New York City, with a thriving branch on Hummum street, Bombay; kerosene and electricity.

J. A. Kirkbride & Co., Tamarind lane, Bombay; kerosene and petrol, or motor spirits.

Vatcha Brothers, Girgaum, Bombay; steam motor.

F. B. Thanawalla, Kalbadevi road, Bombay; electricity. Turner, Hoar & Co., Elphinstone circle, Bombay, handle the "Reading motor car," a steam automobile adapted to burn kerosene oil for fuel, using the Clarkson & Capel oil burner.

The Motor Transport and Supply Company, agents for Shaw, Wallace & Co., of Calcutta, propose establishing an agency in Bombay for the kerosene-fuel steam automobile.

CHINA.

Consul John Fowler, of Chefoo, says:

Outside of the foreign settlements of Shanghai, Tientsin, Hankau, and possibly one or two other smaller ones, I doubt if a carriage of any description could be used on the streets and roads of Shantung; therefore there is no market in this district for automobiles, nor do I think that there will be for a long time to come.

Consul H. B. Miller reports from Niuchwang:

The tariff on automobiles coming into Manchuria through Ninchwang would be the regular Chinese duty of 5 per cent. If brought into Port Arthur or Dalny, they would come in free of all duty. It is possible that a few might be sold to Russians in Dalny, Port Arthur, or Harbin.

Kuntz & Albers, at Dalny, Port Arthur, and Harbin, or the American Trading Company, at Dalny or Port Arthur, would be the best

agents.

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

The following has been received from Consul-General O. F. Williams, of Singapore:

The cities of Singapore and Penang are the only large towns in this colony, and both are on islands made more or less rugged by mountains or high hills, Singapore rising to 519 feet and Penang 2,724 feet, thus being inaccessible in parts to vehicles.

Singapore Island contains only 225 square miles, and but 6 per cent of this is redeemed from primeval jungle; much the same may be said of Penang.

There are in Singapore two automobiles, not much used and much abused. Recently, the Sultan of Johore-who has residences here and also across the straits in Johore-brought a large automobile from Europe; but it is very noisy, and complaints are increasing against it.

A great number of jinrikishas are in use in every city and town of the colony. Last year, 19,414 jinrikishas were licensed in Singapore alone, and as each license runs for four months about 5,000 of these man-drawn carriages are in constant employment. In the entire colony, there are only some 460 miles of improved roads, and nearly one-half are in the cities, leaving about 230 miles of rural roads.

In the Federated Malay States, under the governmental tutelage of Great Britain, good roads are few. In Selangor, rich Malays and Chinese own a few automobiles, but they are simply fads. In the Federated Malay States, the principal industries are tin mining and lumber cutting. General agriculture is limited, and the bull cart is the common vehicle.

TARIFF.

So far as customs duties are concerned, all ports are free to imports. The only duties collected are on exports, usually 10 per cent ad valorem.

I do not think conditions favor trade in automobiles in this colony or its dependencies.

AUTOMOBILES IN AUSTRALASIA.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Mr. O. H. Baker, consul at Sydney, says:

In and about Sydney, there are hilly and rough roads. In the most populous parts of the city, the streets are narrow, Steam, electric, and cable trams, heavily loaded traffic wagons, and private vehicles contest for passageway, so that the pleasure of automobile riding in these parts is much lessened.

MACHINES IN USE.

In the suburbs, the roads are not inviting, yet there is quite a number of these machines in use here-14 of French make, 1 German, 4 Winton (American), and I locomobile (American).

these is propelled by steam and 19 by gasoline.

There are now on hand for sale 12 steam, 5 electric, and 5 gasoline automobiles.

There are no automobiles manufactured, so far as I know, in Australia, nor is there a great demand for them at present prices. Some prejudice has been excited against the motor car in Sydney, from the fact that one style is noisy, frightening horses as it passes.

It is suggested that the American manufacturer, in aiming at the least weight possible, has largely sacrified the strength necessary to stand the strain on Australian roads. This is especially true of the axle, spring, and frame. There should be some improvement devised by which the machine could be depended on to make the journey for which it is charged without filling the air with unpleasant odors or making so much noise.

The Woods' electric vehicles have been given a fair trial here, but, owing to the scarcity of charging facilities, have proven a failure.

STYLE DEMANDED.

There would, I think, be a demand for the following:

1. A strong hill climber, capable of standing the strain on rough roads, with capacity for three or four persons.

2. A delivery wagon, with and without canopy, of from half a ton to I ton capacity.

3. A vehicle that would carry five persons and 4 or 5 cwts. o' mail bags over rough, hilly roads, the undergear being as high from the roads as possible.

