Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-07-28
EVIL FORTUNE
PURSUES
LATHAM
SECOND ATTEMPT TO
CROSS CHANNEL FAILS
PIucky Frenchnan Reaches
Point Two Miles Off Dover
When AeropIane TumbIeS
Into Sea- viii Try Again.

lBy Morning journal Special Leased Wire
Dover, England, July 27-Huberi
| Latham's second attempt to fly across
| the English channel ended disas-
trously today. Almost in the moment
of victory his monoplane fluttered
down into the sea two miles beyond
the Admiralty pier. Thousands of
persons croWdng the water front saw
the fall. and for nearly half an hour
they were kept in suspense, not
knowing whether or not the daring
aeronaut had met death.
a flock of large and small craft
raced to the scene Of the disaster and
a pinnace from the British battleship
Russell picked up the unlucky flyer
ana put him aboard the French tor
pedo boat destroyer Escopette. Al
ter a surgeon had attended to his in
juries the destroyer brought Latham
ashore and he was taken to a hotel,
his face bandaged and bleeding and
his nose broken. The machine, badly
wrecked was hoisted from the boat
to the dock Latham's flight, to the
moment of its sensational finish, in
some respects eclipsed Blerots lie
made greater speed being only twenty
minutes in the air from the time ne
left the coast of France. Apparently
he steered a sraightQr course than
Bleriot, as he was making direct for
Dover when he fell.
This disastrous ending OF the flight
furnished a dramatic scene. shortly
before & O'Clock the clamor of sirens
and bells on the ships in the harbor
notified the town that another chan
mel crossing was to be attempted. In
a marvelously short time the water
front the piers, and the cliffs behind
the town We're crowded.
Thousands gathered there, many of
them carrying telescopes, marine and
feld glasses and cameras. Soon two
French torpedo boats which preceded
the aeroplane We're seen approaching
at a furious pace, thick clouds OF
smoke putting from their tunnels.
Fourteen minutes after 6 o'clock an |
lirship was discerned heading straight |
for the center OF the town
llt idHluliN VI ITO lilElil NttF' ~ - |
lcnccd by the quickness with which |
It grew larger and assumed birdlike |
outlines. suddenly it began to slacken
speed, at the same time gliding to-
ward the surface of the ocean 1t
uttered few times aud fcll
The aeroplaue dropped with lat
,ral incline to the sea. There it
'loatcd, although only those with
glasses could make out that it had
not sunk. Tho excitement while the
,oats were darling to the rescue, was
intense but soon fleet of all kinds
If craft gathered around the wreck.
rhe force with which the aeroplane
Iad fallen caused fears that the avi-
tor might have been killed i'm the
wreck if he had not been drowned.
,ut signals from the ships finally
old those on shore that Latham had
scaped. although somewhat injured.
t was nearly o'clock when the Es-
opctte came along side the pier to
and Latham and his machine, which
vas seen to be much larger than
;lerot's little flyer and the crowds
heered the bandaged hero enthusias-
ically He was followed to the hotel
y thousands.
The crew of the EscOpette said that
he destroyer was ten miles from
alais when Latham started and he
vertook them in quarter of an
our. waving his cap as he passed
eft is another case of real hard I
Ick." said Latham in discussing his {
lilure when / started everything i
AS very rosy. The wind was just |
ght and the rain was not serious |
npediment. rose 500 feet and I felt !
,n6dent of reaching Dover The q
Dlendid sensation of coming triumph |
ripped me: / felt that victory was l
ithin my grasp. u
.The engine was working with u
thmical accuracy, delightful sound a
, me seemed to stand still over a
moving plateau Of blue, but IN reality s
was travelling at great speed. In q p
Nv moments it seemed | could discern {
,e dim grey line of the Dover cliffs. I
, ten minutes I must have gone at
asst eight miles. The coast seemed n
rise. to grow with every puisation
the motor
Half way across / felt there is
over. | looked at the motor al
as right. Twenty minutes, | thought {
nd | shall be on those cliffs.
anced around momentarily Calais
I'd its great tower were mere hay
les Dover was plain. even ci
ought l could see the people. Then ei
Thin three miles of the coast | heard 81
G sirens and hooters. My heart beat T
pidly at the inexpressible feeling oil W
ming victory ] looked for the mo- II
ent of descent Then came the OF
agedy. was only mile and a half al
ON the harbor mouth \ dead be-
ence: the pulsations of the motor al
emed to hesitate; they stopped. My III
eed slackened, the engine gave di
throbs and then ceased. ii
lrine these moments | had been ca