The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-07-19
Voyage in honoplane Is Begun Splendidly,
but Motor Slows Down and Aviator De-
scendS in Middle Of Channel

calais, July 1o.-Herbert Latham,
the French aviator, after waiting for
more than week for a favorable op-
portunity TO attempt a flight at cross
Ing the channel from Calais to Dover.
made start this morning, but after
covering about sixteen miles, and
While at a great height. the motor fail.
ed and the machine fell into the water
The French torpedo boat DESTROYER
Harpon, however. was close at hand
and rescued both Latham and his
monOplane
Lathan's start was made early this
morning from the top OF the cliff at
Sangatte and under propituous cir
SumstanceS. Al dawn. the sky was
overcast, but the wind was hardly
Dercepuble. and an automobile was
dispatched to Calais TO apprise the
authorities that start would be made
between and o'clock. While the
monoplane wes being taken out and
pushed TO the top of the cliff. a crowd
9f several thousand persons assembled
10 witness the start and the entire
population Of the neighboring villages
lined the shore below. Latham was
IN high spirits as he carefully inspect
cd every part of the machine, and
on making several trials with the eight
cylinder motor found the machine per.
feet
There was a wait OF an hour until
the torpedo boats and tugs, strung
out in a line towards the horizon.
took up their positions Finally all
was in readiness and the monoplane
was pushed back 200 Yards from tho
crest Of the cliff. which has a precip-
itous fall Of 200 feet To the sea Lath-
am was clad in knickerbocker suit
and had donned 4 life preseryer. He
showed no signs OF nervousness as
he shook hands with his friends on
mountinE the saddle.
start the motor" he said TO his
assistants. and then with a nod Of his
heOd and the words, See YOU in Do
yer" threw the starting lever Off the
machine running along the ground
With increased momentum at every
turn
Just before reaching the edge ~
the cliff, the aeronaut touched the
horizontal lever and the machine, with
its white outstretched wings. rose
gracefully and sailed out over the
shining waters amid a roar of cheers
from The cliff and shore The mono
plane. after leaving the cliff ascended
gradually until it probably was 900
feet above the sea Then, straight,
as an arrow, it continued its flight to-
wards the English coast, apparently
under perfect control, at rate Of
about thirty-nye miles an hour The
black hulled destroyer Barpon kept al !
most under her aerial companion. and
at the end OF fifteen minutes, both
disappeared in the haze on the hoTi-
zon
Sailing beautifully in wide sweep
Ing circles, the aviator appeared 10
have every prospect of success in his |
hazardous undertaking Wireless re- |
ports from Sangatte had announced |
that the machine was out Of sight, and !
the watchers at Dover were warned |
10 be on the lookout The machine .
never appeared however. and as the |
time passed the greatest anxiety pre- /,
vailed Soon came the report that .
the monoplane had fallen into the sea, |
and the hopes Of NJ. Latham's friends |
that he would be the FIRST to accom- |
plsh the channel flight were dissi |
pated
Tugs had been sent out and every J
preparation made for the reception OF |
tho aviator The disappointment .
therefore, was all the greater when .
the news came that the attempt 10
cross tho channel had met with fail
ure. 1t was not until half past zen
that definite news was received here
Of the rescue OF NJ. Latham. \ brief |
dispatch then said the torpedo boat
destroyer Harpon had returned 10 Ca
lais with the aeronaut aboard. The ,
monoplanc had dropped into the I
water some six miles from the French ,
coast or shortly after IL disappeared |
from sight to Sangatte. When pick
ed up. the monoplane was stu float-
ing. and Latham was sitting calmly In
his seat smoking a cigarette.
When the torpedo boat destroyer
entered the harbor at half-past nine.
with NJ Latham and NJ. LebavaSseur'
the Associated Press correspondent
VINO had slept on the Harbon, aboard.
the aviator received a tremendous
ovation. and on landing, 1t was with