Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-26

less announcing the start, the laconic mes
sage, Out OF sight, was received at Do
Yer.
Hardly had this been transcribed when
the keen-eyed coast guard, scanning the
sea with his telescope. shouted that Bile
| riot was within sight.
"HaStening to the cliff east of the bay
was fortunate enough to arrive just
| moment before the appearance of the air.
ship. which was flying fast, like gigan-
tic hawk. The craft approached the cliff
growing larger every instant The noise
of the engines was audible in a moment
| so swiftly did it come.
"BIeriot swooped overhead, CHANGING
from right to left, and then turning his
machine to the east came to the
ground in the meadow. 1t circled with
perfect ease, and made the landing grace
fully, and even though II touched the
land lightly it was slightly damaged"
Enthusiasm Spills Breakfast.
NJ. Bleriot's friends took him quickly in
an automobile to the old Lord Warden
Hotel. by the pier from which mail boats
depart. The aviator sat down to break
fast of ham and eggs as calmly as though
he had been out for an early morning
walk.
But his compatriots were not SO calm
They surrounded him in an excited group,
expressing their enthusiasm at his
| achievement shouting for joy and en-
bracins and kissing him.
NJ Blerot was hungry. and he wanted
to eat, but his friends insisted upon the
continuous reception, with the result that
three orders OF ham and eggs were swept
from the table and under his feet, while
the hugging and kissing continued.
At this time a side door opened and a
pretty young woman rushed into the
breakfast room. Without warning she
threw herself into the arms of the avi-
ator. The woman was Bleriot's wife, and
she had followed him across the channel
on a torpedo boat destroyer.
Sobbing, she cried:
Louis. Louis. mon cher Louis!"
She seemed wrought up into a high
state of nervous tension by the great
dangers her husband had passed through
The mayor and other Dover officials
called early and welcomed NJ. Bleriot in
the name of the city and nation as the
that the freedom of the city, the highest
honor in the gift of the corporation, will
be bestowed on the aviator.
Flight Came Unexpectedly.
The townspeople of Dover, who have
been on the alert for three weeks for the
signal announcing that one of the avi-
ators had started, were caught mapping
gale was blowing during the night.
and the weather forecasts promised a
strong wind and squalls in the morning.
Hence the operators of the sirens on
the steamships, which, it had been ar
| ranged. should be blown when the flyer
started, were absent from their posts.
Only a few persons received the wireless
warming of Bleriot's ascent
NJ. Lafontaine. a friend of the aviator.
arrived at the Lord Warden hotel from
Calais at midnight He declined bed
room with the remark that he had an
anpointmanf n M R1pri0t x
O'Clock. The hotel people thought the
mysterious stranger was joking.
NJ. Latontaine came to the signal land
ing, the spot which the newspaper under
whose auspices the flight was made had
chosen. on the high ground back OF the
city, but he selected cup-shaped depres-
sion, called the North Fall Meadow, two
miles east of Dover, where the airship
would be sheltered from the wind in set
| thing. There he planted the French flag.
The sailors the ships in the harbor
were the first to discover that Bleriot was
approaching. They heard the buzzing of
The motor two or three minutes before
they could discern the aeroplane. Then
what looked like great white moth
glided over their heads as fast as a train
| of cars, and with almost as much noise.
| 1t reached the cliff near the gray turrets
of Dover Castle. swooped around twice in
| broad curves and disappeared.
Relic Hunters Attack Airship.
| 1t was not long before half the popula-
ton of Dover. dressing as they went.
were rushing toward North Fall Meadow.
| Photographers and cinematographers
were crestfalen because they had missed
The great event for which they had
waited long.
Among the first to arrive were two GUS
4 toms officers. Close upon their heels were
1 several nd
needed TO restrain the curio hunters, who
| Immediately sought to pull the machine
to pieces for souvenirs. Many others.
| foreseeing that the monoplane would be
treasured a historic relic, wrote their
autographs thereon.
| The city officials conceived happy
thought, and. with Bleriot's consent.
raised a tent about the machine, and
charged d pence admission to view II.
The profits from this enterprise will go
to the hospitals and the police pension
fund. and the exhibition did a rushing
business all day. Parts of the framework
| of the monoplane were splintered on
| landing.
Every one expressed surprise at it's
small size. 1t is no more than twenty
| feet across the wings. and Its weight is
about 400 pounds the motor being TWEEN
| ty-five horsepower.
| In the same machine Bleriot recently
made a cross-country trip of twenty-five
| miles from EIampeS 10 orleans. 1t Is the
| smallest of three he took to Calais. The
| machine is fitted with an alright, sau-
sage-shaped rubber bag, so that 1t would
float If 1t descended to the sea.
/, Ready to Share Prize.
| Count Lambert came to Dover to con.
| graduate his rival. telegram arrived
from Hubert Latham, who a few DAYS
ago failed in his attempt to cross the
| channel saying:
| Il hope to follow you SOON
Beriot early announced that If Latham