The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-10-01
SIXTEEN BALLOONS IN
 RACE FOR BENNETT CUP
SEVEN COUNTRIES IMPRESSIVE I'D xN CONTEST WHICH
 sTARTFD YEsTERDAY.

Primarily Long Distance Race--Un-
 fortunately the Wind is Very Idsht.-.
 Hardly More Than Eight Miles an
 Hour-As Spectacle the Event is n
 Brilliant Success-Over a MiIIion
 People Witness the Test.
 Paris, Sept SO,--sixteen balloons averaging over 2,oOO cubic meters ca- paoity each and representing seven countries, sailed away from the Tuille- ries gardens, in the heart of Paris, this afternoon in the first competition for the Gordon Bennett cup or finterna- ticnal aeronauts.
 The contest was primarily a long distance race. The date had been care fully selected when the prevailing winds are from the west in the hope of giving the gallant aeronauts an op- portunity to break the record of Count de la Vaulx, made in 1900, when his balloon landed in Korestycheff Russia. having covered distance of 1,1S5 miles in 35 hours and 40 minutes. But unfortunately to-day the wind was light, hardly more than eight miles an hour blowing out of the east. thus making the shores of the Atlantic the limit of distance and robbtng the oc- casion of its importance as a test of long distance aerial travelling, there- fore the race was 8 koen disappoint- ment to the aeronauts, who had come -trA every corner of Europe. The rules
 contest however, provided that l -se of unfavorahle atmospheric conditions the judges should at their option, make the test one of endurance to remain in the air. As a spectacle the event was a brilliant success. It is calculated that over million people witnessed the test. l The foreign attaches are especially Interested in the event, it being regard ed as a great test of aenoratics and much more than a mere sporting con- test.
 The start was preceded by the flight l of hundreds of trial balloonettes and the loosing of 5000 homing pigeons. ! V Eaeae, D esecaop conteEtant $ an experienced ae,,tr'- ! sqs@, plt contrary lo expecta- tions Santos Dumont, one of the two representatives of the Aero club of America, proved to be the only one to inaugurate a novelty For the purpise of keeping afloat as long as possible he had equipped his car with a six-horse power vertical propeller with the ob- ject of lifting and lowering his balloon without discharging any of its precious ballast. Major Hersey, the companion of Walter Wellman in the Weilman1 Chicago Record-Herald North Pole ex- petition acted as assistant to Frank P, Lahm, lieutenant in the Sixth U. s. cavalry, the other American competi- tor.
 Each balloon carried a sealed record ing barometer and a number of en- velopes to be thrown out every two hours in order to mark the individual | board each car.
 Not the slightest accident marred the start. Each enormous balloon in turn scared aloft amid the plaudits of the crowds and sailed gracefully away to the westward.
 The contestants with the names of their balloows:
 American santo Dumont. Two Americas.
 America-Meutenan Frank P. Lahm, U. S.
 France-oCunt de la Vaulx, Walhalla.
 France-Count de St. Victor, Foehn.
 France-Jacques Balsan, City of Chateaureaux.
 Germany-Captain Abercron, Dussel- dorf.
 Germany-Herr scherl, schwaben.
 Germany-Baron von Havald, Pot mern.
 Great Britain--Hon. c. S. Bolls, Brit arnia.
 Great Britain-F. H. Butler, City of Lcndon.
 Great Britain - Prof Huntington, Zephyr.
 spain-Lieutenan Herrera, Ayayay.
 spain-Senor Salamanca, Norte. spain-Captain Kindelan, Montner.
 Belgium-M. Van Den Driesche, 1, Ojouk.
 Italy-signor von Willer. Fife. The full moon tonight will be of great advantage to the pilots. | In addition to the cup, which goes to the club of the winner, and which is to be competed for annually, there is a cash prize of $2,9OO to the winner, s26s l to the second and $133 to third man. t There are in addition several other prizes, including the Contessa Cam pello's cup for the best voyage, the . English team prizes for meteorological : observation, the gold medal for endur- arce, the Gaulois distance cup, and the Santos Dumont prize for the greatest ? distance in forty-eight hours a1rrT VIZ r-r