Are the gears absolutely necessary with a gas engine?
In an automobile, yes. This is the service where a maximum variation in speed and power is necessary. There have been times when you wanted a high power with a low car speed — as on hills, or for acceleration. At such a time the gear-box is absolutely necessary to permit a change of ratio between engine and axle, from say four to one, to seven to one, or to twelve to one. Were it not for this gear shift, which permits the engine to turn faster than the axle, the engine would run more and more slowly, and, of course, with less and less power, until it reached the “stagger point,” and finally “stalled.” This is not only inconvenient, but often dangerous. But by using the gear shift, the engine speed can be increased, and more power delivered, without increasing the car speed.
