their Locale — In Britain,
France and Germany . . . 101
The Motor Woman's Dictionary — Brief Ex-
planation of Technical Terms . hi
Index . .123
Advertisements — Specially Selected as Being
Useful to Women Motoristes . . . 129
IX
ILLUSTRATIONS
To J ace
page
Dorothy Levitt. Her favourite photograph. Photo
by Foulsham & Banfidd , Ltd. . Frontispiece
“ Drive your own car.” Photo H. W. Nicholls . . 14
It is accessories that bring up the cost — you must
have a hood. Photo H. W. Nicholls ... 18
One of the most important articles of wear is a scarf
or muffler for the neck. Photo H. W. Nicholls . 24
Remember to twist the veil before tying — this pre-
vents the knot working loose. Photo H. W.
Nicholls 26
“ The useful overall.” Photo H. W. Nicholls . . 28
This little drawer is the great secret. Photo H.
W Nicholls ... .... 30
Unscrew the cap and peep in. Photo H. W. Nicholls 32
Test the quantity of oil in the tank by inserting a
piece of stick. Photo H. W. Nicholls ... 34
Pull up this small rod to enable the “ used ” oil to
run out of the base-chamber. Photo H. W.
IV tcholls ....... .. 36
The adjustment of the foot-brake is a matter of
seconds. Photo H. W. Nicholls ... -38
XI
Illustrations
To face
page
In front of your car you will notice a handle. Photo
H. W. Nicholls .... . 42
Release the foot from the right pedal and throttle
slightly with the left foot on the left pedal.
Photo H. W. Nicholls 44
Your next move is to take off the side brake. Photo
H. W Nicholls . 48
It is a simple matter to remove a faulty sparking
plug. Photo H. W. Nicholls . . 52
It is a simple matter to adjust the trembler or screw.
Photo H. W ■ Nicholls 56
Be sure that all nuts and bolts are tight — a rattle is
annoying. Photo H. W - Nicholls .... 60
“ Be sure that the petrol tank is full.” Photo H. W-
Nicholls ... . . . 62
This is the switch. Photo H. W. Nicholls . . 66
This lever is used for changing gear. Photo H. W.
Nicholls . . 68
First .advance the spark and give more air. Photo
H. W. Nicholls 72
The Automobile Association scouts will, if necessary,
stop your car on the road and give you informa-
tion. Photo H. W. Nicholls 74
The engine will start easily if you first flood the
carburettor slightly. Photo H. W. Nicholls . . 76
The lubrication of the De Dion is extremely simple.
Photo H. W. Nicholls . . . . 80
Miss Isabel Savory, who not only drives, but repairs
her own cars. Photo Elliott & Fry ... 84
xii
Illustrations
To face
page
Baroness Campbell de Lorentz, the first lady in
Britain to drive her own car. Photo by Keturah
Collings . . 86
The Honble. Mrs. Assheton Harbord. Drives a
Rolls Royce car, owns her own balloon, “The
Valkyrie,” and has competed with it in seven
races 88
Mrs. George Thrupp, originator of the motor
christening. Photo by Arthur Rouselle . . 90
xui
DOROTHY LEVITT : A PERSONAL
SKETCH
A
DOROTHY LEVITT: A PERSONAL
SKETCH
It is not considered difficult for mere man to
write about a pretty, young woman. Yet in
the case of Dorothy Levitt it is difficult.
There are so many things in her delightful
private life which would have a vivid interest
for the public. But I am forbidden to tread
too deeply in that direction.
Dorothy Levitt is the premier woman mo-
torist and botorist of the world. And she is
ready to prove and uphold her title at any
time.
In the United Kingdom, in France and in
Germany, she has achieved distinctions, won
success and carried off trophies such as no
woman and few men can claim.
Five years ago Miss Levitt won the Cham-
pionship of the Seas in the great motor-boat
race at Trouville, France, defeating all comers.
3
Dorothy Levitt: A Personal Sketch
Three years ago at Brighton she won a race
and created a world’s record for women of
79J miles per hour. The following year she
broke her own record and created a new world’s
record for women of 91 miles an hour.
Looking at Miss Levitt one can hardly
imagine that she could drive a car at such
terrific speed. The public, in its mind’s eye,
no doubt figures this motor champion as a big,
strapping Amazon. Dorothy Levitt is exactly,
or almost so, the direct opposite of such a
picture. She is the most girlish of womanly
women. Slight in stature, shy and shrink-
ing, almost timid in her everyday life, it is
seeming a marvel that she can really be the
woman who has done all that the records
show.
And the way in which she came to be a
motorist — it is a story in itself. She was from
childhood a good cyclist, a good driver of
horses, a rider to hounds and an excellent shot
with rifle or gun. Fishing was her favourite
pastime. She was quick of eye and sure of
hand and nerves troubled her not at all.
A friend, owning a motor-car, paid a visit
4
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch
to the family in the West Country. In a very
few days Dorothy Levitt had become well
acquainted with the intricacies of that motor.
She handled the wheel as well as the owner
or his chauffeur. She attended, as a spectator,
a county competition, driving the car with
such skill that the attention was attracted
of the manager of a big motor firm. He
secured an introduction and asked her to drive
one of his cars in a competition. She agreed
and thus became the first Englishwoman to
drive a motor-car in a public competition.
Her first prize was won a month later, and
since then she has steadily mounted the tree
of her chosen profession. Yet she has remained
an amateur, accepting no money prizes, only
medals and cups and such like trophies.
In hill climbs, endurance and speed trials
she is alike invincible. At the first aerial
hare-and-hounds race of balloons this year
she was selected as the umpire. The most
careful, as well as intrepid and fast-driving
motorist, was wanted. Miss Levitt unerringly
followed the hare from London to near Arundel,
Sussex, and was on the spot when the first
5
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch
balloon among the hounds descended near the
hare.
Miss Levitt has been offered many enticing
professional engagements on the Continent
and in the United States but prefers to remain
at home and an amateur.
In appearance Dorothy Levitt looks partly
French, partly Irish, with a soupfon of
American. Yet she is wholly English. Of
medium height, her figure is slim and very
graceful. She has a very girlish but expressive
face, large eyes that are brown and grey and
green in varying lights, brown hair that curls, a
straight nose that has the bare inclination of
a saucy upward tip and a mouth which is too
large. It is a charming, winning face.
The one fault of Dorothy Levitt is her
modesty, almost amounting to bashfulness.
One cannot get her to tell much of her
many exciting adventures, particularly those
of which she is the heroine. She is immensely
popular, has been toasted by Royalty at
German motor banquets, elected honorary
member of many of the first automobile clubs
in this country and on the Continent, and has
6
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch
a host of friends, some in the sacred circles
of society, others distinguished men and
women of the more Bohemian circles of art
and literature, music and the drama. She is
an inveterate first-nighter, wears simple but
ravishing clothes and, to those who do not
know her, passes as a bright butterfly of fashion.
In a flat in a quiet but fashionable neighbour-
hood in the West-end of London, Miss Levitt
lives the life of a bachelor girl. There she
has a housekeeper and maid and a tiny Pome-
ranian, one “ Dodo,” to keep her company.
The flat contains, as its feature rooms, a Louis
XIV. drawing-room and a Flemish dining-
room, the latter the scene of many little
luncheon parties for which Miss Levitt is
also famous.
Hers is a busy life, involving many thousands
of miles of travel in the year. She is to be
seen at Ascot, Goodwood, Cowes, at Henley,
at Ranelagh. To-day she may be in London.
Next week you may hear of her as in France
or Germany taking part in a motor com-
petition ; the week following she may be in
Scotland or of a house-party in the Shires
7
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch
or botoring in the blue waters off the Riviera
coast.
It is little wonder that her ambition is to
leave the gay whirl and to settle down quietly
in the country, with her motor, her dogs and
a fishing-rod and a gun.
Of her public records I can do no better than
quote extracts from her diary, for Miss Levitt,
unlike the generality of women, is most careful
in keeping a very businesslike diary. Here
are the extracts :
April 1903. — First Englishwoman to take
part in public motor-car competition. Did
not win. Will do better next time.
May 13, 1903. — Glasgow to London Non-
stop Run. Drove 16 horse-power Gladiator.
Gained 994 marks out of possible 1000. Marks
deducted for tyre troubles.
August 1903' — Won Gaston Menier Cup at
Trouville, France. Value of cup, 350 guineas.
August 8, 1903. — Drove motor-boat Napier
at Cowes. Won the race. Afterwards com-
manded to go over to Royal yacht by
the King as his Majesty wanted to see
me put boat through its paces. King
8
Dorothy Levitt: A Personal Sketch
thinks such boats may be useful for despatch
work.
September 1903. — One thousand miles Relia-
bility Trials. Sixteen horse-power Gladiator.
Won. Did fastest time in class.
October 2, 1903. — Southport Speed Trials.
Drove 16 horse-power Gladiator. Won silver
cup for speed.
Won Championship of the Seas, Trouville.
Napier motor-boat. Boat afterwards bought
by French Government for £1000.
September 1904. — Light Car Trials. Suc-
cessful. Drove small De Dion, 8 horse-power.
Entirely alone. No mechanic attended to
car. Did everything myself. Had non-stop
for five days but small difficulties on sixth
and last day.
October 1904. — Southport Speed Trials.
Drove 50 horse-power Napier. Won two
medals.
February 1905. — Did Liverpool and back
to London in two days, averaging a level
20 miles per hour throughout for the entire
41 1 miles. Unaccompanied by mechanic.
Eight horse-power De Dion.
9
Dorothy Levitt: A Personal Sketch
May 1905. — Won Non-stop Certificate at
Scottish Trials. Ran over very rough and hilly
roads in the Highlands. Eight horse-power
De Dion.
July 1905. — Won Brighton Sweepstakes on
80 horse-power Napier, at rate of 79^- miles
per hour, constituting the woman’s world
record. Beat a great many professional
drivers. Drove at rate of miles in Daily
Mail Cup.
June 1906.— Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb.
Was only sixth at finish. Fifty horse-power
Napier. Mine was only car competing which
was not fitted with non-skids. Car nearly
went over embankment owing to this and
greasy state of roads.
June 1906. — South Harting Hill Climb.
Won medal on 50 horse-power Napier. Also
presented with silver casket for winning private
match on same hill.
July 1906. — Aston Hill Climb (Tring).
Third on 50 horse-power Napier.
October 1906. — Broke my own record and
created new world’s record for women at
Blackpool. Ninety horse-power six-cylinder
1©
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch
Napier. Racing car. Drove at rate of 91
miles per hour. Had near escape as front part
of bonnet worked loose and, had I not pulled up
in time, might have blown back and beheaded
me. Was presented with a cup by the Black-
pool Automobile Club and also a cup by S. F.
Edge, Limited.
May 1907. — Bexhill, Second Prize, Appear-
ance Competition. Eight horse-power De
Dion.
June 1907. — Germany. Won Gold Medal
Herkomer Trophy Race (1818 kilometres).
Fourth out of 172 competitors. In hill climb,
fifth, and tenth in Forstenrieder Park Speed
Trial out of 172 competitors. Was first of
all women in all competitions. Sixty horse-
power six-cylinder Napier. There were 42
cars with much larger engines than I
had.
October 1907. — France, Gaillon Hill Climb.
Forty horse-power six-cylinder Napier. Won
in my class by 20 seconds. Gradient of
hill 1 in 10 average.
June 1908. — Prinz Heinrich Trophy,
Germany. Made absolute non-stop run on
11
Dorothy Levitt : A Personal Sketch
45 horse-power Napier. Won large silver
placque.
July 1908. — Aston Hill Climb, Aston Clin-
ton. Made second fastest time of over 50
competitors on 60 horse-power Napier.
August 1908. — France. Trouville, La Cote
du Calvaire.
12
THE WOMAN AND THE CAR
DRIVE YOUR OWN CAR
THE WOMAN AND THE CAR
CHAPTER I
THE CAR— ITS COST, UP-KEEP AND ACCESSORIES
Motoring as a Pastime for Women — Patience of more
Value than Nerve — Selection of a Car — Single-
cylinder the best for Women who are going to
drive themselves and attend to the Mechanism —
Cost of a Small Car — Necessary Accessories and
their Cost — Expense of Up-keep — The necessary
Licences and the Cost
Patience, the capacity for taking pains, is of
more value than the most ponderous nerve.
You may be afraid, as I am, of driving in a
hansom through the crowded streets of town
— you may be afraid of a mouse, or so nervous
that you are startled at the slightest of sudden
sounds — yet you can be a skilful motorist, and
enjoy to the full the delights of this greatest
of out-door pastimes, if you possess patience
— the capacity for taking pains.
Motoring is a pastime for women : young,
IS
The Woman and the Car
middle-aged, and — if there are any — old.
There may be pleasure in being whirled
around the country by your friends and rela-
tives, or in a car driven by your chauffeur ;
but the real, the intense pleasure, the actual
realisation of the pastime comes only when
you drive your own car.
I have hunted — and was one with those who
declare that the most glorious of all out-door
life is in the saddle, on a fast, clean- jumping
hunter ; but when, by accident, I took up
motoring I found the exhilaration, the delights
of the gallop doubled. It fascinated me, and
it will fascinate any woman who tries it.
I am writing this little book not so much
for those women who have already taken up
motoring, but for those who would like to,
but either dare not because of nervousness,
or who imagine it is too difficult to understand
the many necessary details.
In the following chapters I will endeavour
to explain everything in the simplest possible
manner, without lapsing into confusing techni-
calities.
The first thing to discuss is the car. There
16
The Woman and the Car
are scores of makes, good, bad and indifferent.
I have tried many different makes and have
come to the conclusion that the De Dion is
an ideal single-cylinder car for a woman to
drive. It combines simplicity with reliability
— two very important items to the auto-
mobiliste.
For your own driving, if you are going to
attend to the mechanism yourself, you should
purchase a single-cylinder car — more cylinders
mean more work, and also more expense as
regards tyres, petrol, oil, &c. The single-
cylinder car is the most economical to run.
Being constructed in a much lighter manner
the weight on the tyres is less, consequently
the tyre bill is smaller, a matter of great
importance in the upkeep of a car.
The horse-power of a single-cylinder car
is usually 8 h.p. or less. As regards carriage
work, of course the purchaser can suit herself,
but the “ Victoria ” type of body has the most
graceful lines. Colour, also, is a matter of
one’s own selection. Dark blue, brown, green,
red or cream, they all look well, and can be
picked out with lines to match the upholstery,
1 7 B
The Woman and the Car
or further embellished with a top panel of
basket-work, as is the car in the photograph.
Such a car as I have described will cost, new,
from £230. This price, however, is for the
car itself, upholstered and complete as to
seats and side lamps. It is the accessories
that bring up the. cost. It adds greatly to
one’s comfort to have a hood, made of either
black leather or khaki-coloured canvas, with
nickel or brass mountings to match the finish
of your car. Such a hood will cost, in leather,
about £20, and in canvas ^18. I am quoting
for the best quality in every instance, for with
motoring it is quality that counts in the long
run. A folding glass screen, with nickel or
brass fittings, framed in stained wood, will cost
£ 10 . The front lamps will cost about £6
per pair, and the rear lamp £1 to £1 51. A
waterproof rug can be bought for ^1 to £2.
The car will, of course, seat two, but it is
often advisable to have a third seat. This
should be constructed so as to fold down when
not in use, and would cost .£15. You can have
a stationary seat fitted for ^10, but these do
not look so nice (though quite as comfortable)
18
Photo. //. If'. X ichoffs
The Woman and the Car
as those that fold down. In addition to these
things it is necessary to carry a tyre repair
outfit, which will cost about £i, also the
following tools and spares :
Ammeter, jack, pliers, spanners, carburetter jet key, large
and small screw-drivers, hammer, oil-can, grease injector,
tyre-pump, sparking-plug, inlet and exhaust valves, trembler
blade and screw, some washers, split pins, file, very fine file
for platinum points, emery-powder, insulated tape, and some
waste or swabs.
