MOTOR GRAND PRIX.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 302, 15 September 1908, Page 8

MOTOR GRAND PRIX.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS AT DIEPPE RACES. ' TWO FRENCHMEN KILLED. The correspondent of the London "Daily News" writes from Dieppe on July 7 as follows :— The complete failure of the French cars,. the sensational success of the German automobilios, the narrow escape from doa.th of Mr. Price Harrison, one of tho English drivers, and the terrible death of a French driver and his mechanician —such are the events that amazed and horrified the myriads of spectators at to-day's Motor Grand Prix. As early as five o'clock this morning tho stands presented a brilliant spectacle, but as the weather was chilly, tho ladies, in their summer dresses, wcro not a little out of temper. "The sun will come out presently," said a duke in an alpaca coat and white trousers. "Tho sun will never come out," snapped back Madame la Duchesse. Then said an American beauty, "Why ever didn't I bring my furs." The great number of Englishwomen, in their simple, tailormade dresses, were warmer and happier. "English women, when charming, are incomparable," was a well-known French diplomat's appreciation. Punctually at six o'clock, Resta, on his Austin car, dashed off amid a hurricane of cheers from the English spectators. Tho reniaining forty-seven competitors followed at intervals of one minute, each being frantically applauded by his respective admirers. Those who aroused the greatest enthusiasm were the three Italians, Nazzaro, Lancia, and Wagner, and the two Frenchmen, Duray and Fisz, all of them prime favourites, though, ironically enough, they all. fell out early in tho race through troublo with their machines and tyros. Car after car came flying round tho circuit, which had to bo covered ten times, a distance of over 480 miles. Some of them flew bv with wailing sounds, others with a shriek. "The French are doing badly," said the Duke in the alpaca coat; and it was true. The German Mercedes and Benz cars' were performing wonders, the former once covering the circuit at the rato of 98 miles an hour. After the fourth round came the news of Price Harrison's\ accident. While endeavouring to take a ditch on his Weigcl car his macliinc dashed into a balustrade and was smashed to pieces. His mechanician escaped unhurt, but Mr. Harrison was removed, seriously injured, on an ambulance to the Dieppe Hospital. Wilder and wilder became the race. After the seventh round it was'certain that a German would be the winner, but it was still hoped that the second and third places would be taken by French drivers. At last, at 1.20 p.m., the white Mercedes car, driven by Lautenschlager, drew up at the winning post, and the band immediately struck up the German National Anthem. .The French, although disappointed, cheered like true sportsmen, and continued to cheer, although more and more disappointed, when the second and third arrivals proved to be the German Benz cars. Lautenschlager was immediately introduced to' M.' Maujan, .Under-Secretary of State, representing M. Clomenceau, - who warmly congratulated the driver.' on his victory. The latter explaned to the. UnderSecretary that he had covered the course in 6 hours 55 minutes, an average speed, of 60 miles an hour, adding with a sriiile: "At certain periods I was going at the rato of nearly 100 miles an hour." : M. Maujan warmly shook tho hand of tlio German, who was black in tho face with perspiration and dust. ... Whilst this interview was taking place, whilst the Grand Stand was humming with' oxcitement, came the news of the death of Cissac, ono of the drivers of tho three Panhard cars, and his mechanician Scliub. They were travelling along a straight road at tho rate of 62 miles an hour, when tho car suddenly swerved, dashed into a .tree, and turned a somersault-. Tho two men wore pinned beneath the car. When the car was dragged away Cissac and Scliub were discovered,"liov-' ribly mutilated, but still alive. No sooner, however, had they been carefully placed into an ambulance than they died.