Motor Road Transport For Commercial Purposes
(Liquid Fuel, Steam, Electricity)

170 MOTOR ROAD TRANSPORT development of land tillage throughout Great Britain and especially in Ireland ; the possibility of reducing freightage both by water and by railroad ; and the likelihood of increasing the productive qualities of the nation and decreasing the cost of living—both natural outcomes of cheaper transportation. The question is undoubtedly full of pitfalls, but is equally full of allurement, and is intricate in its technicalities. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to follow the general outline of the advantages and disadvantages of Power Alcohol as a fuel for motor road transport. As most people know, alcohol can be procured by distillation from any vegetable matter containing starch or sugar, and also from wood; the possible supply, therefore, may be taken as practically un- limited. The most profitable source in Europe has generally been found to be either potatoes or beetroot, by reason of the proportion of spirit obtainable per acre. In France, Germany, and the U.S.A. experi- ments in connection with. the use of Power Alcohol have been carried out over a number of years, and satisfactory results have been obtained, not only in the laboratory, but under practical working conditions. This has been made possible owing to the faet that the Governments of those countries have realized the national importance of developing this industry, and have granted considerable freedom for the production of Industrial Alcohol on a commercial basis. England Lags Behind. Why is it that hitherto we of all people—far removed as we are from the world’s oil fields—have lagged behind in this matter ? Is it not due in the first place to the restrictions placed by the Government on the production of a fuel of this kind ? Secondly, is it not