In buying your car you will probably find
that the last car you were on is “ the best.”
It is liable to become somewhat confusing if
you go for many trial runs ; but one thing
to bear in mind is that the car that will do
five miles an hour faster than the one you
previously tried is not necessarily the best car —
it may be faster while it is running, but it may
not run for long — therefore take my advice
and pin your faith on the car with the reputa-
tion forjreliability, the one that will not entail
a big expenditure every few months for repairs.
Nearly all of us, nowadays, have some motoring
friends, who have probably had experience
with different makes of cars : their experience
19
The Woman and the Car
should benefit you in your choice. There are
some very inexpensive cars on the market,
but inexpensive only as to initial outlay —
they are likely to prove themselves sorry
bargains before many months have passed.
One of the chief joys of motoring is to feel
that you can rely upon your car.
In regard to housing the car, if you are not
fortunate enough to possess a stable or garage
of your own, one of the following courses is
open to you : Hire a stable, or garage, and a
man to attend to the cleaning of the car ;
place it at one of the many garages, public
and semi-private, now in existence — or you
can stable it at the nearest mews and arrange
with the ostler to do the washing. I cannot
give the exact cost of the first and last of these,
as they would naturally vary, but if placed
at a regular garage the cost would be from
8 j . 6d. to 12 s. 6d. per week.
Another outlay is to be found in “ tips.”
The men at a garage are always hungry for
“tips,” and your car will be polished with
greater zest if the “ tips ” are frequent or
generous. The advertisement of the “ no
20
The Woman and the Car
tip ” garage is a fallacy. The proprietor may
consider this principle the right one, but if
you act according to his ideas your car will
probably suffer.
Petrol varies slightly in price, but is usually
from ir. to is. 4 d. per gallon. As, with the
car illustrated, you are able to run 28 to 32
miles on one gallon, you will see that petrol
is not a great item.
The next duty that devolves on you after
becoming the owner of a car is to procure
your licences. There are two — one a licence for
the car (the same as a carriage licence), the cost
of which is governed according to the weight of
the car, probably near two guineas ; the other a
driving licence, costing $s. Both of these are
to be obtained from the London County
Council offices in Spring Gardens, London,
S.W., or in the country at the various County
Council headquarters — though the carriage
licence can be obtained, after due application,
at almost any post office. Your driving licence
is an official printed paper with your name and
address written in.
To obtain a number for the car it is neces-
21
The Woman and the Car
sary to apply to Spring Gardens, or any of
the Registration and Licensing authorities in
the United Kingdom. If one writes to a
County Council, the letter should be addressed :
“ Clerk to the County Council of ,
County Council Offices, ,” and if to a
county borough, to “The Town Clerk, Town
Hall, The registration fee is 20 s. You
will have to fill up a form and will then have
a number registered.
This number you must have painted on two
tin plates, white on a black ground. The
figures must be 3J in. deep. These number-
plates must be affixed to the back and front
of your car. The back one must be so placed
that the light from the back lamp is thrown
on it and thus the number distinctly seen at
night. It is also necessary for part of the rear
lamp to show a red light.
You should never go in your car without
this licence — your driving licence, for you
must produce it when asked by the proper
authorities or pay the penalty of £$. But
more of this later.
22
CHAPTER II
THE ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION OF DRESS
The All-important Question of Dress — Masks and
Goggles are usually unnecessary — “ Nothing like
Leather ” is a False Cry — The best Head-gear — A
Neck-muffler is of the greatest Importance — Beware
of Rings and “ fluffy ” Things — The Question of the
Overall — What the Secret Drawer should contain —
Hints about all Garments — Suggestion anent carry-
ing a Revolver
An all-important question is dress. Auto-
mobilists are nowadays more careful in the
choice of their attire, but there are still a
goodly number who seem to imagine it is
impossible to look anything but hideous when in
an automobile. On a closed-in car, limousine
or landaulette, any kind of attire is permissible
as the conditions are precisely the, same as
being driven in a carriage, but with an open car
neatness and comfort are essential. When
racing, or when in countries where speed is
not looked upon with such horror as in England
23
The Woman and the Car
— on the long, straight seemingly never-ending,
military roads of France, one can travel at a
speed that makes goggles or masks a necessity,
but for motoring under ordinary conditions
there is no reason why one should wear them.
It might be borne in mind that I am writing
this book for the woman who is desirous of
being her own driver and owning her own
car ; yet perhaps my advice will be applicable
to the whole sex. I average about 400 miles
per week — in all conditions of weather — all
sorts of cars and all sorts of places, and there-
fore speak from experience — in many instances
dearly bought.
Now, as to ordinary garments, dress for the
season of the year exactly as you would if you
were not going motoring. I would advise
shoes rather than boots as they give greater
freedom to the ankles and do not tend to im-
pede the circulation, as a fairly tightly laced
or buttoned boot would do, but this is a matter
of individual taste. In winter time it is advis-
able to wear high gaiters, have them specially
made, almost up to the knee.
As regards a frock — the plain “ tailor-made ”
2 4
Photo. H. IK Nicholls .
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLES OF WEAR IS A SCARF OR MUFFLER FOR
THE NECK
5?
The Woman and the Car
with a shirt blouse of linen, silk or “ Viyella
is without doubt the most comfortable — and
the wearer has the advantage, at the end of
a days’ run, of appearing trim and neat.
Under no circumstances wear lace or “ fluffy ”
adjuncts to your toilette — if you do, you will
regret them before you have driven half a
dozen miles.
Regarding coats — there is nothing like a
thick frieze, homespun, or tweed, lined with
“ Jaeger ” or fur. The former has the advan-
tage of being lighter in weight than the latter
and is just as warm and much less expensive.
In England in winter one can wear a coat of
this description right up to the beginning of
summer. For summer itself, the ideal coat
is of thin cream serge. It retains its freshness
and does not crease like alpaca, linen or silk.
The serge looks, and feels, smart all the summer
— the silk or alpaca, after its first hard day,
begins to look creased and shabby.
Do not heed the cry “ nothing like leather.”
Leather coats do not wear out gracefully.
At first they may be delightful, but when they
have been caught in two or three showers
2 5
The Woman and the Car
they begin to have a hard, stiff feeling which is
far from comfortable. I have, however, seen
very pretty costumes, coats and skirts, made of
thin glove kid, or suede , but these are luxuries,
as they cost from twenty-five to thirty guineas
each.
As to head-gear, there is no question : the
round cap or close-fitting turban of fur are
the most comfortable and suitable, though
with the glass screen up it is possible to wear an
ordinary hat, with a veil round it. However,
if you go in for caps, see that they fit well —
there is nothing more uncomfortable than the
cap that does not fit. It is a good plan to have
caps made to match your costumes. When
fixing the cap, pin it securely, and over it
put a crepe-de-chine veil, of length a-plenty.
These can be obtained from most of the
leading drapers, and it is quite a simple matter
to make them yourself with a length of crfye
or washing silk. Before tying the veil, twist
the ends. This prevents the knot working
loose and is very necessary, as the veil, in
addition to protecting the hair, helps to keep
the hat securely in place.
2 6
Photo. //. IP. NichoUs
REMEMBER TO TWIST THE VEIL BEFORE TYING — THIS PREVENTS THE KNOT
WORKING LOOSE
The Woman and the Car
One of the most important articles of wear
is a scarf, or muffler, for the neck — and the
manner of wearing it is also important. Fold
it, then wind round the throat, beginning at
the front, bringing the ends round from the
back, and fold over in front. See that the
throat is covered closely, and not too loosely.
Wearing this properly will save you all manner
of colds, sore throats and kindred sufferings.
Regarding gloves — never wear woollen gloves,
as wool slips on the smooth surface of the
steering-wheel and prevents one getting a
firm grip. Gloves made of good, soft kid, fur-
lined, without a fastening, and made with just
a thumb, are the ideal gloves for winter driving.
It is not advisable to wear rings. If you do
not want to leave them at home, or in a
hotel, but want to wear them when you are
indoors, during your ride or tour take them off
while on the car and stow them away. Rings,
when you are driving yourself, hurt terribly,
and also the stones are loosened. Bracelets
and bangles are irritating unless secured by a
sleeve or glove from working up and down.
Indispensable to the motoriste who is going
27
The Woman and the Car
to drive her own car is the overall. This
should be made of butcher-blue or brown
linen, to fasten at the back — the same shape
as an artist’s overall. It should have long
sleeves. You can always slip off your coat
and put on the overall in a moment — and it is
necessary if you have anything to do in the
car. Remember it is better to get grease-
spots on your washable overall than on your
coat or other clothes.
While there are several little repairs that it
would be impossible to remedy if wearing
gloves, the majority of work on a car (filling
tanks, &c. &c.) can be done just as well if
one’s hands are protected by a pair of wash-
leather gloves. You will find room for these
gloves in the little drawer under the seat of
the car.
This little drawer is the secret of the dainty
motoriste. What you put in it depends upon
your tastes, but the following articles are what
I advise you to have in its recesses. A pair
of clean gloves, an extra handkerchief, clean
veil, powder-puff (unless you despise them),
hair-pins and ordinary pins, a hand mirror —
28
“the useful overall’'
Photo. //. IP. Nic/t oils.
The Woman and the Car
and some chocolates are very soothing, some-
times !
It is also advisable to carry a tablet of
“ Antioyl ” soap. If it has been necessary to
use bare hands for a repair you will nearly
always find some grease on your hands, and this
it is impossible to remove with ordinary soap.
Of course it is possible to remove it with a
little petrol, but I have found that petrol
roughens the skin and that the “ Antioyl ”
soap is much better.
The mirror should be fairly large to be really
useful, and it is better to have one with a
handle to it. Just before starting take the
glass out of the little drawer and put it into
the little flap pocket of the car. You will
find it useful to have it handy — not for strictly
personal use, but to occasionally hold up to see
what is behind you. Sometimes you will
wonder if you heard a car behind you — and
while the necessity or inclination to look round
is rare, you can, with the mirror, see in a flash
what is in the rear without losing your forward
way, and without releasing your right-hand
grip of the steering-wheel.
29
The Woman and the Car
If you are going to drive alone in the high-
ways and byways it might be advisable to
carry a small revolver. I have an automatic
“ Colt,” and find it very easy to handle as
there is practically no recoil — a great considera-
tion to a woman. While I have never had
occasion to use it on the road (though, I may
add, I practise continually at a range to keep
my eye and hand “in”) it is nevertheless a
comfort to know that should the occasion
arise I have the means of defending myself.
If you are driving alone a dog is great
company. The majority of dogs like motors
and soon get into the habit of curling up on
the seat by your side, under your coat.
30
Photo. //. IV. Nicholls.
THIS LITTLE DRAWER IS THE GREAT SECRET
CHAPTER III
THE MECHANISM OF THE CAR
In which a Practical Introduction to the Car is
given with Simple Explanations of the Details of the
Machinery — The Importance of Lubrication — The
Testing of the Brakes — The Six Levers and their
Various Functions — The Electric Battery
“ Be sure you are right, then go ahead.” This
good old motto is just the thing to remember
when one is going in for motoring. Remember,
I am discussing the woman who drives her
own car, and does all those things that ordinarily
a chauffeur would have to do.
I am constantly asked by some astonished
people, “ Do you really understand all the
horrid machinery of a motor, and could you
mend it if it broke down ? ” but it really is
not a very difficult matter. The details of
the engine may sound complicated and may
look “ horrid,” but an engine is easily mastered.
A few hours of proper diligence, provided you
31
The Woman and the Car
are determined to learn, and you know all
that you have to know. Again, I must remind
you that I am discussing the single-cylinder
car, which is by far the simplest for a woman
to drive and attend to alone.
I have made it a rule never to allow any one
to drive my own little car — and this is a rule
that every one will find useful. All cars have
their individual idiosyncrasies, and if you alone
drive, you get to understand every sound ;
but if you allow any one to drive you are
ignorant of what strain the car has been put
to. As a matter of fact, a strange hand on
the wheel and levers seems to put the car out
of tune.
Before starting out for a ride your first
duty is to see that the petrol-tank is full.
It is unpleasant to be stranded on the road,
miles from anywhere, minus petrol. The
petrol-tank is, in many instances, under the
seat. Lift the cushions, unscrew the cap and
peep in. If it is dark it will be necessary to
hold a piece of stick in to see how much petrol
there is, but when there is occasion to do this,
be very careful that there is no dirt on the stick,
32
Photo. H. IK Nicholls
UNSCREW THE CAR AND PEEP IN
The Woman and the Car
or a choked petrol-pipe or carburetter will
result. The slightest atom of dirt in the petrol
will cause trouble. If you are going for a very
long run it is a wise plan to take an extra can
with you. It is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to
warn you not to take a light near the petrol-
tank while it is being filled up. Many cars
have been wrecked through carelessness in this
direction. Remember it is not actually the
petrol that catches alight, but the vapour
that arises from it. If your petrol-tank runs
dry there is no danger — the car will simply
come to a standstill.
The chamber in which the petrol and air
mix and vapourise is called the carburetter,
from which the vapour is carried to the cylinder
head by means of a pipe, and is there exploded
by the tiny electric spark from the sparking-
plug, the explosion forcing down the piston
and causing the crank-shaft to revolve.
Having examined your petrol-supply, being
sure to replace the screw quite tightly, your
next duty is to see that the water-tank is full.
This tank is situated behind the engine, close
to the dash-board. Unscrew the top and if
33
c
The Woman and the Car
you cannot see without uncomfortably bending
over take a twig or stick and poke it in, and the
wet portion will tell you how much water there
is ; though on some cars there is, affixed to
the screw tops of both the petrol- and water-
tanks, a metal rod which shows the amount of
petrol or water in the tank. When you are
refilling the water-tank you can tell by the
“ overflow ” when the tank is full — there
is a special outlet, so as to prevent the
surplus from flowing over the top of the
engine. Be sure to screw the top of the tank
on again.
The next for examination is the oil-tank.
This supplies the oil to lubricate the engine
and gears. There are several different types
of lubricators, force or drip feed, according
to the type of car. It is necessary to lift the
bonnet to refill the oil-tank. The “ bonnet ”
is the metal covering to the engine. When
the bonnet is lifted, metal supports will be
found each side to hold it up. It is import-
ant that you have plenty of oil, for it is the
lubrication that keeps your machinery in
working trim. Without oil your engine and
34
Photo. //. IV. Nicho/ts.
TEST THE QUANTITY OF OIL IN THE TANK LY INSERTING A PIECE OF STICK
The Woman and the Car
gears would overheat and probably “ seize.”
The lubricating oil is forced, by a small hand
pump, to all the different parts of the engine
and gears requiring it.
With the car illustrated, it is necessary to
pump a charge of oil into the engine about
every twenty miles. This is an easy matter
and it is not necessary to stop the car to do it.
Before starting out each day you should allow
the “ used ” oil to run out of the base chamber.
This is done by lifting a small rod you will
find on the left-hand side of the commutator.
If you pull this up it releases the oil, which
you will see running out. When it is all out
do not forget to press the rod into place again,
as failure to do this would mean serious trouble,
as the fresh oil, when pumped into the engine,
would simply run right through on to the
ground. After this stale oil has been released,
two charges should be pumped into the engine
before starting. This is done by turning the
pointer on the pump handle to “ Reservoir,”
then pull up slowly, turn the pointer to
“ Moteur ” and press gently down. To lubri-
cate the gear, fill from “ Reservoir ” as before,
35
The Woman and the Car
turn the pointer to “ Vitesse ” and press
down in the same manner.
Apart from filling the various grease-caps
occasionally, on the steering, &c., and greasing
the wheel bearings, this is all that is necessary
in the way of lubrication. The wheels, how-
ever, only require greasing about every 400
miles.
