Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-08-29
N BlEal0T A G10D SECOND
Though Handicapped by Accident,
Frenchman Who Crossed Channeis
Finished Twenty kilometres Less
Than Six Seconds Behlnd--curtiss
Officially Congratulated.

: RHEIMS, Aug 2S.-The international
cup OF aviation. known also as the
Gordon Bennett trophy, WIS won to-
day by Glenn II. Curtiss. the Ameri-
can In the fastest aerial journey CT
20 kilometres G2.42 miles,. ever ac-
complished by nan. Ills time, Is min
utes. 80 2-5 seconds. was only SO
seconds faster than that made by
Dler.ot over the same course.
The other two pilots who represent
ed France, Latham and Lefbyre, I'm
ished respectively in IL minutes, 32
seconds. ard 20 minutes. AZ 3-5 Sec
onds. Cockburn, an Englishman. ran
into haystack as he was maneouver-
Ing for the start and did not cross
the line.
Several other machines. wfEch were
expected to start, were not ready
within the time limit.
The race lay between Bieriot ana
Curtiss, with Latham as 3 possfbse |,
outsider. Lebfvre on previous per-
formances apparently had no chance.
Fortuned favored the American.
Accident Handicapped aleriot.
An accident two days ago to Be
riots powerful fast machine, with
which he held the lap record. was
serious handicap. since lie had no OPP
portunity to try out after the repairs
curtiss stole a march on his rivals
by getting away early. Finding con-
ditions favorable at 10 o'clock In the
morning he decided to take no
chances in the tickle weather and
after trial trip in which he made
the circuit OF the course in minutes,
55I-5 seconds, lowering the worlds
record nine seconds, he started I'M
mediately on his attempt to win the
cup.
He handled his machine which new
along at a speed never before wit
messed. in mastery style, especially
Mt the turns which he took on the
down grade. The first round, meas
uring 6.2I miles, was made IN min
cites, 81 2-5 seconds. somewhat slower
than the trial time, bat the second
round was covered In Z minutes
53I-5 seconds. another worlds record
sIeriot disappointment.
Bleriot, the French iavorite, whose
machine was equipped with four
biaded propeller, made trial Dut
could do no better than Z minutes.
57i-5 seconds for the round Then
he substituted two bladed proreaier'
but this proved slower still and the
French begun to dought the ability
of their champion. Bleriot replaced
the original propeller and tinkered
with his machine for severa. hours.
In the meantime Lefbvre in
Wright bi-plane. few over the course.
but his time was five minutes slower
than that OF Curtiss.
The exciteR<st grew steadily as ,
o'clock which the public understocd
was the time limit for starting in this
event. approached.
Crowd Begins TO Mvrmer.
Al ; o'clock the crowds concluded
that the two French champions had
defaultcd and a murmer Of protest
arose. hut a minufe later il was ofh-
ciaIlv announced that the wording or
the rule mad Detu hflruDo't $3.50 -
that the rule allowed a start 10 De
made any time before half past I'VE
O'Clock.
A few Minutes later Sleriot ana
Latham crossed the line IN quick enc
cession
Blesiot went BY the tribunes at
terrific pace and for a moment TIE
Americans feared Curtiss would Dc
beaten. He finished the round In al
most the identical time Of CurtisS
tastes; lap. covering the ten kilo-
metres N : minutes. 81 s-s seconds.
but HIS speed seemed sppreciasiy 20
decrease IN the last round and before
be reached she final trrn the SOP
watches showed that ne had lost.
American Victory Popular.
The French crowds uere gre1fiy
disappointed at the failure o. their
counfrymenf. bot largely OWNS % the
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