ROUND-THE-WORLD MOTORING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6495, 15 April 1908, Page 5

ROUND-THE-WORLD MOTORING

ALASKAN ROUTE BIPRAOTICABiLiIS By Telegraph—Press Association—copyrtght LONDON, April 13. Owing to a thaw in Alaska rendering the route impracticable, it has been eliminated from the New York to Paris motor race. The motorists are going to Vladivostok instead of running from Seattle across Alaska to Behring Strait, over which they were to have been transported to Siberia.

At 11 o'clock on tho morning of February 12th six care started from Long Acre SquUre, New York, amid the cheers of 50,000 people lining the streets, on the run to Paris, under conditions similar tj those which prevailed in the contest last year from Pekin to Paris. The journey is in the form of a circuit round -o i\ or them Hemisphere, embracing a run through no less than three continents before it terminates *at Paris. The courso laid down was from New York to Chicaco, thence to Siberia, via the Behring Straits, thpn to Moscow, and from that on to the French capital. The competition is organised by "Le Matin," a Parisian newspaper, the proprietors of which offer a cup called La Coupe du Monde to the winner. It was the same journal which promoted the great PekinTUris event held last year. Ten entries were received for the competition, including four French, one German, -two American, two Portuguese, and one Italian. Evidently four of these thought better about leaving their homes. The Italian is Prince Borghese, who, it will be remembered, finished first in an Il'ala car in the Pekin-Paris contest. Though the event which the Prince won was considered to be an exceptionally severe trial for a motor car, there is little doubt that the present contest will, if ever completed, prove to be the most stupendous •and difficult task ever attempted. Home papers describe how some of the competitors have for a considerable time past been putting their cars to severe tests, such as they are likely to erperience in their trying journey. It is stated, for instance, th*at Collignon, one of the French drivers, who is handling a De Dion car, drove his mount near to the summit of Mount Geneve, so that he might make earburation testa. As the greater pVirt of the journey to be traversed will be through extremely cold districts, with abundance of snow and ice, unusual attention has been paid to clothing by tho competitors. According to a French journal, most of the drivers will wcTir skins, with undergarments of flrmnol, and Heals* intestines sofrp-ned wifJi Polar bears* crease, or seal blubber. Each car is provided with elaborate cooking utensils, and as the motorists carry firearms, thov hone to replenish their' stock of provisions by shooting reindeer, seals, white partridges, bears, etc.