Your next duty would be to test the brake.
Get into the habit of doing this every time you
go out. It is no trouble to run the car a few
yards to ascertain whether the brakes grip
or not. If all motorists, no matter how expert,
were to spend a few moments in taking this
precaution, there would undoubtedly be fewer
accidents. We often read that “ the steering-
gear went wrong,” but I am right in saying
that, in many cases, the accidents are caused
by the failure of the brakes when applied
suddenly on an emergency. The brakes may
be in a satisfactory condition when you lock
up the car after a day’s run, but when the car
is stationary there is the slight possibility of
a little oil dripping on to them during the night,
rendering them practically useless. If there
36
Photo . //. //' Xicholls.
tfULL UP THIS SMALL ROD TO ENABLE THE “ USED ” OIL TO RUN OUT OF THE
BASE-CHAMBER
The Woman and the Car
is oil on the brakes, however, it can easily be
burnt off by running the car a little way and
applying the brakes several times — the friction
will gradually burn it off. The brakes some-
times slacken and need adjustment — an easy
operation. Types of brakes may vary slightly
with different types of cars On my single-
cylinder car the brake is very simple. To
adjust, you will find a small handle under-
neath the frame towards the back of the
car, on the off-side. Half a turn one way or
the other if the brake is too slack or too
fierce usually suffices. It can be adjusted
one way or the other in about a second or
two.
We now come to the various levers and their
different functions. There are six levers, the
change-speed, or gear-lever, on the left-hand
side of the steering-column, under the steering-
wheel ; the ignition-lever and the air-lever,
both to be found under the steering-wheel on
the right-hand side of the steering-column ;
the hand-throttle, underneath the steering-
wheel ; in centre of column, on a small ratchet,
the hand-brake lever and the first-speed
37
The Woman and the Car
lever. In this chapter I shall only deal with
the first four.
It is the gear-lever that sets the gear in
motion — practically puts the “ muscles ” of
your car into play. It is imperative that it
be in neutral (or central) position when
starting the engine, or when applying either
the hand- or foot-brake. This gear-lever,
when in neutral position, disconnects the
engine and gear, thereby allowing the road
wheels to be brought to a standstill. When
first learning to drive there is a tendency to
suddenly apply the brake without bringing the
gear-lever into neutral position, consequently
a great strain is put upon the entire mechanism,
as rival forces are brought into play, viz.,
while the engine is pulling, and through the
driving-shaft turning the gears and pro-
pelling the wheels, the action of the brake is
to make the back wheels stationary. As an
example, the shock on the mechanism in the
event of this happening can be compared to
taking a watch and banging it on the
ground.
With regard to the other levers, always
38
5
THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE FOOT-URAKE IS A MATTER OF SECONDS
The Woman and the Car
be quite sure that the ignition (top) lever is
retarded, and that the air-lever is in correct
position. It is impossible to exactly give the
correct position for these as it is a matter of
adjustment and liable to slightly vary with
different cars. However, when once you have
found the correct position it is impossible to
get it wrong.
The next thing to do is to switch on the
electric current. The car carries a battery
on the dash-board, where is also the coil. As it
is possible to run 2000 or 3000 miles on one
battery, the replacing is not an expensive item.
The cost of a new battery is 15/. 9 d. The
switch is on the coil and the current is set in
motion by moving the switch from “ A ” to
“ M.” Having done all these things you are
ready to start up the engine, and after that,
drive.
It has taken a long time to explain the
preliminary things that you should do before
starting off on a run, and the non-motoriste,
and even perhaps the intending motoriste,
will say, “ If I have to do all those troublesome
things it will take up all my time, so I think
39
The Woman and the Car
I had better have a chauffeur ” ; but let me
assure you that while it has taken some little
time to explain these things in the plainest
possible language, it will take you but a few
minutes to carry them out.
4 °
CHAPTER IV
HOW TO DRIVE
Starting the Engine — How to hold the Steering-
wheel — Various Speeds and Gears — How to start the
Car — The Art of Throttling — The Use of Foot-
pedals — Changing Speed — How to climb Hills —
Running Downhill and on the Level — How to use
Brakes — Skidding — Driving Backwards
“ Fire in the heart of me, moving and chattering.
Youth in each fart of me, slender and strong.
Light and tremendous I bear you along”
These lines, I feel sure, appeal to every
motoriste as they exactly describe the little
car in motion.
Starting one’s engine is not the nicest thing
about motoring when a woman is acting as
her own driver and mechanician, but with the
little cars no strength is required ; it is only
the big cars that need a swelling of muscle.
There is a great knack in starting an engine,
but this, once overcome, ceases to be hard
work.
4 1
The Woman and the Car
In front of the car you will notice a handle.
Push it inwards until you feel it fit into a
notch, then pull it up sharply, releasing your
hold of the handle the moment you feel you
have pulled it over the resisting (compression)
point. Unless starting a car fitted with mag-
neto ignition, on no account press down the
handle — always pull it upwards, smartly and
sharply. If it is pressed down the possibility
of a backfire is greater — and a broken arm may
result. This, however, is not a common
occurrence, and is one that is brought about
entirely through carelessness on the part of
the would-be driver.
If the car has not been used for some hours
it will sometimes be necessary to turn the
starting handle two or three times — speaking
from my own experience, three times is the
maximum ; it will usually start on the second
turn. Of course in the winter it will take two
or three turns, as the petrol freezes and takes
longer to vapourise.
The moment the engine is running you
can get in the car and start driving. Hold
the steering-wheel with both hands in the
4 2
mt. -
Photo. H. IV. Nic holts.
I N FRONT OF YOUR CAR YOU WILL NOTICE A HANDLE
The Woman and the Car
manner and position in which it is most com-
fortable to yourself. Keep a firm hold of it
all the time and do not get into the habit of
driving with one hand on the wheel : use both
except when it is necessary to use either for
changing speed, &c. Advance the ignition-
lever forward and give more air by pulling
back the “ air ” lever. When you have tried
the car once or twice you will easily be able
to gauge the distance these various levers
should be moved. Remember the faster the
engine runs the more air she will take, though
when climbing a hill it is necessary to drive
on a richer mixture (less air, with the regular
supply of petrol) and cut off the air inlet
almost entirely.
You will soon understand the different
sounds of the engine — and their prevention,
or cure.
When the car is stationary (and the engine
running) always endeavour to run it as quietly
as possible. It is sometimes annoying to people
to have the noise of an automobile outside
their door and no good can accrue by allowing
the engine to run on unchecked. Underneath
43
The Woman and the Car
the steering-wheel, on the steering-column
you will notice the throttle-lever, mentioned
in the preceding chapter. Its function is
to regulate the mixture in the carburetter.
When you wish the engine to run very quietly
and slowly, you move this little lever from
right to left. When starting to drive again
do not omit releasing the throttle, otherwise
the engine may stop owing to insufficiency
of gas.
Your next move is to take off the side brake.
You will find this lever on the right-hand
side of the car. Now you are absolutely
ready to start. Always remember that a car
should receive careful treatment, so therefore
do not attempt to move anything by jerking
it roughly — take everything very quietly.
You will notice two pedals on the left and
right respectively of the steering-column,
on the floor. The left-hand pedal acts as a
throttle (shutting off gas) in exactly the same
manner as the hand-throttle explained above,
that is, when it is pressed down half-way —
and the throttling process acts according to
the amount of pressure put upon the pedal.
44
RELEASE THE FOOT FROM THE RIGHT PEDAL AND THROTTLE SLIGHTLY WITH
THE LEFT FOOT ON THE LEFT PEDAL
The Woman and the Car
If it is pressed down still further it acts as a
brake. This foot-throttle and foot-brake are
more frequently used than the hand-throttle
and hand-brake.
The small pedal on the right-hand side of the
steering-column is brought into service when
first (or lowest) speed is required. Thus, to start
the car you press down this pedal as far as it
will go, at the same time pressing lightly on
the throttle (left-hand pedal), and take hold of
the change-speed (or gear) lever and push it
as far forward as it will go, at the same time
releasing the left-hand pedal and keeping
down the one on the right. You are now
travelling on first speed. You will soon tell
when this speed has reached its maximum
power as the engine will be running very fast.
It will then be time to change to second speed.
This is done by releasing the right-hand pedal,
throttle slightly with the left foot and bring
the gear-lever towards you as far as it will go,
at the same time slowly lifting your foot off
the throttle. You will now find the car
moving much faster and will be able to tell,
as in the former instance, when the maximum
45
The Woman and the Car
speed is obtained. When you hear the engine
beginning to “ race ” (run very fast), slightly
throttle again and push the gear-lever into
third speed — away from you, the same position
as for “ first,” though, of course, in this
instance it is unnecessary to touch the right-
hand pedal, which, you must remember, is
only used for lowest speed. You are now on
third (or top) gear and will find that unless
the country is very hilly you will usually be
able to keep the car running on this gear for
a long time, varying the speeds from io to
28 miles an hour by deftly manipulating the
ignition, air and throttle.
Changing speed on the car illustrated is
an easy task, and that is why I have taken the
De Dion car as an object-lesson. With the
majority of cars there is a deal of “ arm work ”
necessary, and in many cases not a little strain,
this strain very often counteracting the benefits
otherwise derived from the driving.
In changing speed always remember to
throttle slightly, whether in changing from
first or second to top, or in slackening speed,
from top to second or first.
46
The Woman and the Car
Never change from first to top speed, or
from top to first without using the inter-
mediate speed. The first speed on these
little cars is from zero to 9 miles an hour, the
second from 9 to 18, and the top from 18 to 28.
I should advise you to get thoroughly used to
the steering while on second speed, and at
first drive very slowly. Do not expect to be
able to control the car in a few minutes. Take
your time and get in sympathy with your
motor as you would the horses you drive or
ride. Gain confidence slowly. Once you have
confidence in yourself the battle is nearly won.
Bear in mind that when riding or driving
a horse it is only partly under your control.
As it has a brain and will of its own it can bolt
if it wishes to — but with a motor-car you rely
upon yourself alone — you are master (or should
I say mistress ?) of the situation.
When it is necessary to drive backwards,
push forward the small lever you will find at
the side, by the hand-brake, push the change-
speed lever forward (same position as for top
speed) and steer exactly the reverse way to
what you would do if you were going forward.
47
The Woman and the Can
This will no doubt prove awkward at first,
and will necessitate a little practice, but when
once mastered you will find it equally easy to
steer the car either in a backward or forward
direction. When running on any speed, if
you allow the car to gain impetus and then put
the change-speed lever in neutral position, the
car will travel on in the same manner as a free-
wheel bicycle, the action of the gear being
neutral temporarily disconnecting the engine
and gear.
If you see an obstacle in the road do not go
up to it at full speed and suddenly put on the
brake. The sudden application of the brake
will hasten the end of the life of your tyres —
and if you are not driving on non-skid tyres a
bad accident may be the result if the road is
at all wet. Of course occasion may sometimes
arise whereby it is absolutely necessary to apply
the brakes very suddenly — for instance, if a
car makes its appearance from a side turning
that perhaps you had not noticed, or an
individual or dog attempts to cross the road
a few yards in front of your car — but in cases
of this kind you must rely on your own judg-
48
Photo. //. IK Nicholls .
YOUK NEXT MOVE IS TO TAKE OFF THE SIDE IJKAKE
The Woman and the Car
ment. You will soon understand how far the
car will run with a given impetus and learn to
use the brakes gently and sparingly.
Never get into the habit of using only one
brake. It is more convenient to use the foot-
brake, but if you do not sometimes use the
hand-brake, when an emergency arises you will
find yourself looking for the hand-brake in-
stead of your hand instinctively going out to
it in the fraction of a second.
In travelling uphill run as far as possible at
top speed — meanwhile listening to the throb
of the engine. When the top speed drops to
about the maximum speed of the second, it is
time to change back to second, but do not
allow the engine to run too slowly before
changing, otherwise it will not “ pick up ”
and it will be a great strain on it. If the hill
is a very steep one it may be necessary to change
to first. There is always a correct moment for
changing speed, both on the level and on hills,
but this is a thing that can only come with
practice.
If you have a long decline to negotiate, turn
the switch off so that the engine is not running,
49
D
The Woman and the Car
allowing the car to roll down on its own
impetus, controlling with the brakes, but
remember, on the car slowing down, after
passing the foot of the hill, to put the top
gear in and switch on again, otherwise the
engine may stop.
If you are driving in a very hilly or moun-
tainous country you must give the engine a
charge of oil more frequently than every
twenty miles on account of its having to be on
low gear, when the engine runs much faster and
is liable to get over-heated — and if it does
become over-heated you will soon notice a
nasty “ knock ” — regarding which I will ex-
plain in a later chapter, on “ Troubles.”
5 °
CHAPTER V
TROUBLES— HOW TO AVOID AND TO MEND THEM
The Battle of Motor Woe — Various Troubles which
may happen at any Time — How to diagnose each
Trouble and how to repair it — Prevention better
than Cure — In spare Time, Practice in Repairing is
Valuable — Simple Instructions from the Tightening
of a Nut to the putting on of a Tyre
Your troubles with a car may be nil — they
may be a-plenty. You may be at fault, and
again, the trouble may simply be one of
ordinary misfortune or due to the idiosyn-
crasies of your car : but to whatever it is due,
learn quickly to mend matters and laugh at
them rather than weep. I well remember the
first time I started out alone without a chauffeur.
Somehow or other the car stopped (cars in
those days were not so reliable as they are
to-day — and the one I had lent me had done
good service). For several hours I could not
make out what was the matter, wept bitter
tears and was so down-hearted that it took me
5i
The Woman and the Car
a day to get over it : but most of the little
troubles that arise are easily overcome on a
modern car, when once one understands how to
locate them. Train your ear to distinguish the
slightest sound foreign to the consistent running
of the engine. A single misfire means that
there is some little thing needing attention ;
but always remember to switch off the electric
current before touching anything — if you do
not you will get a shock.
There is only one trouble regarding which
you are really justified in feeling angry — that
is a punctured or burst tyre. It is possible
for a woman to repair a tyre, but I am sure I
am correct in saying that not one woman in
a thousand would want to ruin her hands in
this way. Nowadays there is a repairer in
nearly every village, and the best plan is to
drive very slowly on the rim to this nearest
repair-shop. With a small, light, single-cylinder
car it will do no harm, but if you drive too
fast, or far, the inner tube may be damaged.
However, it is advisable to carry a “ Stepney ”
wheel. These wheels are really indispensable and
should have the place of honour on a woman’s
S 2
Photo. H. IV- Nicholls.
IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER TO REMOVE A FAULTY SPARKING PLUG
The Woman and the Car
car. This “ Stepney ” wheel is an ordinary
wheel, fitted with flanges to fix on to the
existing wheel, and carries a tyre already
pumped up — and can be affixed to your car
in less than ten minutes. No strength is
required to put it in place.
In regard to tyres — there are several good
makes, such as Dunlop, Continental, Michelin,
and several others. The stock car you buy
from the maker will probably be fitted with
one of these makes, but will have plain or
corrugated treads. As there is such a great
danger through skidding it is advisable to pay
a little extra and have non-skid tyres fitted.
In addition to preventing the car turning
round on a greasy road, being steel-studded
they will obviate puncture to a great extent
I use them winter and summer, for although
the country roads in summer are dry and the
danger of sideslip very small, when you reach
a town you will nearly always find the tram-
lines (if there are any) have been watered, and
it is really in towns where the non-skid tyres
are a necessity.
There are a dozen little things that may
53
The Woman and the Car
occur to you at any time, and which you can
easily remedy yourself, but before starting on
a lonely ride it would be well for you to practise
the remedying of the troubles, in fact, give
yourself lessons in them. As I have already
stated, you may go almost a year without
troubles of any kind ; still, you should know
all there is to know about them.
