ACROSS THE CHANNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15110, 28 September 1912, Page 9

ACROSS THE CHANNEL.

MR. MOORHOUSE'S RECORD.

ENDS IN A SMASH

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.3

London, August 23. Mr. W. B. R. Rhodes-Moorhouse, who spent a short time in New Zealand with his relatives in Canterbury and Wellington, has just put up a record in aviation by crossing the Channel with two passengers. The journey, which was made in a new Breguet monoplane,, was from Douai, in France, to Ash ford, in Kent.

One of the passengers was the pilot's wife— Moorhouse was married only about six weeks ago to Miss Morritt —and the other was the aeronautical correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, who has written a detailed account of the journey. He says:—- '

Immediately behind me sat Mrs. Moorhouse, with Mr. Moorhouse right aft. Our instruments formed a complete collection two aneroids, and a chronometer, an aeroplane compass, a revolution indicator, and an inclinometer (to show the angle of the aeroplane to the horizontal), not to mention the map-case, containing a roller map on which our course was marked; together with the compass bearings." Tho start, was made at 6.30 a.m., the horizon being black and masked by lowering clouds. From Douai to the coast tho country consisted of a chequerboard of wheat fields, the crops partly standing, partly stacked in sheaves. Very soon tho travellers were going at the rate of 71 miles an hour, even speed, and although the countryside was wreathed in mist it was possible with perfect accuracy to follow their coarse over Arras, St. Pol, Headin. and the quaint old-world town of Montreuil. " On. our . way to the coast we encountered two blinding rainstorms, and heavy rain, when you are travelling at 70 miles an hour, is about the most unpleasant experience imaginable. The rain stings the face like a liali of bullets ; tho land beneath becomes invisible; you go speeding on with apparent aimlessness through the shadows. . Both clouds were preceded and followed by unpleasant eddies, which tossed the aeroplane up and down, though the feeling of security in this splendid machine was absolute. , Meanwhile we had been rising slowly. 3000 Feet Over the Sea. "At, 7.30 the coastlino hove in sight, a dim silver streak far ahead. Over the —the sea now lay 5000 ft below, a dull-greenish expanse of moving waters, dotted with a fleet of tiny fishing smacks ! —we turned north till we could discern i tho long breakwater at Boulogne. Then, swiftly, we headed out over the water. Henceforth the course was laid by compass, an instrument specially designed for aeroplane work, and marked out in degrees of -deviation from the north, instead of the usual but more cumbrous nautical divisions. The course was set to 31deg. east of north.

"We traversed two more rain clouds over the sea. which robbed us of our eight. The last- time, on emerging, we found ourselves heading almost vertically downwards towards the water, and all unconsciously. Twenty minutes had passed, as wo were still alone in the clouds, with an occasional glimpse of the water. At last, the fog rose . . . far ahead, appeared the dim outline of a low-lying promontory. This could only be Dungeness. We had drifted over 10 miles soui:-h of .our course. At 8.18 we crossed the shore once more, after a full half-hour over the sea, travelling at 70 miles an hour, we must have traversed some 55 miles over the water. . .- A record accomplished."

The End of the Log. From the start until 8.23 a.m. a detailed log had been ikept by the journalist passenger. Then there occurred a terrific vemou, i.e., a great eddy in the air, ■ which often produces the most alarming results, which, for a very good reason, put an end to all written notes. A Very Narrow Escape. "As we crossed the English coastline and headed towards Ashford and London across the great triangle of Romney Marsh, we encountered ono fierce gust after another. In one of them the aeroplane dropped like a stone for several hundred feet. Ahead drifted low rain clouds, far beneath our level speeding up from tho south-west. Moorhouse took the only course open to shutting down the engine, we came rapidly down to some 400 ft, but- at this level we were tossed in gust after gust. We crossed j the military canal, and here came the j first of those terrific ' remous ' jotted in i my • log. " The aeroplane shivered and suddenly I stood up, literally vertical on its left wing. With an immense swervo and a udden dive it was flung round and reared up on the right wing. In a desperate i attempt to right her Moorhouse switched on his engine, and at this critical moment the engine failed to respond. The revolutions dropped to 900 instead of 1350 as before. The wind now howled behind us. Before and below us stretched a large field, a good 300 yds in length, bounded by a hedge at its further side. Collision with a Tree Ridge. " The aeroplane was brought down swiftly. Rushing along at over 80 miles an hour, it approached the hedge with alarming rapidity. One course remained open. Moorhouse suddenly' rose again and just, managed to clear the treetops on the right. Then we became the play of the wind and crashed into the next, line of trees, sideways on. The concussion was terrific. Our left wing crumpled before our eyes, and the machine was dashed headlong to the ground amid a shower of branches, leaves, and mud. For a second or two nothing stirred, and then we three, wriggled out, absolutely unhurt, from the tangled wreckage. Our escape borders on the miraculous. All four planes were smashed beyond recognition. The massive steel ianding chassis was battered and twisted, the engino had dug a deep hole in the ground, but the entire body was absolutely undamaged. Even the controls and instruments were, still in full working order. The immense force of the impact will bo realised from the fact that the machine tore out a 30ft tree by tho roots, and snapped like thread two massive branches a good Bin in diameter. Ono thing is certain: there is no other aeroplane in existence that could have stood such a shock or preserved its occupants from damage. "We have covered approximately 140 miles in just under two hours. I would also pay a tribute to the wonderful courago and coolness displayed by Mrs. Moorhouse, in circumstances that would have tried the nerve of the most, hardened a<nntor. . . We have made history, and there is much satisfaction in that."