TARIFF AND LAWS.

The duty on automobiles throughout Australia is 20 per cent ad valorem. This may, however, be revised, as the Senate has yet to pass upon that part of the tariff.

There are no State, county, or city laws of interest to automobile manufacturers and users.

Manufacturers, dealers, or users of automobiles are not required to take out a license or to register.

NEW ZEALAND.

Vice-Consul L. A. Bachelder, of Auckland, reports:

TARIFF

The customs duty on automobiles is 20 per cent ad valorem, and the same rate is charged on finished or partly finished parts of same, including weldless steel tubing cut to short lengths.

The engines, if packed separately from the carriage, are duty free; also rubber tires, pneumatic tires, outside covers, and inner tubes, rubber and cork handles, drop torgings and stampings, ball

bearings, weldless steel tubes in full lengths, rims, forks, and spokes in the rough. During the past year, two machines have been running in Auckland at various times, exhibited by the importers, but no private individuals have so far bought any. One of these is a locomobile manufactured by the Locomobile Manufacturing Company of the United States. The other is of French make and was found not powerful enough for the hills and bad roads in North Island. It was finally sold to go to Christ Church, South Island, and according to report it has given good satisfaction there. There appears to be very little demand here for these machines, in part on account of the cost, and also because of the bad condition of the roads and the hilly country. Dealers in a similar line of business say that they would not stock them.

There are, it is estimated, about 20 carriages of this kind running in South Island.

VICTORIA.

Consul-General J. P. Bray writes from Melbourne:

The market for automobiles is very limited, the Australian people considering motor cars as only in the experimental stage and not to be depended on for practical purposes. Prices, also, are so high that they will not easily be persuaded to purchase cars to prove the contrary for themselves. There are very few motor cars to be seen here, for the foregoing reasons, although several well-known makes are represented and have been advertised. I feel certain that for some time to come firms introducing motors will have an uphill task, and they probably will not reap the full benefit of their efforts for years.

Even if prospects were better, the fact must be borne in mind by our manufacturers that there is a duty of 20 per cent on imported motor cars, and stimulated by such an advantage, in addition to the heavy transit charges from the United States to Australia, the local manufacture of them, which has already been commenced by several parties (as yet in a small way), would no doubt increase with the demand.

AUTOMOBILES IN CAPE COLONY.

Consul-General W. R. Bigham reports from Cape Town: Automobiles here are called motor cars; and, although this business is practically in its infancy, there are a few horseless vehicles to be seen on the streets of this city, and I am told the same is true of other cities on the coast. Owing to the unsettled condition of this country on account of the war, but few have reached the interior.

The military have used some American steam-motor cars (the

Toledo car taking the lead in number) and they have given great satisfaction.

Difficulty is experienced in getting orders filled properly and in having the goods delivered at the ports of this far-away country. It is claimed that both American and European manufacturers have been unable to fill orders promptly, aside from taking care of their home trade, and do not seem to wish to make much of an effort to get trade so far away.

FUEL.

Gasoline is almost unknown away from coast cities, and it can only be procured in three places in this city. All steamships reserve the right to throw it overboard if they encounter a storm; for, if one of the cans or other vessels in which it is shipped should be broken by the pitching of the ship and the air permeated with the gas, it would result in an explosion by coming in contact with the fire under the boilers or the lights at night.

Many shipments have gone into the sea from this cause, thus preventing the merchants in this and other countries from receiving. their expected stock. This makes it very expensive and uncertain of supply. Kerosene (called paraffin here) would be much better. for creating motive power than gasoline, for it can be purchased of any grocer throughout this country at about one-half the price. Kerosene retails here, by the case containing two 4-gallon cans, at 35 cents per gallon.

STYLES.

A few motor bicycles are in use here, mostly of American manufacture. With regard to motor cars, I am told that the strongly built high-horsepower vehicles are the most successful. On South African roads, high horsepower is required in ascending the long, steep hills. Medium or low priced vehicles sell best. The harbor authorities in this city have a motor dray wagon in use.

As there is very little food for horses grown within 500 miles of this city and railroad freight is very high, it is found cheaper to ship grain and hay from the Argentine Republic, Australia, or the United States than to get it from the interior, and this increases the expense of keeping horses. A liveryman boards a carriage horse for $1.82 per day, and, as they are fed entirely on imported feed, that is considered a fair price. I think any motive power that will take the place of a horse should succeed here.

TARIFF.

There is no duty on the machinery of an automobile, but the vehicle part is appraised at about what the value of a carriage of the same capacity would be and an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent is collected on this valuation.