Sooted plug . — This is caused by the engine
getting too much oil. If the plug is “ sooted ”
it will appear to be very black and oily-looking.
It is a matter of a minute to loosen the sparking-
plug with a spanner, and replace it with a new
one ; but if you are not carrying a spare plug,
and are not in a hurry for a few minutes, the
dirt is easily washed off with a little petrol.
Faulty plug . — If the engine misfires it may
either be owing to the above-mentioned
trouble, or may be caused by the porcelain
becoming cracked or loose in its seating. As
this cannot be repaired a new plug is necessary.
Gap on sparking-plug badly adjusted . — If the
engine is not pulling well it may be owing to
the fact that the two tiny points across which
the spark leaps are either too wide apart or are
54
The Woman and the Car
set too closely together. If you get a good
spark with the points in a certain position it is
a good plan to insert the blade of a small pen-
knife before finally replacing the plug, making
a mark on the knife where it was inserted.
On a future occasion this will be found useful,
as if the knife is again inserted between the
points of a new plug and the points either
opened or closed, to meet the marked portion
of the blade, the correct adjustment will at
once be arrived at.
To test battery . — It is necessary to do this
periodically, as if the battery is not showing
a sufficient number of amperes the car will run
badly. The test is made with an ammeter
(provision for which has been made in the list
of spares), the positive points making contact
with those corresponding on the battery,
the amperage being registered on a small
dial. It should always show four or over.
When it gets below this point it is advisable
to carry a spare battery, as a stop on the road
through a battery giving out is annoying, and
a battery cannot be procured at every
repairer’s.
55
The Woman and the Car
Empty petrol-tank . — If the car comes to a
standstill after a few misfires, it may be caused
through the petrol-supply being exhausted
on account of the tank having sprung a leak
or the petrol merely being used up. The
former is a very unusual occurrence, rarely
occurring on a car with the petrol-tank under
the seat. Where the tank is placed at the back
of the frame of the car it is often punctured by
a sharp stone striking it. Always, if going any
distance, carry a spare can of petrol and a
funnel, and before filling the tank be quite
sure that there is no dust in the funnel or on
the top of the can, as the smallest quantity
of dirt will choke your petrol or carburetter,
and this takes a long time to remedy.
Choked petrol-pipe or carburetter . — You may
possibly believe at first that this trouble is
caused by the petrol running out, so look in
the tank, and if it contains petrol you may
be sure that the flow is checked in some way.
“ Agitate ” the float of the carburetter and
it will most likely be found that there is no
petrol coming through, therefore there must
be a stoppage between the tank and the car-
56
Photo H. JV. Nicholls.
IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER TO ADJUST THE TREMBLER OR SCREW
The Woman and the Car
buretter. At the bottom of the carburetter
there is a little joint, connecting the carburetter
with a small tube through which the petrol
is carried. See first that the petrol-supply is
turned off, then loosen the joint and take out
the pipe, then turn on the petrol and see if
it comes through as far as that. If it does,
the trouble must be in the carburetter jet.
It is a simple task to remove this with the
carburetter jet spanner, and an ordinary hair-
pin would then remove every obstacle.
Water in carburetter . — This may sometimes
cause the engine to run badly, and is not an
unusual occurrence. On the top of the car-
buretter being removed the water will easily
be noticed. It is heavier than petrol and the
little drops of water in the petrol look like
drops of lead. In order to guard against
suspected water you can filter the petrol
through a handkerchief laid in the funnel.
Sticking valves . — With the inlet valve this
trouble may be caused by oil and dirt. If
this is the case it can be taken out and washed
in petrol and replaced. The car may not
run as it should do on account of the inlet
57
The Woman and the Car
and exhaust valves being pitted and needing
grinding in. To grind in use a little emery-
powder and oil, and plenty of “ elbow grease ”
until you succeed in eliminating all the little
pits and making the surface quite smooth.
(Be careful to clean off all traces of the emery
after grinding.)
Platinum point and screw adjustment . — The
platinum point on the trembler blade or screw
occasionally gets worn uneven. When con-
tact is made, if the adjustment is not correct,
the point will get worn down on one side and
the engine will probably develop a “ knock ”
and you will not be getting the maximum
horse-power out of it. It is a simple matter
to smooth the points, but a delicate touch is
necessary. The filing must be done with your
finest file, and a very few touches are necessary.
Should you not happen to have a very fine
file with you, the points can be smoothed with
emery-paper, but care should be exercised in
its use.
Again let me warn you to have the electric
current switched off before making any of
these repairs or adjustments, and particularly
58
The Woman and the Car
before removing the trembler blade, screw
or plug. When the trembler blade and screw
are replaced they will require readjustment.
When you think they are set at the proper
point, switch on, and give the starting-handle
a few turns as if to start the engine, at the
same time hold down the inlet valve, by
pressing down the small button on top of
cylinder. While turning, watch the spark
between the two points. If it is feeble the
adjustment is not correct, the screw is either
tight or too loose. After a few attempts you
will be able to adjust very quickly and almost
unerringly.
See that the points are kept free from oil.
Loose terminals . — The car may run badly
on account of a loose terminal of the wires
on the sparking-plug or battery. This is
simply a matter of thoroughly tightening up
the various little nuts with a spanner. It is
a good plan to just look over these occasionally,
for when the terminals once begin to work
loose they will gradually get worse and you
will probably have a stop on the road.
Irregular petrol-supply . — If the carburetter
59
The Woman and the Car
is getting too much or too little petrol, it
should be remedied by readjusting the needle
valve in the carburetter. When once it is
properly set it will sometimes go for years
without readjustment.
Punctured float . — I mention this trouble as
I have personally experienced it, but it is very
rare and may not occur in the whole life of
a car. The float is a hollow cube, for the
purpose of regulating the height of petrol in
the carburetter. The float, if punctured, allows
the petrol to enter, causing it to remain at
the bottom of the carburetter, gradually taking
in more petrol. The effect of this is that
the float does not perform its office, as it
becomes weighted with the petrol, and this
holds open the petrol inlet, which overflows
out of the carburetter.
I believe I have now enumerated all the
troubles that you are likely to meet with, and
which you can look after yourself, but because
the list is long do not think for one moment
that every time you go out in your little car
you are going to experience them. You may
drive for weeks, months, almost years, without
60
Photo. //. IV. Nicholls .
BE SURE THAT ALL NUTS AND BOLTS ARE TIGHT — A RATTLE IS ANNOYING
I
The Woman and the Car
a tiny bit of trouble, if you are careful. The
looking after the little things saves a heap of
trouble. The testing of this thing, the dusting
of that, the tightening of a nut, the loosening
of a screw — all these may be commonplace
trivial matters, but if attended to will pay
in the long run.
Prevention is better than cure, and the
careful motoriste who looks after her car as
she looks after herself will have little use for
the hints in this chapter of mine.
Above all, whatever may arise, try to forget
to weep and remember to laugh. Then you
will have won half the battle of “ Motor
Woe.”
61
CHAPTER VI
HINTS ON EXPENSES
Motoring need not be an Expensive Luxury — Two
Hundred Pounds will go a long Way if properly
spent — The Second-hand Car — Motor Clubs — The
Ladies’ Automobile Club — The Automobile Associa-
tion — Motor Schools and Driving Lessons
By the time you have read and thoroughly
digested the preceding chapters I feel sure you
will be able to take your car out for a spin
without any misadventure.
There are but a few points which I want to
impress upon you in this chapter. Do not
let what you may think the great expense
debar you from the pleasure of motoring.
There is no great expense unless you want to
make it so. In my first chapter I spoke of the
price of cars and accessories. I gave a total
of .£300 as the average probable outlay. By
no means do I want to revise these figures,
but wish to remind you that the figures quoted
62
Photo. II. IV. NicJiolls.
“be suke that the petrol tank is full”
The Woman and the Car
are, in every instance, for articles of the very
best quality.
There are now being made several small
cars by big firms, many of these cars being
eminently suitable for a woman to drive.
It is possible to procure a car at £ 120 . The
accessories, also, such as the hood and screen,
need not be plated or expensively enamelled.
Cape cart hoods which have the iron-work
painted instead of plated are quite as service-
able, require less cleaning and the cost is
considerably less ; and so with other things —
but it is wise to always get the best. Dura-
bility and reliability is what you want, especially
if you are limited as to expenditure. I par-
ticularly mention these matters because only
the other day a friend spoke to me about the
expenditure, and said that she could not
possibly afford three hundred pounds. She
proposed to buy a second-hand car for a small
sum and have it repaired.
My advice to her was u Don’t.” And then
I ran over a list of expenditure in getting a
new car and everything necessary new. Taking
the same quality as mentioned in my first
63
The Woman and the Car
chapter, but not as expensively or so well
finished, I found my total less than ^230.
One could, of course, go much below this
by buying a second-hand car ; but I would
not advise this. If you know the people who
have a second-hand car for sale, and can thus
be assured that you will not in any way be
tricked, then it might be worth while buying.
But from the experience of people I know, I
would rather warn you against the cars which
are advertised u as good as new,” and for sale
for a few pounds. You would probably have
to spend in repairs in the first year as much as
a new car would cost.
So soon as you are the owner of a car,
licensed and ready for the road, become a
member of the Ladies’ Automobile Club of
Great Britain and Ireland. Its headquarters
are situated at Claridge’s Hotel, in Upper
Brook Street. The club has a suite of rooms
there. Send in your application to Miss K.
d’Esterre Hughes, the secretary of the club.
By joining the club you have many advan-
tages. For instance, there is, of course, the
convenience of using the club rooms and the
64
The Woman and the Car
club garage when in town, and in getting a
percentage off your hotel bills. But there is
the greater advantage of getting all the neces-
sary information you may want regarding
hotels, roads, and such like when you want to
go for a tour. There is, in fact, scarcely any
information appertaining to motoring which
you cannot get at the club. It is always good
for a woman car-owner to belong to the first
motor club in the kingdom.
Every big town has an automobile club
affiliated with the Royal Club, with which
the Ladies’ Club is also affiliated, so that by
membership in the Ladies’ Club you have a
standing at once with the other clubs through-
out the country, and also abroad. -
Every motoriste should become a member
of the Automobile Association. It is an associa-
tion formed for the purpose of placing scouts
on the different main roads to warn motorists
of police traps — and the expenditure of £ 2 2 s.
a year in this direction will perhaps be the
means of saving you four or five times that
amount within a few months. You will be
given an “ A.A.” badge to fasten on the front
65 e
The Woman and the Car
of your car, and on seeing this the scouts will
always stop you if there is any danger.
With regard to learning to drive, you must
do so on quiet country roads or at one of the
many motoring schools in and around the big
cities ; but know something of the school
before you decide on it. There are many
in which your money would be thrown away.
If you do not go to a school choose a road
where there is little or no traffic. One is not
allowed to learn in the parks. In fact there is
quite a heavy fine imposed on inexperienced
drivers who use the parks. Do not go into a
street of heavy traffic until you have thoroughly
mastered your car, and then drive first some
half-dozen times with an expert friend as
chauffeur and thus get used to the crushes and
the twistings and turnings.
In traffic use your own judgment. Ladies
are usually bad at judging distances, and it is
well to keep as much toward the middle of the
road as possible and not try too many “ near
things ” until you have reached the expert
class.
Do not be afraid to sound your horn, yet
66
THIS IS THE SWITCH
Photo If. H\ Nicholls.
The Woman and the Car
do not use it more than necessary. At cross
streets or roads and when approaching corners
sound the horn and slacken speed by
throttling.
There are numberless little things which,
after you have graduated to the ranks of the ex-
perienced motoriste, you will buy, not because
they are absolutely necessary, but because
of their convenience. For instance, a speed-
ometer. All the half-dozen makes are good
ones. A speedometer is a very interesting
accessory, for it tells you exactly the pace at
which you are travelling, and in some instances
has been known to influence the decision of a
magistrate when deciding a charge of exceeding
the speed-limit. *
For winter driving they are now making a
fur and leather arrangement which covers
the steering-wheel ; but I would suggest that,
to the beginner at any rate, this is super-
fluous. Soft kid gloves, fur-lined, are much
better.
Novelties of all sorts are always coming on
the market ; but the beginner had better let
some one else try these first. It is an expensive
67
The Woman and the Car
thing to keep on experimenting with every
new device for a car or the motoriste. Let
others try them, and if they should prove of
real use you will soon know.
68
Photo. //. n r . Nicholls.
CHANGING GEAR
THIS LEVER IS USED FOR
CHAPTER VII
MOTOR MANNERS
Things which Motoristes should and should not do
when out in their Car — Laws governing the Highways
— Pedestrians have the Right of Way — Points and
Times at which to drive slowly — Corners and the
Danger of cutting them — When to sound the
Hooter — The “ Courtesy of the Road ”
It is, of course, quite unnecessary to teach the
well-bred woman manners. The well-bred
woman, with her innate courtesy and unselfish-
ness, should she take up motoring, no doubt
would act as all motoristes should act when at
the wheel of their car or out on the road. So
that while I have headed this chapter “ Motor
Manners ” I desire merely to bring to the notice
of readers, as prominently as possible, those
things which they should do and those which
they should not do when out in their cars. I
can safely give this advice, for personal expe-
rience has been my teacher. For want of a
69
The Woman and the Car
better term I call these warnings and sugges-
tions “ Manners.”
If every woman and man who drove a car
followed these suggestions there would not
be an outcry against the motor-car. Unfor-
tunately the great majority of motorists
have to suffer for other people’s faults — the
disgraceful driving of the few.
The laws now governing motoring have
increased largely in the last few years and will
probably continue in the making. I will not
go into these various laws except to point out
that because a person owns a motor-car the
ownership of the roads is not necessarily
included.
Pedestrians, according to the law, practi-
cally own the highways, not to the exclusion of
other traffic, but judgments in recent cases
declare that it lies with drivers to keep clear of
pedestrians and that all persons have a right to
walk on the highways at their own pace, whether
paralytics or cripples. Dogs, chickens and
other domestic animals at large on the
highway are not pedestrians, and if one
is driving at a regulation speed, or under,
7 °
The Woman and the Car
one is not responsible for their untimely
end.
It is, therefore, especially advisable to drive
slowly through all towns and villages. Drive
slowly past all school -houses.
Always pass vehicles and bicycles on the
proper side, and pass large vans, ’buses and
electric tramcars very carefully, as some one
may be crossing the road and suddenly appear
from behind.
Drive slowly past any one driving or riding a
restive horse and, if necessary, especially if it
should be a lady or child riding or driving,
stop the engine. This is an act of courtesy
that will always be appreciated and may
prevent a bad accident.
If the road is wet, give pedestrians and
cyclists a wide berth so as not to splash them
with mud.
Again, if the road is wet, you may be safe
enough on account of your car being fitted with
non-skid tyres, but in this respect the cyclist
is perhaps not so fortunate. He may have a
side-slip and fall perilously near your car wheels.
For this reason, too, give cyclists plenty of room.
7i
The Woman and the Car
Do not fail to sound the hooter and slacken
speed when coming to a cross-road, side-
turning or bend. Many accidents may be
averted by taking this precaution.
Never take a sharp corner at full speed. A
walking pace would be much better.
Never pass or try to overtake a pedestrian,
cyclist or vehicle at a corner.
Avoid the bad and perilous habit of trying
to squeeze through doubtful openings in
traffic either in town or country.
Never drive the engine downhill.
Do not leave the engine running when stop-
ping outside a house. The noise, though it
may be slight, may be annoying to the inmates
or neighbours.
If you have a syren fitted to your car,
do not sound it in a town or village. A
syren is really only necessary for Continental
driving.
Remember that mail-vans have the “ right
of way,” and that ordinary traffic is supposed
to give way to them.
A hooter is meant to give warning, not to
startle people or wake up sleeping inmates in
72
Photo. H. IV. Xicholls.
