The Motor-car Race

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 35, 27 August 1903, Page 6

The Motor-car Race

The motor-car race (writes a Dublin correspondent under date, July 10) was the one burning topic of interest ;n Ireland all last week, and even yet the echoes of its discussion have scarcely died away. The precautions taken to preserve public safety were almost entirely effective, and so far as it may be ascertained, not a single accident occurred which could be fairly debited to the competing motor cars. There was a slight accident at Kildare, but the responsibility lies rather with the onlookers than with the competitors. The excitement caused in the country was phenomenal. Dublin simply rose at the thfug in a unfversal craJze. The city was deserted all day on Thursday, and those compelled to remain behind could think or talk of nothing else than the news from the racecourse. The victory of Germany was rather unexpected, but it is by no means unpopular. If the German Emperor came to Ireland at the present time he would get a reception which President Loubet might sigh for in vain. Jenatzy, the winner, although he steered a German car, is himself a Belgian. His average speed over the course was 53$ milels per hoar. When the delays and slowing-up necessary at the various ' control ' points are taken into account, it is clear that for a considerable distance the winner must have driven at over 100 miles per hour— a perfectly giddy speed when one compares it with the speed of even' the fastest express railway trains. The Frenchman who came in second made an average of about 53 miles per hour ; Knyft's rate was 52£, Farman 52 1-3, Gabrielle's 514