APPENDIX
AUTOMOBILE LITERATURE
By C. L. Freeston
If the literature of automobilism is not at present overwhelming in its periodic forms, it is fast approaching the prolific stage. The number of weekly and monthly papers in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, produced directly in the interests of the automobile industry or pastime, is already considerable, and a further increase is foreshadowed by the rapid strides which horseless locomotion is making all over the civilised world. In the way of permanent literature, however, the movement can by no means be described as suffering from plethora, a fact which, is easily attributable to the constantly recurrent changes in the mechanical evolution of the motor-car.
The most interesting fact connected with the periodical literature of the movement is the prescience of the founders of 'The Autocar,' a journal which made its appearance, if not in advance of automobilism itself, at all events in advance of the passing of the emancipating Act of 1896. The first number of 'The Autocar' was published on November 2, 1895, or more than a year before the Locomotives on Highways Act of 1896 came into operation. The bulkiness of its present form is a testimony alike to its own prosperity and to the growth of the automobile industry. It is well printed and illustrated, and is published every Friday at threepence by Iliffe & Sons, Ltd., 3 St. Bride Street, London, and Coventry.
The 'Automotor and Horseless Vehicle Journal' was also early in the field, its first number having been issued in October 1896. Like 'The Autocar,' it coined a new word for purposes of self-description. For five and a half years it was published on the 15th of each month at sixpence, and was distinguished by the high technical value of its articles, as well as by its independence of tone. At the time of going to press with this volume, however, 'The Automotor Journal ' is announced to appear in weekly form, the price being reduced to twopence. The publishers are F. King & Co., Limited, 62 St. Martin's Lane, W.C.
In less technical guise than either of the foregoing 'The MotorCar Journal,' which made its first appearance on March 10, 1899, has served a useful purpose in popularising the movement. It is a bright and attractive pennyworth, and a handy chronicle of current events in the automobile world. The publishers are C. Cordingley & Co., 39 and 40 Shoe Lane, E.C.
'Motor Cycling' is the name of a new weekly, specially devoted to that particular phase of automobilism. The first number appeared on February I2th, 1902, and was found at once to be a useful compendium for those interested in the subject. It is published at a penny by the Temple Press, Ltd., 7 Rosebery Avenue, E.C.
The latest arrival on the scene is 'Motoring Illustrated,' which dates from March 1902. Its aims appear to be high as regards the quality of its articles and illustrations. The price is threepence, and it is published at 9 Arundel Street, Strand, W.C.
Of monthly organs published in the United Kingdom there are now two. 'The Motor-Car World,' price threepence, is issued by Hay, Nisbet, & Co., of 19 Queen Street, Glasgow. 'The Motor News,' which came out in the first instance as 'The Irish Motor News,' is published at threepence by R. J. Mecredy & Co., Dame Court, Dublin, and has always been distinguished for the practical value of its articles from the private owner's point of view.
Reference should also be made to the 'Notes and Notices' of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland, issued at irregular intervals to members only. Originally this was a mere circular of official announcements, but it has since assumed quite formidable proportions. To the private user of a car it is almost indispensable, and non-members of the Club or of the Motor Union of necessity miss a considerable amount of useful information.
In the United States the automobile movement has sufficiently progressed to warrant the appearance of several weekly and monthly organs. Naturally, however, they contain a great deal more about steam and electric vehicles than the petrol-driven types. The most important weekly is the 'Horseless Age,' published at 147 Nassau Street, New York, at the price of 10 cents. It is illustrated, but the blocks are mostly diagrammatic. Of very similar type is the 'Motor World' (price 10 cents), issued every week at 123-5 Tribune Buildings, 154 Nassau Street, New York. Another weekly, of a more popular type, is 'Automobile Topics' (10 cents), published at Park Row Building, New York.
Of American monthly organs the best is the 'Automobile Magazine' (25 cents), published at 170 Broadway, New York, It is well printed and illustrated. Other serials are the 'Automobile' (10 cents), 150 Nassau Street, New York, and the 'Motor Review' (5 cents), 395 Broadway, New York. The last-named makes a specialty of European correspondence.
But it is to the French press that the English automobilist may most profitably turn for current information such as may not be included in home publications. France supports not only several weekly automobile organs, but two dailies almost entirely devoted to automobilism and cycling, and of a totally different character from the 'sporting daily' as understood in Great Britain.