FIRST ADVANCE THE SI’ARK AND GIVE MORE AIR
The Woman and the Car
their houses at all hours. Do not sound your
horn oftener than absolutely necessary.
Remember, however, that it is necessary to
sound the hooter when coming up behind and
intending to pass a pedestrian or a vehicle.
But do not wait until you are within a few
feet of a pedestrian or cyclist who is already
doing his utmost to get out of your way and
then sound your hooter. If the cyclist be a
novice or at all nervous such conduct might
cause an accident.
Keep within the legal limit of speed all the
time except on a good and clear stretch of road,
where there happen to be no “ blind ” corners
or dangerous cross-roads or traffic. Then there
is no real harm done to any one in trying
to see what you can get out of your car for a
short spurt.
I cannot give you any special advice on the
dust nuisance, but if you follow my suggestions,
as already given, you will cause the public as
little inconvenience from dust as is in your
power.
There is a little thing I specially want to
warn motoristes against, and that is taking
73
The Woman and the Car
corners on the wrong side of the road. Ordi-
narily you would not think of doing so. But
wait until you come to a few corners which
you can see well around. There is nothing in
sight and so you skim the curb for the fun of it.
But do not keep on cutting corners — sooner
or later it will become a habit and be done
without thinking. Then comes the possi-
bility of another car, a vehicle of sorts, a motor-
cycle or, worst of all, a cycle with a woman
or child pedalling. You may not lose your
presence of mind, but how about the
cyclist ? Don’t cut corners on the wrong
side of the road and there will be no need to
worry about the answer to my query.
That one can show a great deal of courtesy
to other cars and to general traffic on the road
is assured, but that few people do is also a fact.
Here is a case worthy of attention. Every
motor'ste has or will experience it. On the
road in front of you is a covered car with noisy
eng ne. It is a landaulette or limousine
which rattles more or less. The noise of the
engine is also magnified by being closed in.
The car is taking up the best part of the road
74
Photo H. IV. Nic /tolls.
THK AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION SCOUTS WILL, IF NECESSARY, STOP YOUR CAR ON THE ROAD AND
GIVE YOU INFORMATION
The Woman and the Car
and though you are anxious to pass it you
cannot, because of the noise, attract the
attention of the chauffeur and get him to draw
out enough for you to make a safe pass. It is
very annoying and may go on for some time.
See to it, therefore, if you have a closed-
in car, that there is a mirror attached to the
dash-board so that the chauffeur can see what
is behind him and instruct him also to keep a
watch, from time to time, for coming-up cars
so that you can extend to them the courtesy
of the road.
One other matter may be included in
“ Motor Manners ” and that is, leaving the
car on the road or in the street unattended.
In the first place the law says that you cannot
leave your car unattended whether the engine
is running or not. It is within the discretion
of the police to summons you. They, however,
do not interfere unless the engine is running
noisily and the exhaust is smoking.
But in leaving one’s car unattended on the
road or street, care should be taken, as an act
of courtesy to general traffic and pedestrians,
that the car does not block the way. If on
75
The Woman and the Car
the curb in town, and it be possible, leave it on a
side-street or, if in front of house or shop, give
other people a chance to drive up to the front
door. At the same time do not stand your
car deliberately in front of some one else’s
house instead of your own or your friend’s, if
you are visiting.
76
%
Photo. H. IV. Nicholls
THE ENGINE WILL START EASILY IF YOU FIRST FLOOD THE CARBURETTOR
SLIGHTLY
CHAPTER VIII
TIPS— NECESSARY AND UNNECESSARY
Motoring now so general that an Owner of a Car is not
any longer considered to be necessarily a Millionairess
— Tipping should be on a sensible Basis — While the
Motor-car has emphasised Tipping, nowadays the
modest Shilling receives quite a Welcome — When to
tip and when not to tip explained from Personal
Experiences
If there is one thing more than another which
the motor-car has revived and intensified
it is the habit and practice of tipping. I need
not give a lecture on tips. All of us agree,
more or less, that the present-day tip is one of
the banes of existence. But there are two sides
to the question — one we as the givers of tips
know a good deal about. Few know much
about the other side — the side of the worker
for and receiver of tips.
Tips must therefore be divided into two
classes — the necessary tip and the unnecessary.
77
The Woman and the Car
There are more of the latter than the former.
Under the head of necessary tips I would
place the garage tip, whether the garage be a
public one or a private one at the house of a
friend. There are a few other necessary tips,
such as when a friend lends you a car for a
drive or a tour or when your friend’s chauffeur
drives you to the railway station at an unusual
hour or in very bad weather.
Luckily the motor-car is coming into such
general use to-day that those who may possess
one are not necessarily put down as millionaires.
The chauffeur, attendants and servants generally
are beginning to realise this and no longer ex-
pect a handful of money from every motoriste.
The amount of tips which should be given,
in the numerous cases which I am going to
mention, should depend on your income and
ability to afford. That millionaires are not
usually generous tippers is a well-known fact.
Generally it is from the woman or man who
is not very well off and who can ill afford it
that the biggest tips come.
To those who count their half-crowns as
worth a full thirty pence and value them
78
The Woman and the Car
accordingly, I would say — Do not be afraid to
accept a friend’s invitation to visit them with
your motor-car because you cannot afford to
do much tipping. Be sensible about this
matter and I can assure you that your friend’s
chauffeur, or groom, will also be sensible and
welcome the modest shilling or half-crown
you give him.
Tipping at a public garage, if you keep your
car there, has already been touched on in a
previous chapter. If you go on a tour or a
little trip, driving yourself, and put your car in
a public garage or the one attached to your
hotel or roadside inn, your car will not be
touched unless you so order. Then for clean-
ing it, furnishing petrol, charging battery or
anything else which may be wanted, there are
regulation charges and these will be put down
in your bill. The attendant at the garage
may or may not be the man who did the work,
but if he is it would be quite the proper thing
to give him a small tip, just as you might tip
the waiter or the chambermaid had they done
any satisfactory work for you. But this need
not be more than either waiter or chamber-
79
The Woman and the Car
maid receive, and if your car has not been
cleaned it is scarcely necessary to give the
attendant even sixpence unless he has done
some service for you.
Some hotels and wayside inns nowadays
clean cars which stop with them overnight
without extra charge, yet the fee they charge
for the garage really covers this. In such case
a shilling to the man who did the work would
not be amiss. Your car may come into his
hands again and he may do better work on it
because of the little tip.
If stopping just for lunch or tea at an hotel
or inn and, for convenience’ sake, you run your
car into the yard or garage, a small tip is
necessary.
If you stop the night at a friend’s house and
your car is placed in your hostess’s garage, you
will find it spick and span in the morning with
water in the tank and your petrol-tank also
replenished. Perhaps this petrol has been
supplied from the spare can you carry, or it
may have come from your friend’s supply.
You can quickly find out this. Naturally
you will test your tanks and you can question
80
Photo. H. IK Xicholls.
THE LUBRICATION OK THE DE DION IS EXTREMELY SIMPLE
The Woman and the Car
the attendant. Should the petrol-tank not be
filled up and should you have used all yours
you would naturally ask for enough to fill your
wants. Pay for this, for in most garages
nowadays a careful account is kept of petrol
and other expenses. A five-shilling tip for the
man is quite enough.
If your hostess should have a stable only
and not a garage, and the man is only able to
clean your car as he would a carriage and you
have to do the filling of the tanks and the
starting of the engine and so on, a smaller tip
is all that is necessary.
In staying a week-end at a country house, if
your car has not been used during your stay
the tip of five shillings is quite sufficient. But
rules on such points depend on circumstances.
If the weather has been bad and the car is in
a very muddy state the man will probably have
had considerable extra work to bring out your
car clean and shining. Remember what you
would have had to pay at a public garage and
act accordingly.
If you merely pay a call or go to lunch or tea
with a friend, and your hostess has a chauffeur
81 f
The Woman and the Car
who takes the car from you and brings it up to
the front door at your departure, a little tip,
perhaps two shillings, should suffice.
But such a tip is quite an unnecessary one.
The man has done nothing but what he has
been paid to do by your hostess. He has done
no special or extra work especially for you.
It is always a good thing to keep this in mind
whether or no a man whom you are about to
tip has performed any direct service for you,
extra in any way to what he is paid his wages
for, in connection with your car. If he has, a
tip is not out of place, if you can afford to give
one.
Do not let the idea run away with you
that simply because you own and drive a car
you must be handing tips to everybody.
More than half the tips given are absolutely
unnecessary.
There are dozens of cases where people
foolishly tip. If your hostess’s groom drove
you in the dog-cart to the station to catch a
train you might think a two-shilling tip all-
sufficient. Yet when her chauffeur takes you
to the same place in a motor-car you wonder
82
The Woman and the Car
whether he will think five shillings is enough.
It is really very absurd. If we have to tip, why
not treat the motor-car as we would any vehicle
and the chauffeur as we would any groom or
coachman ?
There are some people who feel justified, if
sent up to town in a friend’s car, in giving the
chauffeur as a tip the amount of the first-class
railway fare for the distance. A tip decidedly
should be given, but certainly not so large a
one as this, in most cases, would figure out.
If taken to town from a country house, or
vice versa , and one travels in the car with one’s
hostess, certainly no tip is necessary ; nor should
one be given if one goes for a drive with one’s
hostess.
Should a friend lend you a car for a day or a
drive, a small tip is properly given ; but if a
friend lends you a car for a tour of some days,
the proper thing is to offer to pay the chauffeur’s
wages for the week. A tip on the top of this
should depend on the manner in which the
man serves you.
I have mentioned all these different points
because at some time or another they may be
83
The Woman and the Car
actual experiences of the woman who owns and
drives her own car.
I do not claim to be an authority on tipping.
I distribute a good many gold and silver pieces
during a year, but I tip for services rendered
and use common sense about the amounts. I
get the best of service everywhere.
If every woman who drives her own car
followed my rule in this respect the tipping
nuisance would not be such a terrible thing
after all.
84
Photo Elliott &• Ery
MISS ISABEL SAVORY, WHO NOT ONLY DRIVES, BUT REPAIRS HER OWN CARS
DISTINGUISHED WOMEN
MOTORISTES
The Englishwoman at the Wheel — Her Skill in
Mechanics and Map-reading — The Ladies’ Auto-
mobile Club — Some Noble Women Motoristes — Suc-
cessful Competitors — Lady Racers at Brooklands — A
“ Motor Christening ”
There is no country in the world — not even
France, where the motoring movement re-
ceived its first real start and its keenest pursuit,
nor America, where the fair sex is supposed
to receive and to exercise its largest freedom —
there is no country in the world in which
woman may be seen at the helm of a motor-
car so frequently as in England. Whatever
the cause — whether it be due to a greater
sense of security from annoyance on public
roads or simply to superiority of pluck, the
fact remains that women in England excel
85
Distinguished Women Motoristes
their sisters in other countries as greatly in
motoring as in horsemanship.
Almost every woman who can afford it is,
of course, a motoriste in the sense that she
owns, pr has at her disposal, a motor-car. It
is not, however, with the ladies whose experi-
ence of the pastime is limited to a seat beside
or behind the driver that this chapter deals,
but rather with those who are accustomed to
the task of driving and caring for their cars,
and who find a healthful recreation in doing
it. Twenty or thirty years ago, two of the
essentials to a motorist — some acquaintance
with mechanics and the ability to understand
local topography — were supposed to be beyond
the capacity of a woman’s brain. The sup-
position was simply due to the fact that
woman’s brain had never had occasion to
approach these subjects. Fifty years ago a
satirical writer — a man, of course — averred
that although instruction in “ the use of the
globes ” was part of the curriculum of every
girls’ school, no woman could understand, or
would try to understand, a road map. If
the remark was true when it was written it is
86
Photo by Ketitrah Col lings
BARONESS CAMPBELL DF LORENTZ, THE FIRST LADY IN BRITAIN
TO DRIVE HER OWN CAR
Distinguished Women Motoristes
certainly not true to-day. The school-room
globes have long been buried in the dust of
disuse, but the pastimes of cycling and motor-
ing have made the understanding of maps a
necessity to every active gentlewoman ; indeed
the average woman is probably quicker than
the average man in gathering from a map the
information which it has to offer.
So with mechanics. If a woman wants
to learn how to drive and to understand a
motor-car, she can and will learn as quickly
as a man. Hundreds of women have done
and are doing so, and there is many a one
whose keen eyes can detect, and whose deft
fingers can remedy, a loose nut or a faulty
electrical connection in half the time that the
professional chauffeur would spend upon the
work.
Incontestable evidence of the practical in-
terest which Englishwomen are taking in
motoring is afforded by the existence and
prosperity of the Ladies’ Automobile Club.
This institution was established in 1903. The
annual subscription is five guineas, and there
is an entrance fee of the same amount. There
87
Distinguished Women Motoristes
are nearly four hundred members, most of
whom are fully competent to drive their own
cars. The club has successfully organised
a number of tours in England and on the
Continent as well as driving competitions at
Ranelagh.
The president of the Ladies’ Automobile
Club, the Duchess of Sutherland, is the
grande dame of automobilism in England.
The Duchess is an accomplished motoriste,
and although in cold weather she prefers to
be driven by somebody else, in summer she
may often be seen at the wheel. Her latest
car is a Mercedes.
Another peeress who drives, and drives
well, is the Countess of Kinnoull. The
Countess shares her husband’s fondness for
sport, a great variety of which is provided
in the neighbourhood of their beautiful
Scottish home at Dupplin Castle, and she
finds the motor-car an indispensable adjunct
to the full enjoyment of country life.
Lady Wimborne, whose energy and industry
are as inexhaustible as those of her brother,
the late Lord Randolph Churchill, finds the
88
THE HONBLE. MRS. ASSHETON HARBORD
Drives a Rolls Royce Car , oiuns her own balloon “ The Valkyrie and has compete a
with it in seven races
Distinguished Women Motoristes
motor-car an invaluable aid to her useful
activities as well as a means of recreation.
She has three or four cars, and is an able and
confident driver.
Lady Viola Talbot, daughter of the Premier
Earl of England, is like her father in the love
of sport. Like him she is almost as fond of
motors as of horses. She is mistress of the car
and its appurtenances, and has driven some
thousands of miles at home and abroad.
Among other titled ladies who count their
miles by the thousand may be named Lady
Beatrice Rawson, a devotee of the small car ;
Lady Muriel Gore-Brown, the Hon. Mrs.
Maurice Gifford, of Boothby Hall, Grantham ;
Lady Plowden, and the Baroness Campbell
de Laurentz. The Baroness has the distinc-
tion of being the first lady in Britain to drive
and manage her own car. Cars in those days
were patterned like high dog-carts and were
mostly steamers. The Baroness possesses
several photographs of herself and husband,
with a groom in the tiger’s seat, of the old-
fashioned car. To-day these pictures have a
very queer look.
89
Distinguished Women Motoristes
A complete list of the ladies who have taken
part in motor-car road trials and club com-
petitions would be wearisome to the reader,
but a few names may be mentioned. Miss
Muriel Hind, one of the few women who
favour the motor-bicycle, has won many
medals in long-distance trials. Mrs. Herbert
Lloyd, who is not only an expert driver, but
the inventor of some very ingenious appliances
for motor-cars, has done well in open com-
petition with professional male drivers. Miss
Daisy Hampson has won prizes with her 120
horse-power Fiat. Mrs. E. Manville has taken
part in the Herkomer competition.
No list of distinguished women motoristes
would be complete without the names of
those who took part in the first race for ladies
upon the Brooklands course. The race, which
was called the Ladies’ Bracelet Handicap,
took place in July 1908. There were five
starters : Mrs. Locke- King, wife of the founder
and owner of Brooklands Racecourse; Miss
Muriel Thompson, Miss Christabel Ellis, Miss
N. Ridge- Jones, and Mrs, J. Roland Hewitt.
Mrs. Locke-King, who started from scratch,
90
Photo by Arthur Rouse l le
MRS. GEORGE THRUPP, ORIGINATOR OF THE MOTOR CHRISTENING
Distinguished Women Motoristes
finished a length in front of Miss Muriel
Thompson, her speed over the course being
at the rate of fifty miles an hour.
