CHANNEL RE-CROSSED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 823, 23 May 1910, Page 7

CHANNEL RE-CROSSED.

SECOND CONQUEST. A BLERIOT MONOPLANE AGAIN. COUNT DE LESSEPS. By TeleeraDh—Presfl Association— Cooyrlffbt (Roc. May 23, 0.50 a.m.) London, May 22. Count Jaques do Lesseps, a grandson of the buildor of tlio Suez Canal, has succeeded in repeating the feat performed last year by M. 13oriot —crossing the Channel from Franco to England. Count de Losseps used a Bleriot monoplane, which typo of aeroplane thus remains the only heavier-than-air machine which has yet conquered tho Channel. Tho French destroyer Escopotto followed the monoplane across the Channel. The Count ascendcd at Calais. He rose at once to a height of 2SO feet, and circled about in order to feel his way. Being bothered by a thick mist, he decided to rise above it. The monoplane soared, and was lost from view. The aviator steered his way acrosschanncl by means of the Bun. Owing to the hazy weather", he did not see tho English coast till he was nearing Deal. / From an altitude of over 1000ft.,'the Count skimmed down near Dover with perfect ease,, descending gracefully at St. Margaret's Bay. The journey (20 odd miles) occupied thirty minutes. The destroyer Escopotte, following, only caught one glimpse of Count de Lesseps in cross--ing. THE BLERIOT. By far the most interesting and important aeroplane event of last year was the crossing of the Channel by M. Bleriot with his monoplane. Starting from near Calais at -1.35 a.m. of July 25, ho landed at Dover at 5.12. For some minutes he was lost in mid-Channel, but allowed the aeroplane to take its own course, with the- result that he speedily sighted tho British coast. By this feat M. Blerjot carried off the ifilOOO prize offered by tho "Daily Mail" for the first aviator to fly across the . Channel. IJn-' successful attempts were made by 51. Latham to fly the Channel with an Antoinette monoplane. Tho Bleriot, with which the Channel was crossed, has two wings each in the same plane, between which the aviatoT sits. Tho wings each measure lift, long by about 6ft. wide, and are curved. Tho body of the monoplane is 6kiff-shaped, with) a vertical rudder and elevating plane to the roar. Tho propeller is in front, driven by a 22 horse-power Anzani motor. Tho monoplane is controlled by a single lever; when it is pushed forward, the elevating piano in the tail of the machine is lowered, the tail rises, and tho' monoplane dives. If tho levor is drawn back, the tail drops, and the monoplane ascends. When the lever is pushed to the right, the vortical rudder turns in that direction, and the wings ore warped to counteract tho change in air-pressnro. For the Channel passage the monoplane was fitted with an air chamber. It runs on three wheels on the ground. Now and more powerful types of this monoplane have been produced with enginee of 50 horse-power. The Antoinette monoplane is generally similar to tho Bleriot, but is largerspan of wings, 10ft.—and more gracefullooking in the air, Tesembling a huge dragonfly. It has ailerons or winglets, at. the rear corners of the two wings. The engine is of 50 horse-power.