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Sir, I read with very great interest the article ” Sideslips,” by ” Baladeur,” in your March issue. This brought back to me many memories, t hat lice More modern members of our fraternity would not Itv able to fully appreciat e. I spent a short time in Paris round about 190718 anti during that time Was introduced to several

of the giants of the racing game of those days. I remember Rougier, Duraq, Wagner, and several others, and one Walter Miller, an Englishman, who drove one of the racing Panhards. I was very interested in this particular car for I remember it had four huge separate cylinders, each with a beautiful example of the coppersmith’s art in the form of a water jacket. I had several rides in this car and it was very quick for its day and one got the full sensation of what speed under the conditions prevailing really meant. I had collected by then all the principal journals of those days with full reports of the final Gordon Bennett races and the earlier Grands Prix. T1tese volumes I kept. very carefully until I went out during the ” Kaiser bother,” when some member of my family had all these removed and destroyed, which I considered then a very great loss. About 1908 my interests started to drift towards two-wheelers and by 1010 I was a full-time motor-cyclist. riding in the main the ” heavy stuff “–11.A.T., Vindee, Matchless, etc.–and finished my racing days in possession of two real ” works specials ” Harley-DavidsOns, both being very potent models. On the experience gained during the time I was riding this stuff I formed opinions that :ire still in very direct, opposition to the views expressed by ” Carrozzino ” on page 120. It appears lie likes the idea hat present-day efforts to break the land speed .record are tieing made on what he calls ” the generally accepted principle of a racing motor-cycle “—well well, I ant surprised. %Viten one looks at the position of the record as it now stands .and sees all the efforts that have been made, and have so ingloriously failed during the last year or two, and then realises that the record is held by a .500-cc. machine, surely one ntust realise how futile it is to carry on further with this foolish business, which, if continued, will bring our efforts to a state of ridicule. Is it significant that every rider of late has crashed, and is it also not worthy of note that the In:whine that holds the record did not follow the “tgenerally accepted principle ” referred to Y

I remain convinced that to attempt any further efforts on the orthodox type of machine, which after all is based on the push-bike, is just suicide, yet I say also that I am convinced I ca a 500-e.e. (repeat 500 c.c.) machine can be built to be capable of 200 m.p.h., but we shall certainly have to desert the ” I do not suggest a freak but a practical engineering job specially designed for a special job, and I have no doubt about the result.. I personally do not think it will be ” a sad day ” when we evolve a practical and safe method of steering and controlling a machine up in the speed range necessary to break the record, but if we must adhere to these “generally accepted principles ” then good luck to those that try to ride them. I wouldn’t ask anybody I knew to do so, for I do hold very strong views on this subject and trust that the present series will cease ere we have more tragedy added to an already sad list. I am, Yours, etc., BEler HOOT,DINO,

Preston.