There are few lady motoristes who take a
keener practical interest in their cars than
Miss Isabel Savory. Miss Savory, who has driven
many cars, is loud in her praises of her io horse-
power Cadillac. This car she has always driven
and attended to herself, never having employed
a chauffeur. She has done all the oiling and
adjustments and has put on many a new inner
tube by the roadside. She has driven long
distances without any companion, and has
dealt single-handed and successfully with every
emergency that has arisen.
Mrs. George Thrupp, of Cadogan Square, has
been driving ever since 1896. Her favourite
cars are the Renault and Mors, in which she
has toured in Great Britain and on the Con-
tinent. She has won prizes in driving com-
petitions. She was, in fact, one of the pioneers
of motoring for women, and her youngest
boy, Roger, was the first baby to have a “ motor
christening.”
Other names of motoring women that
9 1
Distinguished Women Motoristes
occur to one are those of Mrs. Edward Kennard,
the novelist, who is equally at home at the
wheel of a 40 horse-power Napier car and in
the saddle of a motor-bicycle ; Miss Hunter
Baillie, of Cirencester ; Mrs. Mark Mayhew,
Miss Schiff, Mrs. Claude Paine, Mrs. Nicol,
Mrs. Weguelin, Mrs. Charles Jarrott, and
Mrs. Edge. No doubt there are other names
which at the moment have slipped the memory
but which have as good a claim as these to
inclusion in the catalogue of distinguished
women motoristes. The list is long enough,
however, to show the ardour and success with
which women have applied themselves to the
mechanical details of automobilism.
92
THE COMING OF THE SMALL
CAR
A good Car at a low Price — Lessons of the “ Small
Car Derby” — Some notable Small Cars and their
Cost — Comparatively low Running Expenses — The
Car of the People
One of the latest and most notable develop-
ments of the motor industry is the prominence
of the small car. It is obvious that the number
of individuals who can afford to pay from
.£150 to .£230 for a motor-car for purposes
either of pleasure or business is enormous in
proportion to the number of those who can
afford to pay more. Motor manufacturers
have never been blind to that fact. It is only
in recent years, however, that they have seen
their way to meet the demand with satisfaction
to their customers and profit to themselves.
The small car has come, and its merits are so
considerable, the pockets to which it appeals
93
The Coming of the Small Car
so many, that its popularity is assured. It is
not a very rash prophecy to declare that in a
few years’ time it will be the vehicle most
commonly met with on the high road, and
its manufacture the mainstay of the motor
trade.
In France, where the possibilities — com-
mercial and practical — of the small car were
first foreseen, the great motor race of the year,
the Grand Prix of the Automobile Club de
France, is now preceded by a Grand Prix des
Voiturettes, and the result of the 1908 contest
is a striking illustration of the speed and
reliability of which some of these little vehicles
are capable. Of the forty-seven voiturettes
which went to the post, twenty completed
the course of 286 miles in a little more than
seven and a half hours. The winner, a car
driven by a single-cylinder De Dion engine
and weighing little more than twelve hundred-
weight, covered the distance in five hours
and three-quarters — an average speed of
nearly fifty miles an hour ; while the second
car, a single-cylinder Sizaire, which was only
six minutes behind at the finish, covered one
94
The Coming of the Small Car
of the laps at an average speed of more than
fifty-three miles an hour. Speeds such as
these are happily not lawful on English roads.
I point to them only to illustrate the power
that the motor manufacturer has succeeded
in obtaining from a single cylinder of less
than four inches bore, and the excellence of
design and material which has enabled him to
produce a little vehicle, weighing a good deal
less than a ton, yet capable of withstanding the
shocks of rattling over 286 miles of country
road at racing speed.
The race for the Grand Prix des Voiturettes
and other recent trials have amply demon-
strated the speed and reliability of the small
car. They have shown that for sums ranging
from £150 to £230 the manufacturer can make
a car which, for all practical purposes of every-
day use upon the road, is the equal in speed
and trustworthiness of a car costing from three
to five times as much. The 8 horse-power
De Dion, which costs .£225 15 s., went through
the International Touring-car Trial of 1908
with flying colours. It covered 1800 miles of
arduous road work in capital style, and by
95
The Coming of the Small Car
shedding one of its passengers it even managed
to climb the terrible two-mile slope of the
Kirkstone Pass. The 9 horse-power Sizaire,
the engine already referred to as having
accomplished the fastest lap in the Grand
Prix, costs 190 guineas. There are many other
cars, British and foreign, not less reliable and
equally moderate in price : the Phoenix, for
example, a twin-cylinder car, costing £140 ;
the Jackson De Dion, costing £ 220 ; the Pick,
a four-cylinder 14—16 horse-power car, costing
only £165 ; the Rover, costing from 100 to
200 guineas according to engine-power and
finish ; and the Vauxhall. When it is
remembered that cars can often be bought
second-hand but in first-class condition
for about two-thirds of their original cost,
it will be recognised that motoring need
not be the exclusive privilege of the very
rich.
It is not, however, in the comparison of
first cost so much as in that of the cost of
maintenance that the small car appeals to the
man of moderate means. Generally speaking
it may be said that as compared with a full-
96
The Coming of the Small Car
powered car the small car uses little more than
one-third the quantity of petrol per mile
travelled, and that its tyres cost only half as
much and last twice as long. A gallon of
petrol, which will propel a big car 12 or 15
miles, will propel a little Rover or Phoenix
from 30 to 40 miles. Here is a statement of
the actual cost of running a 6 horse-power
Rover for eleven months over nearly 6000
miles of country roads :
£ <4
Tyre Repairs 229
Petrol 12 o o
Oil 18 o
Sundry Repairs 4 12 5
Total . 19 13 2
The car belonged to a doctor who had to make
frequent stoppages on the way, so that the
consumption of petrol was higher than it
would have been with continuous travelling.
Nevertheless, the cost of running the car
works out at about four-fifths of a penny per
mile — less than third-class railway fare for one
person. This is, no doubt, an exceptionally
low figure. Another user of an exactly similar
97 G
The Coming of the Small Car
car has found the cost of running 3400 miles
to be as follows :
L
s.
d.
Tyre Repairs
2
13
0
Petrol ....
. . . 6
19
0
Oil and Grease .
2
6
0
Sundry Repairs .
1
10
0
Charging Accumulators
• • •
18
0
Brushes and Waste
■ • •
10
0
Total . 14 16 o
— almost exactly a penny a mile. To these
figures must, of course, be added the cost
of licences, insurance, garaging, and an allow-
ance for the depreciation of the car — that
is to say, the difference between its first cost
and the price at which it could be resold.
In every respect but one the advantages
of the small car over its big brother are enor-
mous. Its one drawback is that its accom-
modation is necessarily smaller. The typical
small car is a two-seater ; but that is the
essence of its economy. Extra seats and extra
passengers mean extra weight, and extra
weight requires larger engines and more petrol,
and entails more wear and tear on tyres,
machinery and chassis. It is the weight that
98
The Coming of the Small Car
runs up the maintenance bill and the prospec-
tive purchaser should bear this in mind if
he hankers after an extra seat. I may point
out, nevertheless, that some of the small cars
in the market can be fitted with a detachable
rear seat for £6 or £j, and that others have
sufficient space for the accommodation of an
extra passenger upon the floor. A friend who
owns a “ two-seater ” Sizaire, tells me that
it often carries four passengers to the railway
station.
It is as a two-seater, however, that the small
car bases its claim to popular favour. In the
majority of journeys by any sort of private
vehicle two is the number for which accom-
modation is most frequently required. Many
owners of large cars have discovered that the
occasions on which a two-seater would not
serve their motoring purposes are comparatively
few. Obviously it is gross extravagance to
employ the voracious eater of petrol and rubber
upon a service which can be accomplished at
a quarter of the cost by a smaller car, at the
same speed, with less strain upon the driver
and with equal comfort to the passenger. For
99
The Coming of the Small Car
these reasons the time is at hand when every
motor-car owner, however many big cars he
may possess, must add to his fleet at least one
two-seater for run-about purposes. The large
car will be a luxury, the small car will be a
necessity — and not only for those who are
ordinarily described as wealthy. The time is
coming when every man who can afford to go
out of town at week ends will find it worth
his while to be a motorist, when every suburban
house with a rental of over £60 will have its
motor shed, and when the small car will be
as prevalent upon the country road as the
bicycle is to-day.
ioo
CAR INDEX-MARKS AND THEIR
LOCALE
One sees every day on the streets and roads
cars bearing numbers and letters quite un-
familiar. It is advantageous, in many ways,
for the motoriste to be fairly well acquainted
with some of the more important index-marks.
One can easily remember in the United King-
dom that Ireland’s index-letters all contain
the letter I and Scotland’s all the letter S
(w r ith two exceptions). England and Wales
to date, with very few exceptions, use up the
letters A, B, C, D, E and F. London has
now four distinct index-marks and no doubt
will add to them as the increase in cars may
demand.
All motor-cars must have an index-mark
and a registration number, excepting those
owned personally by his Majesty the King.
IOI
Ca/r Index-Ma/rks
White letters and figures on a black plate
are for privately owned cars. Trade vehicles
use coloured figures and letters, usually red
on a white plate. Trade vehicles usually also
have additional letters which are granted
them as a trade-mark or for trade purposes.
But the index-mark or letter of their locale
must, in all instances, be placed first on the
plate.
Registration need not be effected in the same
district in which the car is owned, so that,
with some trouble, an owner can have prac-
tically any letter she likes on her car.
The fee for registration, £i, need be paid
only once on any one car, excepting on change
of ownership, when a fee of 5-f. is payable.
But with this change of ownership the index-
mark and registration number remain the same.
If a new index-mark and registration number
are wanted, the existing ones can be cancelled
and the car re-registered, in any locality, on
payment of the full fee.
The following are the index-marks in use
in the United Kingdom
102
Car Index-Marks
ENGLAND AND WALES
Index-
Uior
Locale.
Index-
Midp
Locale.
A London (also L8, LC
and LN)
AA Southampton County
Council
AB Worcestershire
AC Warwickshire
AD Gloucestershire
AE Bristol
AF Cornwall
AH Norfolk
AJ Yorkshire, N. Riding
AK Bradford
AL Nottinghamshire
AM Wiltshire
AN West Ham
AO Cumberland
AP Sussex, East
AR Hertfordshire
AT Kingston-on-Hull
AU Nottingham
AW Shropshire
AX Monmouthshire
AY Leicestershire
B Lancashire
BA Salford
BB Newcastle-on-Tyne
BC Leicester
BD Northamptonshire
BE Lindsey
BF Dorsetshire (also FX)
BH Buckinghamshire
BJ Suffolk, East
BK Portsmouth
BL Berkshire
BM Bedfordshire
JUAKK..
BN Bolton
BO Cardiff
BP Sussex, West
BR Sunderland
BT Yorkshire, East Riding
BU Oldham
BW Oxfordshire
BX Carmarthenshire
BY Croydon
C Yorkshire, West Riding
CA Denbighshire
CB Blackburn
CC Carnarvonshire
CD Brighton
CE Cambridgeshire
CF Suffolk, West
CH Derby
CJ Herefordshire
CK Preston
CL Norwich
CM Birkenhead
CN Gateshead
CO Plymouth
CP Halifax
CR Southampton Borough
CT Kesteven
CU South Shields
CW Burnley
CX Huddersfield
CY Swansea
D Kent
DA Wolverhampton
DB Stockport
DC Middlesbrough
DE Pembrokeshire
IO3
Car Index-Marks
Mark. Locale.
DF Northampton Borough
(also NH)
DH Walsall
DJ St. Helens
DK Rochdale
DL Isle of Wight
DM Flintshire
DN York
DO Holland, Lines.
DP Reading
DR Devonport
DU Coventry
DW Newport, Mon.
DX Ipswich
DY Hastings
E Staffordshire
EA West Bromwich
EB Isle of Ely
EC Westmorland
ED Warrington
EE Grimsby
EF West Hartlepool
EH Hanley
EJ Cardiganshire
EK Wigan
EL Bournemouth
EM Bootle
EN Bury
EO Barrow-in-Furness
EP Montgomeryshire
ET Rotherham
EU Breckonshire
EW Huntingdonshire
EX Great Yarmouth
EY Anglesey
F Essex
FA Burton-on-Trent
Index*
Mark.
Locale*
FB Bath
FC Oxford
FD Dudley
FE Lincoln
FF Merionethshire
FH Gloucester
FJ Exeter
FK Worcester
FL Peterborough
FM Chester
FN Canterbury
FO Radnorshire
FP Rutlandshire
FR Blackpool
FT Tynemouth
FX Dorsetshire (also BF)
FY Southport
H Middlesex
HA Smethwick
J Durham, County
K Liverpool
L Glamorganshire
LB London (also A)
LC „
LN „
M Cheshire
MN Isle of Man
N Manchester
NH Northampton (alsoDF)
O Birmingham
P Surrey
R Derbyshire
T Devonshire
U Leeds
W Sheffield
X Northumberland
Y Somersetshire
Ca/r Index-Marks
SCOTLAND
All cars bearing on their index-marks the
letter S can, at a glance, be put down as
Scottish, for Scotland alone has a right to the
use of this letter :
Index*
Mark.
Locale.
Index*
Mark.
Locale.
AS Nairnshire
BS Orkney
DS Peeblesshire
ES Perthshire
G Glasgow
HS Renfrewshire
JS Ross and Cromarty
KS Roxburghshire
LS Selkirkshire
MS Stirlingshire
NS Sutherlandshire
OS Wigtownshire
PS Shetland
RS Aberdeen City
S Edinburgh
SA Aberdeen County
SB Argyllshire
SD Ayrshire
SE Banffshire
SH Berwickshire
SJ Buteshire
SK Caithness-shire
SL Clackmannanshire
SM Dumfriesshire
SN Dumbartonshire
SO Elginshire
SP Fifeshire
SR Forfarshire
SS Haddingtonshire
ST Inverness-shire
SU Kincardineshire
SV Kinross-shire
SW Kircudbrightshire
SX Linlithgowshire
SY Midlothian
TS Dundee
US Govan
V Lanarkshire
VS Greenock
WS Leith
XS Paisley
YS Partick
Car Index-Marks
IRELAND
The inclusion of the letter I on a car’s index-
mark stamps that car at once as Irish, for the
use of this letter is confined to Ireland :
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
AI Co. Meath
BI Co. Monaghan
Cl Queen’s County
DI Co. Roscommon
El Co. Sligo
FI Tipperary, North
HI Tipperary, South
IA Co. Antrim
IB Co. Armagh
IC Co. Carlow
ID Co. Cavan
IE Co. Clare
IF Co. Cork
IH Co. Donegal
IJ Co. Down
IK Co. Dublin
IL Co. Fermanagh
IM Co. Galway
IN Co. Kerry
10 Co. Kildare
Index-
Mark.
ip
IR
IT
IU
IW
IX
IY
IZ
JI
KI
LI
MI
NI
01
PI
RI
TI
UI
WI
Locals.
