THE CARS AND

WITH careful forethought for the edification of spectators of next week's great race the Royal Automobile Club has arranged with the manufacturers of the various competing cars that each shall be allotted a distinguishing colour-scheme. These marks of identification I give for the benefit of readers of THE OUTLOOK who may witness the race.

First on the list of entrants, chronologically speaking, comes the Minerva, the colour of which is yellow for each of the three cars of that make composing the Belgian team. Second is the Humber--also three cars-painted stone-grey. The all-British Straker-Squires-two cars-are appropriately enough garbed in true blue; while the three Sunbeams are in purple. The two Stars which Mr. J. Lisle, of Wolverhampton, has entered-I remember him well in Gordon-Bennett times-are bright red, with the Vauxhall trio in black. The German-built Adlers, another trio, are described as "white with red lines," and France is represented by a single unit only, the D.F.P. entered by Mr. Walter O. Bentley, of Hanover Court, London. The colour of the D.F.P. is dark red. Follows the Belgian newcomer, S.A.V.A., in light green; and then the aluminium-tinted Rawlinson-Hudson which, owing its origin to the United States of America, must still be regarded sympathetically and optimistically by all who remember that good all-round sportsman, Arthur Rawlinson. The Crossley-dark green-hailing from Manchester, has the distinction of being driven by Mr. C.

THEIR DRIVERS.

recall, for instance, how in the Gordon-Bennett race in Ireland in 1903 he and Mr. Charles Jarrott came a sad cropper, their racer being overturned and its two occupants laid out by some sympathetic peasants ready for conveyance to the nearest mortuary. There was no funeral that day-nor up to now I am pleased to state-because after the lapse of half an hour or so first one and then the other shook off the kindly sheltering sheets by which they had been covered and inquired about refreshments. On another occasion, in 1904, I was on the road between Coventry and London with the late Mr. Cecil Edge when we were nearing the completion of a two thousand miles run which occupied our attention for five days and five nights on end. It was a fine bright morning some time about five o'clock when, coming towards us on one of those long straight stretches for which the Coventry road is so favourably known, we espied what looked like a gigantic spider travelling on top speed. That "spider" turned out to be the Wolseley racer which Mr. Jarrott drove in the Gordon-Bennett race on the Taunus circuit a few weeks later, and, seated calmly by his side as we pulled up to exchange mutual felicitations, was Mr. Bianchi. An early morning practice spin of a hundred and fifty miles or so was in those days thought as little of as is a practice sprint round the Manx circuit-37 miles-by the stalwarts of to-day. As the somewhat lachrymose classical gentleman remarked, "Eheu fugaces, Postume," etc.

Bianchi, who acted as mechanician to Mr. Charles Jarrott when that prince of drivers was competing with such signal success in the Gordon-Bennett Ardennes circuit and other Continental 1oad races.

Of the personnel of the drivers much might be written with more or less gratification to these gentlemen's amour propre; but I must confine myself to some few-all too inadequate references only.

It seems to me to be something little short of marvellous to find among the prosaically enough worded "List of Entrants, Drivers, etc.," for the Tourist Trophy race in this year of grace 1914 the following: "Name of car: Rawlinson-Hudson; Colour, Aluminium; Bore and Stroke of Engine, 96 by 114.3 mm.; Country of Origin, United States; Entrant, A. Rawlinson (Rawlinson-Hudson Motor Car Co., Ltd., 53 Park Street, London, W.); and Driver, A. Rawlinson"! I know quite well that there has been some dubiety in certain motoring circles anent the particular car which Mr. Rawlinson had entered for the "T.T." race, but I know equally well that if the gentleman driver who is due to start from Douglas next Wednesday morning at nine minutes past nine o'clock possesses anything like a spark of the spirited fire which animated "Toby Rawlinson of old, and if his luck be only reasonably decent, he will make some of his brother-competitors literally "sit up" and take notice of his back number-plate.

Of Mr. C. Bianchi I have some very vivid memories. I

Perhaps the strongest team, taken collectively and individually, is that of the Sunbeam cars. Its members are Mr. Kenelm Lee Guinness, Mr. A. Lee Guinness, and Mr. Dario Resta. The first-named two gentlemen amateurs have records to their credit which might well arouse envy in the hearts of all but the most generous of opponents. I cannot at the moment do more than make passing reference to Mr. Ken. Guinness's brilliant performance in last year's Grand Prix, or to those of his brother at Bexhill, Brighton, and other salubrious racing tracks long before that at Brooklands was thought of. As for Mr. "Dolly" Resta, his achievements on road and track are equally inscribed on the roll of fame, and one can only wish this triumvirate the best of luck next week. This granted, they may be depended upon to do the rest.

Of the Vauxhall drivers, the team of which comprises Messrs. A. J. Hancock, W. Watson, and J. Higginson, the most brilliant exponent is undoubtedly the first-named. Mr. Hancock can look back upon a long and successful career both on the track and road. Outstanding among his more memorable feats during the past year or so is the magnificent performance he accomplished in August last year at Brooklands when, driving a standard Prince-Henry type Vauxhall car of 25-h.p., he lowered eleven world's records, covering a distance of 702.28 miles in eight hours, equal to an average speed of 87.76 miles per hour. This in itself is a proof of stamina which should prove of (Continued on page vi)