'Le Vélo' has been in existence for several years, and when the editorship came to be undertaken by M. Pierre Giffard, a prominent feuilletonist, it entered on a course of extraordinary popularity. Unfortunately, it espoused the cause of a clique set in motion against the Automobile Club de France, and that body immediately established the 'Auto-Vélo' as a daily of similar type. 'Le Vélo' is still published, however, at 2 Rue Meyerbeer, Paris. The price is 5 centimes.
'L'Auto-Vélo' (5 centimes) has been a success from the first. English automobilists who take an interest in Continental racing turn to its columns daily for the latest information, whilst it also contains the official communiqués of the French Automobile Club. The 'Auto-Vélo' organises annually numerous races and trials, and is conducted generally with great spirit. The offices are at 10 Rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, Paris.
'La France Automobile' is the most useful of the French automobile weeklies to the English reader, as it contains good illustrations of the various races and other competitions, and of new cars or other novelties. Its price is 50 centimes, and it is published at 68 Avenue de la Grande Armée, Paris.
'La Locomotion Automobile' (50 centimes) is also a practically written weekly, published at 4 Rue Chauveau Lagarde, Paris. Among other Continental organs devoted wholly or to an appreciable extent to automobilism in its various aspects are the following:—
'L'Industrie Vélocipédique et Automobile.' Monthly; 50 c.; 75 Rue Vieille du Temple, Paris.
'Automobile Revue du Littoral.' Fortnightly; 15 c.; 26 Avenue de la Gare, Nice.
'L 'Avenir de l'Automobile et du Cycle.' Monthly; 15 f. per annum; 22 Rue Rossini, Paris.
'L' Automobile Beige.' Weekly; 10 c.; 70 Rue Dethy, St. Gilles, Brussels. The official organ of the Belgian Automobile Club.
'L' Automobile Illustré.' Fortnightly; 15 f. per annum; 163 Rue des Palais, Brussels.
'La Suisse Sportive.' Fortnightly; 20 c.; 6 Rue de Commerce, Geneva.
'Zeitschrift Automobilen-Industrie und Motorenbau.' Fortnightly; 40 pfennig; 86 Steglitzerstrasse, Berlin.
'Allgemeine Automobil Zeitung." Weekly; 50 heller; 3 Steyrerhof, Vienna.
'L' Automobile.' Bi-monthly; 2 Via Corte d' Appello, Turin.
As regards automobile works of reference, those which appeared about the time of the passing of the Act of 1896 are now of no practical value, while several years elapsed before any attempt was made, in Great Britain at least, to replace them.
The most important book is 'Motor Vehicles and Motors,' by W. Worby Beaumont, published in 1900 by Archibald Constable & Co., London. The price is two guineas. It is a portly volume of 636 quarto pages, with about 250 illustrations, many of which are of an elaborate nature. The technical value of this work, more especially to the designer, is very great, and the volume is a monument alike to the importance of the industry and to the ability and industry of its author.
Of other works which possess any current value the following may be named:—
'Motor-Cycles and How to Manage Them,' by A. J. Wilson; London, Iliffe & Sons, Ltd., 1901; 2s. 6d.
'The Automotor Pocket-Book,' 1902; London, F. King & Co., Ltd.; 1s.
'The Automotor Directory,' 1902; London, F. King & Co.; 3s. 6d.
'The Automobilists' Guide,' by R. E. Phillips, 1902; London, F. King & Co.; 3s. 6d.
'The Motor-Car Manual,' by R. Moffat Ford, 1901; London, The Motor-Car Co.; 2s. 6d.
'The De Dion Voiturette,' by R. J. Mecredy, 1901; Dublin, Mecredy & Co.; 6d.
'The Daimler Car,' by R. J. Mecredy, 1901; Dublin, Mecredy & Co.; 6d.
'L' Automobile (Théorique et Pratique),' by Baudry de Sunnier; Paris, 1899.
'Annuaire General de l'Automobile, et des Industries qui s'y rattachent,' 1902; Paris, Thévin & Houry.
The following is a list of publications issued by the Automobile Club, which may be obtained of Messrs. King & Co., 62 St. Martin's Lane:—
'Programme and Report of the 1,000 Miles Trial, 1900; 1s., post free.
'Official 100 Miles Trials of the Automobile Club,' reprinted from 'Notes and Notices'; 4d., post free
'Programme of Glasgow Reliability Trials and Judges' Report and Awards'; 6d., post free.
'Judges' Report of the Liverpool Trials of Motor Vehicles for Heavy Traffic'; 10s., post free.