Co. Kilkenny
King’s County
Co. Leitrim
Co. Limerick
Co. Londonderry
Co. Longford
Co. Louth
Co. Mayo
Co. Tyrone
Co. Waterford
Co. West Meath
Co. Wexford
Co. Wicklow
Belfast
Cork
Dublin
Limerick
Londonderry
Waterford
to 6
Car Index-Marks
FRANCE
In France the index-numbers are divided
among sixteen sections, including Algeria,
which are called Arrondissements miner a-
logiques. Some of these sections contain as
many as eight departments or counties. The
majority have single letters. Paris has five
sets of single letters. It is necessary for a
motoriste from the United Kingdom, when
taking her car into France, to affix a French
index-mark above her British one. This mark
and number will be given her at the point of
debarkation on registering the car and on
passing a pleasant and easy little examination
in the art of driving. This test consists in
driving round a square or up and down the
street for about a quarter or half a mile, turning
a few corners en route . The French index-
marks are as follows :
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
A Alais (Gard, Herault,
Lozere, Ardeche)
A-L Algerie
B Bordeaux (Departements
du sud de la Garonne,
Charente - Inferieure,
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
Dordogne, Lot - et -
Garonne)
C Chdlon-sur-Sadne (Cote-
d’Or, Jura, Ain,
Doubs, Yonne, Saone-
et-Loire)
107^
Car Index-Marks
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
D Douai (Nord, Aisne)
E Paris (also G, I, U and
X)
F Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-
de - Dome, Haute-
Loire, Cantal, Allier,
Nievre)
G Paris (also E, I, U and
► X)
H Chambery (Savoie,
Haute-Savoie, Isere,
Drome, Basses-Alpes)
I Paris (also E, G, U and
X)
L Le Mans (Sarthe, De-
partements de la
Bretagne, Mayenne)
M-V Marseille (Departements
de la Cote, Corse)
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
N-0 Nancy (Departements
de l’Est, including
the Aube)
P-K Poitiers (Departe-
ments du sud de la
Loire, including the
Loiret)
S St. -Etienne (Rhone,
Loire)
T Toulouse (Languedoc ,
including Tarn and
Lot)
U Paris (also E, G and I)
X Paris
' Rouen (Seine - et - Oise,
Y Seine-et-Marne,Eure,
or Eure-et-Loire, Seine-
X Inferieure, Orne, Cal-
» vados, Manche)
GERMANY
The motoriste from the United Kingdom
can take her car into Germany and drive it
there without having to put on a new number.
Germany willingly accepts the British index-
mark already on the car. Index-marks in
Germany are allotted in twenty-six different
sections* one of which, Prussia, is sub-divided
into twelve provinces and the city of Berlin.
108
Car Index-Marks
In nearly all the distinct kingdoms and duchies
an attempt has been made to utilise the initial
letter of that section, thereby making recogni-
tion of the locale of the car quicker.
In Prussia the mark is the number I in a
Roman figure followed by letters of the alpha-
bet. In many other provinces numbers in
Roman figures are also used, the figure in
most instances being followed by a letter of
the alphabet.
The following are the German police index-
marks for cars (Kraftfahrzeuge) :
Index-
Mark.
IA
IC
ID
IE
IH
IJ
IK
IM
IP
IS
IT
IX
IZ
Locale.
Prussia
Berlin
East Prussia
West Prussia
Brandenburg
Pomerania
Posen
Silesia
Saxony
Schleswig-Holstein
Hanover
Hesse-Nassau
Westphalia
Rhine Province
Gar Index-Marks
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
Figure \
IV and j-Baden
letters j
Figure 'j
V and J-Hesse
letters J
M I Mecklenburg-Schwerin
S Saxony (Grand Duchy)
M II Mecklenburg-Strelitz
O Oldenburg
B Brunswick
SM Saxe-Meiningen
SA Saxe-Altenburg
KG Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
A Anhalt
SR Schwarzburg - Rudol-
stadt
Index-
Mark.
Locale.
SS Schwarzburg-Sonders-
hausen
W Waldeck
RA Reuss (old line)
RJ Reuss (young line)
SL Schaumburg-Lippe
L Lippe
HL Liibeck
HB Bremen
HH Hamburg
Figure
VI
and
letter
A, B
and so
on
Alsace-Lorraine
(Elsass-Lothringen)
IIO
THE MOTOR WOMAN’S
DICTIONARY
Accelerator. — A device, operated by a pedal,
for increasing the speed of the engine,
either by suspending the controlling action
of the governor or opening the throttle.
Accumulator. — An apparatus for storing elec-
tricity. See Battery.
Acetylene. — An inflammable gas giving a
brilliant light. It is commonly produced
by adding water to carbide of calcium.
Ammeter. — An instrument used for measuring
the number of amperes in an electrical
circuit. See Ampere.
Ampere. — The unit of measure of the quantity
of current flowing through an electrical
circuit. See Volt.
Axles. — The horizontal shafts or girders by
which the weight of carriage is transferred
to the road wheels and at the ends of which
ill
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
the wheels revolve. A “ live ” axle is one
which revolves with, and by which the power
of the engine is communicated to, the
driving-wheels.
Backfire. — A premature explosion of the
gaseous mixture in the cylinder. When it
occurs while the starting-handle is being
turned its effects are distinctly unpleasant
to the operator.
Battery. — An arrangement of two or more
cells either for the production or the storage
of electricity. In the former case it is
known as a primary battery ; in the latter
case it is known as a secondary battery, a
storage battery, or an accumulator. See Cell.
Cell, Electrical. — A chemical apparatus for
the production or storage of electricity.
Two or more cells electrically connected
constitute a battery.
Circulating Pump. — The pump which forces
the water through the radiator to ensure
rapid cooling.
Bearings. — The cradles or surfaces upon which
the moving parts of machinery are supported.
They always require lubrication.
1 12
The Motor Woman’s Dictionary
Belt. — A flexible band sometimes used in-
stead of gearing to transmit the power of
the engine to the driving-wheels.
Bevel Gear. — A gear consisting of cog-wheels
with bevelled or sloping surfaces.
Big End. — The end of the connecting-rod
which grasps the crank. See Connecting-
rod.
Brake. — A device for stopping or checking
the motion of the car by the application of
friction to one or other of the moving
parts. A motor-car should have at least
three good brakes applicable by the hand
and foot of the driver.
Brake Horse-power. See Horse-power.
Cam. — A revolving disc of irregular shape
designed to impart a variable motion to
some other piece of mechanism — such as
the spindle of a valve — in contact with it.
Carbide of Calcium. — A compound of chalk
and coke which, when brought into contact
with water, gives off the acetylene gas used
for lighting.
Carburettor.— The apparatus for regulating
the rate of evaporation of the petrol and the
H3 H
The Motor Woman* s Dictionary
proportions of its mixture with air. It
consists generally of a float chamber and
a mixing-chamber.
Chain. — In motor-cars chains are sometimes
used, as in the bicycle, for the transmission
of power from one part of the mechanism
to another.
Change-speed Gear. — The arrangement of
shafts and toothed wheels by which the
speed of the road wheels is altered without
alterations in the speed of the engine.
Chassis. — The entire framework and mechan-
ism of the car — engines, wheels, axles, &c. —
without the body or seating accommoda-
tion.
Clutch. — A device for connecting the motive
machinery with the driving-wheels at the
will of the driver.
Coil. — See Induction Coil.
Commutator. — An appliance for enabling the
driver to advance or retard the spark which
ignites the mixture in the cylinder.
Compression. — This word in motoring in-
variably applies to the compression of the
gaseous mixture in the cylinder. The effi-
u 4
The Motor Woman’s Dictionary
ciency and economy of the motor depend
greatly upon the degree of compression
at the moment of ignition.
Connecting-rod. — The rod which connects
the piston with the crank of the engine.
Cut-out. — A device for diverting the exhaust
gases directly into the air instead of com-
pelling them to pass through the silencer.
The “ cut-out ” is seldom used except in
racing. It accelerates the engine at the cost
of an appalling noise.
Cycle. — See Otto Cycle.
Cylinder. — The cast-iron chamber in which
the petrol gas is compressed and exploded
and in which the piston travels to and fro.
Densimeter. — An instrument for testing the
specific gravity (i.e., the weight as compared
with water) of petrol.
Differential Gear. — The gear by which power
is communicated to the driving-wheels in
such a way that it is taken up automatically
by either or both of them according to their
respective requirements at the moment.
Dry Cell, or Battery. — A cell, or battery of
cells, which works without liquid. Dry
”5
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
cells are generally used for motoring pur-
poses in preference to cells containing
solution.
Dynamometer. — An instrument for testing
the amount of power expended by mechanical
or animal effort. The dynamometer used
for testing motors is often called the “ pony
brake.” See Horse-power.
Electric Ignition. — The ignition of the
explosive mixture in the cylinder is effected
by an electric spark caused by forcing an
electric current through the sparking-plug.
The current is obtained (i) from an accumu-
lator or a primary battery, in which case
its pressure is raised to the required voltage
by passing it through an induction coil ;
or (2) from a magneto-electrical instru-
ment — which is very much like a dynamo
on a small scale, and is driven by the
motor.
Exhaust. — The gaseous products of combustion
expelled from the cylinder during the
scavenging stroke of the piston.
Fan. — A rotary fan, driven by the motor, is
often employed to increase the current of
Il6
The Motor Woman’s Dictionary
air passing through the radiator and thus to
assist in cooling the water.
Feed. — The method of conveying the petrol
from the main tank to the carburettor.
If the tank is higher than the carburettor,
the petrol will pass by gravity. Otherwise
it must be lifted by pressure. The exhaust
is generally employed for this purpose,
a hand-pump being fitted to furnish the
necessary pressure for starting.
Fly-wheel. — As only one of the four strokes
of the motor is a working stroke, a heavy
fly-wheel is necessary to carry the piston
through its cycle and promote easy running.
Frame. — The structure which carries the
machinery of the car.
Garage. — A stable for motor-cars.
Gears. — See Bevel Gear, Change-speed Gear,
Differential Gear.
Govern or. — The appliance which automatically
regulates the speed of the engine, usually
by checking the volume of mixture admitted
to the cylinder.
Gradient. — The inclination or slope of a road.
Gravity Feed. — See Feed.
117
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
Horse-power. — Boulton and Watt calculated
that a London dray-horse was capable of
work equivalent to lifting 33,000 lb. one
foot high in one minute, and this task —
technically described as 33,000 foot-lb.
per minute — has been accepted as the
“ unit of horse-power ” for the measure-
ment of mechanical work. The power of
a petrol motor depends upon many factors
— diameter of cylinder, speed of working,
quality of mixture, compression, cooling-
surfaces, &c. — some of which vary from
moment to moment in practice. The only
real means of measuring it is by the dynamo-
meter or pony-brake, which records the
power actually available for useful work.
Horse-power so measured is called brake
horse-power. For purposes of competitions
the Royal Automobile Club use the follow-
ing formula for rating the comparative
power of petrol motors. Multiply the
diameter of the cylinder in inches by itself
and again by the number of cylinders.
The product divided by is the nominal
horse-power.
118
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
Ignition. — See Electric Ignition.
Induction-Coil. — An apparatus for intensify-
ing the pressure of the electric current.
Used in motor practice as a part of the
* system of high-tension ignition.
Inspection Pit. — A pit or well, generally
situated in or near the garage, to facilitate
the examination and repair of the chassis
of a car.
Licences. — Licences must be taken out
(i) by the owner of a car. This licence
costs from two to five guineas according to
the weight of the car; and (2) the driver
of a car. This costs five shillings only.
Limousine. — A large covered car.
Live Axle. — See Axles.
Lubrication. — The application of oil, grease
or other substances suitable for the reduction
of friction between sliding surfaces.
Mixture. — The explosive charge of petrol and
air admitted to the cylinder. See Car-
burettor.
Otto Cycle. — Nearly all petrol motor-car
engines work upon the system invented by
Otto in 1876 and known as the Otto Cycle.
ll 9
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
The cycle consists of the successive opera-
tion of induction, compression, explosion
and scavenging, there being thus only one
working stroke in four — that is in every
two revolutions of the fly-wheel.
Over-Heating. — An accident generally result-
ing from deficient water circulation or
insufficient lubrication. Unless speedily
remedied it may result in serious damage to
the motor. See Seizing.
Panne. — A French word, meaning “ a break-
down.”
Petrol. — A highly inflammable and volatile
spirit distilled from petroleum. Seven pints
of petrol weigh about as much as ten pints
of water. Its vapour is heavier than air.
Piston. — The disc which slides up and down
in the cylinder, and communicates the force
of the explosion to the connecting-rod and
crank.
Piston Rings. — Cast-iron split rings, fitted in
grooves round the piston to make a gas-
tight joint between the piston and the
walls of the cylinder.
Pony-brake. — See Dynamometer.
120
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
Pressure Feed. — See Feed.
Radiator. — A device for cooling the water
circulating round the cylinders by exposing
it to a large surface in contact with free air.
Side-Slip. — An accident liable to occur on
greasy roads, but of less frequent occurrence
since the introduction of “ non-skidding ”
devices.
Silencer. — A box or chamber designed to
reduce the noise caused by the escape of
the exhaust gases.
Spares. — Duplicate parts of machinery carried
in case of a breakdown.
Sparking-plug. — A porcelain plug, carrying
the electric wires, which is screwed into the
combustion chamber of the cylinder. At
the end of the plug within the cylinder
are platinum points in connection with the
wires. The current jumping from point to
point makes the spark which fires the charge.
Throttle. — The control of the volume of
mixture supplied to the engine.
Timing-gear. — The gear which controls the
times at which the valves of the engine open
and close, and at which the charge is fired.
Ill
The Motor Woman's Dictionary
Torque. — T he twisting effort of rotation.
Universal Joint. — A flexible joint which
permits the transmission of power from
one shaft to another in an y direction.
Volt. — The unit of measure of electrical
pressure. It is the measure of the quality
of the flow as compared with ampdre
which is the measure of quantity.
122
INDEX
Accelerator, lit
Accessories, cost of, 1 8, 39,
67
Accumulator, in
Acetylene, III
Air lever, 37, 43
Ammeter, 55, ill
Ampere, in
Antioyl soap, 29
Automobile Association, 65
Axles, in
Backfire, 42, 112
Battery, electric, 39 ; to test,
55 ; to adjust, 58 ; purpose
of, 1 12
Bearings, 112
Belt- transmission, 113
Bevel gear, 113
Big end, 113
Bonnet of car, 33
Bracelets and rings, 27
Brake horse - power — See
Horse-power
Brakes, testing, 36 : adjusting,
37; applying, 44, 48;
number of, 113
Brooklands, race for ladies at,
H3
Cadillac car, 91
Cam, 1 13
Campbell de Laurentz, the
Baroness, 89
Car, choice of, 17, 19 ; care
of, 20 ; cost of, 18, 62, 93,
et seq . ; registration and
numbering of, 22, 101 ;
body of, 17 ; advantage of
single cylinder, 17, 32, 94 ;
horse-power of, 17 ; how
to start, 42 ; changing
speed, 37, 45 ; reversing,
47 ; braking, 48 ; learning
to drive, 49, 66, 69, et seq.
Carbide of Calcium, 113
Carburettor, 33, 1 13, 117,
1 19; troubles with, 56, 60
Chain-transmission, 1 14
Changing speed, 37, 45, 114
Chassis, 114
Circulating-pump, 114
Clutch, 1 14
Coats for motoring, 25
Coil — See Induction Coil
Commutator, 114
Compression, 114
Corners, how to drive round,
72 , 74
123
Index
Cost of the car and accessories,
1 8 ; of motoring, 62, 93
Cyclists, rights of, 71, 74
Cylinder, single, advantages
of, 17, 32, 94
“ Daily Graphic,” Miss
Levitt’s articles in the, v.
De Dion car, 17, 46, 94, 95
Densimeter, 115
Dictionary, the Motor-Wo-
man’s, in, et seq.
Differential gear, 1 15
Distinguished woman motor-
ists, 85, et seq.
