THE SCHNEIDER TROPHY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20334, 5 September 1931, Page 15

THE SCHNEIDER TROPHY.

WITHDRAWAL OF FRANCE AND ITALY. BRITAIN TO FLY ALONE. (BRITISH OmCIAL WIRELESS.) (Received September 4th, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, September 3. Tho lloyal Aero Club this morning received offical notification from the Aero Clubs of France and Italy that, unless the British Club are prepared to grant a postponement of the Schneider Trophy Race for at least six months, both countries must definitely withdraw from the contest. The reasons given by both countries were bad weather, bad luck in tho loSs of pilots, and tho loss of aircraft. The applications wore considered by the Royal Aero Club and subsequently it was announced that tho club had sent letters to the Aero Clubs of Italy and Franco, informing them that tho rules of tho contest would not allow a postponement, and tho committee had no option but to refuse the request, as the race must be held. Tho British pilots who would fly round the course on September 12th will, it is certain, set up a new record, and this, following her two previous victories at Venice in 1927 and at Southampton in 1929, will give Great Britain the right to retail! the Schneider Trophy permanently thereafter. An attempt will probably be made on tho world speed record set up after the last race by Squadron-Leauer Orlebar. In aeronautical circles satisfaction is expressed at the ability of the British aircraft industry, despite the lateness of the British decision to participate in the race, to produce new "wonderplanes,'' as the nigh-speed pilots have christened them. The reports on their performance have no doubt convinced the Italians and French that it would be useless to enter the machines they have at present tivailable for their teams. One of the British machiues, a Vickers Supermarine Rolls Royce seaplane, has already, in the course of training flights reached a speed of 405 miles an hour. This may bo compared with the speed at which the last Schneider Trophy, race was won by 1 Fiying-Officer Waghorn—32B miles an hour. It is believed that the engine experts of every country will bo astonished when the statistics of tho performance of the new Rolls-Royce racing motors fitted to these plans are published. The engines fitted to the 1929 seaplanes developed 1900 horse-power continuously throughout the race, though throttled below the maximum power. This year tho power unit has been considerably increased. LADY HOUSTON'S OFFER. CHALLENGE TO THE WORLD. (Received September 4th, 7 p.m.) LONDON, September 3. Lady Houston, who in January offered to guarantee £IOO,OOO towards the cost of Britain's entry for the Schneider Trophy, commenting on the raco, Gays: In order to show I am not down-hop. rted, Britain wing by a Valk-over, I will challenge airmen throughout the world to another race, to be called the Houston Trophy, including £IOOO prize for the winner. Undor the rules/ Franco and Italy must forfeit £ISOO for each machine ontered As each entered three they must forfeit £9OOO between them. It is understood that the total sum expended by Britain on material and high-speed development in preparation for the event is in tho neighbourhood of £150,000.

MISS AMY JOHNSON FORCED DOWN. MOSCOW, September 3. Miss Amy Johnson has been forced down between Arsk and Kazan. MILITARY MACHINE DASHES INTO CROWD. (Received September 4th, 7 p.m.) HOME, September 3. At Bolonga, while the King of Italy was witnessing an aerial march past of 800 aeroplanes, one machine failed to take oif and dashed into the crowd, killing three and injuring eleven. THE GRAF ZEPPELIN. (Received September 4th, 9 p.ir}.) PERNAMB.UCO, September 3. The Graf Zeppelin took off from Pernambuco for Friedrichshafen -at 2.4*0 a.m. to-day.