GREAT AEROPLANE RACE

Otago Witness, Issue 2935, 15 June 1910, Page 63

GREAT AEROPLANE RACE

M. PAULHAN’S SUCCESS. <Feom Oue Own Correspondent.) LONDON, April 29. The enthusiasm with which Mr Grahame White’s first attempt to win the Daily Mail prize of £IO,OOO for a flight by aeroplane from London to Manchester was watched on Saturday, was followed by an intense excitement on Wednesday when it became known that another competitor had come from France with a similar type- of machine and had entered tho field. M. Paulhan, the celebrated French aviator, had come to England during the week and it was evident that it would be neck to neck race between the two men. M. Paulhan’s machine had to be erected and Mr White’s required various repairs, having suffered some damage on the Sunday previous. Matters went on until late on Wednesday afternoon, when everything indicated that both men would make no attempt that day. Then the unexpected happened, and dramatic circumstances occurred which led to both men flying. THE START. M. Paulhan had no sooner completed the erection of his machine than he prepared to fly it, and at 5.31 p.m. was officially launched on the northward flight from over Hampstead Cemetery. Nor did ho alight for over 2hours. At 8.10 he landed at Lichfield, having covered 117 miles of his aerial journey, and there h« remained for the night Sympathy in England will remain with Mr Grahame White, not only on account

of his nationality, but because of the effort ■which he made last week. l.he circumstances of his second attempt will not diminish the sympathy, for, understanding there was no possibility of flight on W ednesday, he engaged in -a few hours ot much-needed rest. W hile asleep a teleohono message came through to say that VI Paulhan had started With none but the most hasty preparation and without waiting to take any food, Mr White left Wormwood Scrubs tat 6.30, more than an hour after M. Paulhan had started from Hendon. He, made a promising start, but was overtaken by darkness, and, after Dovexing 60 miles, he was compelled to land at Roade, on the London side of Northampton, at 7.55, 126 miles short of his goal. M. Pauhan’s average speed was jibout 44 miles an hour and that of M,r White about one mile less. THE TWO DESCENTS. Both aviators descended on account of Jarkness. M. Paulhan’s descent was witnessed by a large crowd, who had waited on the Trent Valley bridge, at Licnfaekl, and excited great admiration. A scone of wild enthusiasm followed, round after round of cheers being accorded him. Paulhan explained that he had had a good voyage and was quite well. The special train convoying Madame Paulhan, Mr Farman, and other friends soon arrived, and the party went to the George Hotel, Lichfield, where, after refreshments, M. Paulhan retired to rest preparatory tor an early morning start. Mr White made a good landing at Roade When asked about his flight he said it was very favourable, but he greatly regretted that those responsible did not awake him sooner, so that he could have started earlier. His supply of petrol would have lasted him for six hours, ho was very anxious to hear of the progress of Paulhan, and did not seem dismayed when be was told that he passed Rugby Boon after 7 o’clock. But for the failing light, Mr White thought he could have travelled many more miles. ARRIVAL AT MANCHESTER. To put it briefly, M. Paulhan resumed his journey from Lichfield yesterday morning- at 4.9, and reached Manchester at 5.30 a.m., without a stop. He thus wins the Daily Mail prize of £IO,OOO. Tim daring Frenchman certainly did wonderful work, for he flew 185 miles m 4 hours 12 minutes. , Hundreds of ueople watched his depaiture from Lichfield, and hundreds more turned out in the streets of Crewe. When Crewe was passed, Manchester was less than 30 miles away, and the end of the lon o, journey seemed almost in sight. Jj>--foro daylight, the roads leading out fiom Manchester were thronged with motor-cars, traps, carriages, bicycles, and pedestrians. It was nearly half-past 5 when the gleaming planes of the machine glistening with moisture in the morning sun after passing through a light shower, were seen through the light mist; and only a moment later, it seemed, the winner of the big prize was almost over the heads of the people. Paulhan took a sweep to the north, and then turned and alighted quite easily and comfortably in the field. He Wr.s immediately surrounded by hundreds of people, all of whom endeavoured to grasp Mm by the hand —at the same time cheering wildly, and shouting “ Bravo! “Well done. Frenchman!” “Hurrah” and “ Hurrah ” again With some difficulty he tore himself away from them —they seemed ready to carry him shoulder high into Manchester —and escorted by police, he made his way to the railway station, which stands near the edge of the field, and boarded the special train which took him on to the city. The cheers were redoubled as the train left. In the hope of depriving his rival of any advantage, Mr White resumed his journey from Hoads at 2.50 a.m. At 3.30 he .passed over Rugby and the wind soon after became strong, making it necessary for him to descend at Polesvvorth (107 miles) at 4.30. THE TWO AVIATORS. In the course of Wednesday morning the two rivals met and engaged in friendly •conversation, and when Mr White heard of M. Paulh an’s success he accepted his own defeat in proper British fashion. He telegraphed to Paulhan : ‘ “I take the earliest opportunity of offering you ray heartiest congratulations on your splendid performance. The better man has won.” To Mr Farman he telegraphed: “Very many thanks for all your kindness and attention. Hope at any rate, to reach Manchester on your machine.” . In a short speech to the crowd, Mr White called for cheers for Paulhan, whom he declared to be the greatest aviator the world had ever seen. The Frenchman, be said, was a man of great experience, and was to be congratulated upon his achie v emen ts. M. Paulhan, although only 26, has been a bareback rider and tight-rope walker in a travelling circus in France, a sailor, a Volunteer in the aeronautical section of the French army; but he was always an engineer. He came to the fore as an aviator at the Rheims meeting last year and afterwards came to England and flew 96 miles at Brooklands. He has just returned from Los Angles, California, where ho sailed up 4000 ft into the air. His candid opinion of American crowds created some comment at the time he landed in France. Mr Grahame White was smitten with the aviation craze last summer. He went to the Rheims meeting, and directly after ordered a monoplane from M. Bleriot. and a few weeks later, at Issy, near Paris, he learned to fly in a few days. He afterwards established a flying school at Pau, and obtained the pilot-aviation certificate by passing the tests of the Aero dub of France. Ho was educated at Bedford Grammar School, and has won many motor races.