Dog, as companion, 30
Drawer under the seat, uses
of, 28
Dress for motoring, 24, et
seq . ; shoes, 24 ; gaiters,
24 ; frocks 24 ; coats, 25 ;
head-gear, 26 ; muffler, 27 ;
gloves, 27, 28, 67 ; rings
and bracelets, 27 ; overall,
28 ; toilet accessories, 28,
29
Dry cell, 115
Dust nuisance, 73
Dynamometer, 116
Edge, Mrs., 92
Electric ignition, 1 16 — See
also Ignition
Ellis, Miss Christabel, 90
Engine, overheating of, 50
England and Wales, index-
marks of cars in, 103
Exhaust, 1 16
Fan, rotary, 116
Feed, 117
Fiat car, 90
Fly-wheel, 117
Foot-brake, 44, 49
Foot-throttle, 44
Frame, 117
France, index-marks of cars
in, 107
Frocks for motoring, 24
Gaiters, 24
Garage, 20, 79, 117
Gear lever, 37, 38
pedal, 45
Gears, 1 17 — See also Changing
Speed
Germany, index-marks of cars
in, 109
Gifford, the Hon. Mrs.
Maurice, 89
Gloves for motoring, 27, 28,
67
Gore-Brown, the Lady Mu-
riel, 89
Governor, 117
Grand Prix des Voiturettes,
9 +
Hampson, Miss Daisy, 90
Hand brake-lever, 37
Harbord, the Hon. Mrs.
Assheton, 89
Hats and head-gear, 26
Hewitt, Mrs. J. Roland, 90
Hill-climbing, 49
Hind, Miss Muriel, 90
124
Index
Hood, waterproof, cost of, 18
Horn, when to sound, 67, 72,
73
Horse-power, 118
Horses, care to be exercised
in passing, 71
Hotels, tips at, 80
Hunter Baillie, Miss, 92
Ignition lever, 37, 38, 43
troubles, 52, 54, 58
Index-marks of cars, in Eng-
land and Wales, 103 ; in
Scotland, 105 ; in Ireland,
106 ; in France, 107 ; in
Germany, 108
Induction-coil, 119
Inspection pit, 119
International Touring Car
Trial, 95
Ireland, index-marb of cars
in, 106
Jackson De Dion car, 96
Jarrott, Mrs. Charles, 92
Kennard, Mrs. Edward, 92
Kinnoull, the Countess of, 88
Ladies’ Automobile Club,
65, 87, 88
Ladies’ Bracelet Handicap,
9 °
Lamps, cost of, 18 ; position
of, 22
Leather coats, disadvantages
of, 25
Levers of car, 37, 38
Levitt, Miss Dorothy, her
motoring record, 3, 8, 9,
10 ; interest in aeronau-
tics, 5 ; personal character-
istics, 6 ; private life, 7
Licences, 21, 119
Lloyd, Mrs. Herbert, 90
Locke-King, Mrs., 90
Lubricating oil, cost of, 97,
98
Lubrication, 33, 34, 35, 50,
n 9
Lubricators, types of, 33
Manners for motorists, 69,
et seq.
ManviUe, Mrs. E., 90
Map-reading, 86
Mayhew, Mrs. Mark, 92
Mechanics, woman’s capacity
for, 87
Mercedes car, 88
Mirror, use of, 29, 75
Misfire, meaning of, 52
Mixture, control of, 43
Mors car, 91
Motor christening, a, 91
Motoring as a pastime for
women, 15, 85 ; dress
for, 24, et seq.) 67 ;
cost of, 62, 93, et seq.
manners, 69, et seq.
troubles — See Troubles
Napier car, 92
Nicol, Mrs., 92
125
Index
Number, the, of the car, 22,
102 — See also Index-marks
Oil-tank, 33, 34
Otto cycle, 119
Overheating, 50, 120
Paine, Mrs. Claude, 92
Pedals, uses of, 44, 45
Pedestrians, rights of, 70, 72
Petrol, cost of, 21, 97, 98 ;
consumption of, 21
tank, 32, 56
vapour, inflammability
. of, 33, 120
Phoenix car, 96, 97
Pick car, 96
Piston, 120
Plowden, Lady, 89
Pony-brake, 120
Puncture — See Tyres
Radiator, 121
Rawson, the Lady Beatrice,
89
Registration of car, 22
R6nault car, 91
Reversing, 47
Ridge-Jones, Miss N., 90
Rings and bracelets, 27
Road, rights of the, 69, et
seq.
Rolls-Royce car, 89
Rover car, 96, 9 7
Savory, Miss Isabel, 91
Scarf motoring, how to wear,
27
Schiff, Miss, 92
Scotland, index-marks of cars
in, 105
Screen, gloss folding, cost of,
18
Seat, extra, cost of, 18, 99
Second-hand cars, 63, 64
Shoes for motoring, 24
Side-brake, 44
Side-slip, 53, 121
Sizaire car, 94, 99
Small car, economy of, 17,
62, 93, et seq. ; capabilities
of, 94 > 95 J types of, 95,
96
Soap, Antioyl, 29
Spares, list of, 19
Sparking-plug, 54, 58, 59,
121
Speed, changing, 37, 38,45,
46 , 47 .
legal limit of, 73
Speedometer, 67
Starting the car, 42
Steering-wheel, how to hold,
42
Stepney wheel, 52
Sutherland, the Duchess of,
88
Switch, 39
Talbot, the Lady Violet (now
Lady Viola Gore), 89
Thompson, Miss Muriel, 90
Throttle, 37, 44, 121
Thrupp, Mrs. George, 91
Index
Timing-gear, 121
Tips, 20, 77, et seq .
Tools and spares, list of, 19
Traffic, driving in, 66
Troubles : with tyres, 52 ;
ignition, 52, 54, 58, 59;
feed, 56, 59; carburettor,
57, 60 ; valves, 57
Tyre repair outfit, cost of,
l 9
Tyres, troubles with, 52 ; cost
of maintenance, 97, 98 ;
types of, 53 ; non-skid de-
vices, 53
United Kingdom, index-
marks of cars in, 101
Universal joint, 122
Valves, troubles with, 57
Vauxhall car, 96
Veil, how to wear, 26
Voiturette — See Small Car
Volt, 122
Walker-Munro, Mrs., 92
Water-tank, how to fill, 33
Week-end tips, 8 1
Weguelin, Mrs., 92
Wimborne, Lady, 88
1909
New NAPIER Models
MODELS from 2 to 6 Cylinders.
POWER from 10 H.P. to 90 H.P.
PRICES from S295 to £1,500.
Tourist Trophy, Isle of Man.
Four-inch Race won by the Four*
Cylinder 26'h.p. Napier. Price £475.
Napier Cars are Cheapest to run and
last longest.
Every Chassis is Guaranteed for
3 years.
il\7* __11 ** FOR THE
V lyeiia motorist
For Shirt=Blouses, Skirts,
Costumes, etc.
For Nightdresses, Pyjamas, etc.
“The acme of comfort.”
To be obtained in the latest
designs and colourings from the
leading Drapers, or name of
nearest sent, on application, by
“VIYELLA’Vd 25 & 26
Newgate Street, London, E.C .
“ ViYELLA ” Hosiery Underwear, and “VlYELLA” Gloves,
made from the same yarns as the celebrated cloth.
Specially suitable for sensitive skins.
THE COUNTRY HANDBOOKS
A Series of Illustrated Practical Handbooks dealing with Country
Life. Suitable for the Pocket or Knapsack. Under the General
Editorship of HARRY ROBERTS. Foolscap 8vo (6£ by
4 inches). Price, bound in Limp Cloth, 3s. net.
THE TRAMP’S HANDBOOK. By H. Roberts.
THE STILL ROOM. By M s. Roundell.
THE BIRD BOOK. By A. J. R. Roberts.
THE LITTLE FARM. By “ Home Counties.”
THE FISHERMAN’S HANDBOOK. By Edgar S. SHRUBSOLE.
THE SAILING HANDBOOK. By Clove Hitch.
THE KENNEL HANDBOOK. By C. J. Davies.
THE GUN ROOM. By Alex Innes Shand.
THE COUNTRY COTTAGE. By G. H. Morris and Esther
Wood.
THE MOTOR BOOK. By R. J. Mecredy.
THE STABLE HANDBOOK. By T. F. Dale.
THE TREE BOOK. By M. R. Jarvis and Harry Roberts.
THE INSECT BOOK. By W. Percival Westell.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S HANDBOOK. By Charles Harrison
and John C. Douglas.
THE VET. BOOK. By F. Townend Barton.
THE SMALL HOLDING. By F. E. Green.
John Lane, The Bodley Head, Vigo Street, London
“It is giving us
every satisfaction.”
OF THE THIRD
owned by Mrs. Chester, Ashurst, Hasle-
mere, her chauffeur, M. E. J. James,
wrote in January 1908 as follows :
“ We have sold our 12-h.p. De Dion and have
now a 24-h.p. car. It is giving us every satisfac-
tion, as we have now done 5000 miles without any
trouble at all.
“ I should like to mention that I have driven this
24-h.p. car now for seven months, before that the
12-h.p. for two years, and before I had an 8-h.p.
for two years also, and during that time of just on
five years I have never been hung up on the road,
except, of course, for tyres, which I think speaks
very well for De Dion cars.”
Models from 8 h.p. to 30 h.p.
Catalogue gratis on application,
De Dion Bouton (1907), Ltd.
Sole Authorised Representatives of Messrs. De Dion Bouton
et Cie., of Puteaux, France, for the United Kingdom and all
British Colonies and Dependencies.
10 Oreat Marlborough St., Regent St., W.
Telegrams— 14 Andesite, Londo n.” Telephone— Nos. 8160 & 8161 Central
THE
MOTOR BOOK
By R. J. MECREDY
With Numerous Illustrations (“The County
Handbooks.”) Fcap. 8vo. 3s. net.
PRESS OPINIONS
Scotsman. — “ An admirable, succinct and clear
account of the mechanism of a typical petrol car.
Contains as much information as the ordinary
owner of a motor is likely to want.”
Aberdeen Free Press. — “An exceedingly
exhaustive account of how the motor works. The
machinery is described with the utmost clearness.
It should prove of the utmost value to all motorists
who are not practical mechanics.”
Birmingham Post. — “ His work is very valuable.
In addition it is a very dainty volume, nicely printed,
illustrated, and bound.”
Morning Post. — “ In any case the book will
help inexperienced enthusiasts to run their cars
straight and to keep them in order.”
Motor-Car World. — “ The book is the most
satisfactory work on motor-cars which we have
perused. In the last two of these chapters Mr.
Mecredy gives many valuable hints on the care of
cars, how to prevent trouble, and how to remedy
defects when they do occur. The book is profusely
illustrated by means of both photographic repro-
ductions and diagrams.”
John Lane, The Bodley Head, Vigo St., London
APPEAL
TO THE
\ LADY OF
/ TASTE.
AS THEY APPEAR.
If
L, M. Plufs. Simplex Speedmeter.
For Coil or Magneto. Simplicity and Reliability.
Lamps for all Cars.
Gas or Oil.
Castle
Accumulators.
Sold at actual Capacity
by Society of Motor
hifif Manufacturers’ rating.
fell
l\ Write
I
1/ List.
Ask your Motor Agent for “ Castle ” Accessories always.
UNITED MOTOR INDUSTRIES LTD.
(Oldest Motor Accessory Firm in the Country)
46 POLAND STREET, LONDON, W.
NEW FICTION
GALAHAD JONES. A Tragic Farce. By
Arthur H. Adams. Crown 8vo, 6s.
%♦ Galahad Jones is a middle-aged bank clerk, with a family. One
day, on his way home, a letter falls to his feet from the balcony of a
house he is passing. It is addressed “ To You," and on reading it he
discovers that he is requested to meet the writer in the garden of the
house at io o'clock that night. In a spirit of knight-errantry he
decides to do so, and learns that the writer — a young girl — is kept
practically in prison by her father, because of her affection for a man
of whom he does not approve. The chivalry of Galahad Jones
plunges him into many difficulties and leads to some very awkward
and extremely amusing situations.
JOAN OF THE HILLS. A Novel by T. B-
Clegg, author of a The Love Child,’’
“ The Wilderness,” “ The Bishop’s Scape-
goat.” Crown 8vo, 6s.
%* Mr. Clegg's previous novels have given him a position as an
Australian novelist to be reckoned with. The present story opens in
London, but Mr. Clegg is soon back in Australia, describing the life
on a remote Australian station with its refreshing bush atmosphere.
“Joan of the Hills" should increase the reputation that Mr. Clegg has
already achieved.
THE MEASURE OF OUR YOUTH. A
Novel. By Alice Herbert. Crown 8vo,
6s.
%* A brilliant novel of modem life, by a new author. Its leading
interest is the eternal one of sex ; but the treatment is particularly
fresh and fearless, and there is a sense of humour and of style that
will please the fastidious. The realism of the writing will be forgiven
for the sake of the delicate and poetic vein of thought that underlies
the story, which is full of interest for the psychologist.
SIXPENNY PIECES. By A. Neil Lyons.
Uniform with w Arthur’s.” Crown 8vo. 6s.
Mr. Lyons’ new book has for its central figure a 44 Sixpenny Doctor"
in the east end of London. The sketches are connected by a thread of
continuous interest as in Mr. Lyons' former book, the now famous
44 Arthur’s." The volume is instinct with a realism that differs
altogether from the so-called realism of the accepted 44 gutter " novels,
for it is the realism of life as it is, and not as imagined.
THE PRINCE’S PRANKS. A Novel. By
Charles Lowe. Crown 8vo, 6s.
John Lane, The Bodley Head, Vigo St., London
NEW FICTION
CHIP : A Novel. By F. E. Mills Young,
author of u A Mistaken Marriage.” Crown
8vo, 6s.
%* This is a story of the veld, of the lives of a small community of
Europeans dwelling far from civilisation amid the silence and solitude
of the swamps of East Africa. To the unhealthiness of the climate is
added another danger — the disaffectation of the natives upon the farm,
caused by their fear and dislike of their employer, Mordaunt, the hero
of the tale. Reckless, holding life cheaply, and with a scorn of fear,
Mordaunt, a man of great strength of character, yet one who allows
an early disappointment to embitter his life, courts danger as he has
for years vainly courted death. Then across his path comes Chip, the
heroine of the tale, who, disguised as a boy, seeks and obtains the post
of overseer on the ranch. The story describes their daily life, the
dangers which they face together, and the great influence which the
mysterious boy-overseer exercises over the dissipated misogynist, his
employer.
LITTLE DINNERS WITH THE SPHINX.
By Richard LeGallienne. Crown 8vo,6s.
DIANA DETHRONED: A Novel. By
W. M. Letts. Crown 8vo, 6s.
%* Phoebe Lankester, unconsciously to herself, is pledged to the old
pagan ideal represented by Diana the Huntress. Healthy in body and
mind, Phoebe stands aloof from the troubles and desires of humanity,
until in her own wrecked happiness she awakes slowly to the need of
some power greater and kindlier than ever Diana knew. It is only
after the absolute surrender of self and after the awakening of a
greater, more maternal love than she has as yet known that she
finds peace. Love and death and pity have conquered Diana, and the
statue of the goddess that once adorned the Lankesters’ hall is
banished to a lumber-room.
SOMEONE PAYS: A Novel. By Noel
Barwell. Crown 8vo, 6s.
%*“ Someone Pays,” though exemplifying a subtle train of cause
and effect, is not a novel with a problem or a purpose. The story is
told by means of the correspondence passing between a number of
persons. We are first introduced to the post-bag at a country Vicarage
where Sir Bernard Orr’s son is being coached. Later the scene changes
to Cambridge, and we watch the developments of a romance and an
awkward entanglement which arise at the Vicarage. Everything is
smoothed out and ends happily for all parties, especially for an
unscrupulous triumphant cleric.
THE ODD MAN. A Novel. By Arnold
Holcombe. Crown 8vo, 6s.
John Lane, The Bodley Head, Vigo St., London
DATE DUE
DUE
RETURNED
“ FEB G rW"
KING PRESS NO 306
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