Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-25
French Aviator 0ut. Distances
Wrights at Rheims.
WIND IS NOT FAVORABLE
Esault. Peterie Filler Did Not Leave
Ground.
PERFORMS DANGEROUS FEAT
Daring Paulhan Circles Marvelously
on Hieh for President Fallieres.
Curtiss Penalized.


RHEIMS, August 25.-Paulhan. the French
aviator, flying over the ten-kilometer
course here today, beat the distance rec
ord, held previously by the Wright broth
ers.
He was competing for the Prix de la
Champagne and covered distance of 131
kilometers (s135 miles, in 2 hours. 43
minutes and "a seconds. He covered the
course thirteen times.
His time at the end of the twelfth lap
was hours. % minutes. SO seconds The
Wright record for distance is seventy
three miles, according to the official
measuring.
The wind at noon today was officially
recorded as between eleven and thirteen
miles an hour, but the official wind
gauge is only some thirty feet above the
ground this means much greater veloc-
ity higher up So the white flag is flying
to denote that flights are merely probable.
The program for today consists of a
continuation Of flights for the Champagne
duration prize and for the once around
prize.
The ault-Pelterie machine, which
has been supplied with new wings, was
the only aeroplane to make it's appear
ance before noon. 1t made dozen runs
i'm an effort to leave the ground, but none
was successful.
Competitors who failed to cover three
rounds in the speed contest Sunday have
5 per cent added to their times when they
make three rounds for each day they fail
to start when the speed prize is on the
program.
Curtiss is liable to this penalty, as he
did not qualify Sunday. He had not un-
derstood the regulation and was not warn
ed that he would be penalized. The COM
mittee. learning yesterday of the misun-
derstanding, which was due to the COM
missionaire who was sent to Cur-tiss to
explain the regulations to him, RENTED
the penalty.
But as Curtiss failed again to cover the
course yesterday he is liable to a two day
fine or 10 per cent addition to his time
If he completes SUNDAY. Bleriot is In the
same position. Latham had his time for
yesterdays three rounds increased, under
this regulation, from 30 minutes and 2
seconds to 81 minutes and 80 seconds.
No Penalty for Wrights.
The users of the Wright machines-Paul-
han, Tissandier. Count de Lambert and
Lefebvre-having completed the course on
Sunday. are not liable to any penalty.
The Curtiss machine is arousing great
amount of interest. 1t is visited daily
by British, German and French military
and naval officers and civilians, who are
seeking to buy it or to obtain agencies
for its sale. Prince Albert Of Belgium re-
mained long time in the Curtiss and
Wright sheds this morning while making
an advocate of the cellular system and
is delighted with the results Of yester-
days flights.
Believers in the cellular type Of biplane
insist today that the performance given
v0QfApdav ,hn a
course three times In windy weather at
an altitude ranging from 800 to 500 feet.
demonstrated conciusiveiy the advantage
Of vertical planes In maintaining eaui-
simple biplane Of the Wright type q
lateral wind displaces the center of pres
sure while leaving the center of gravity
the same. This makes necessary wing
whereas the action Of the wind against the
sides Of the cells maintains the center of
gravity at the point of pressure.
Big "Doings" Yesterday.
A marvellous prolonged high fight of
thirty kilometers eighteen and one-half
miles, ia a twenty-knot breeze by Paul
ham and the establishment OF a. new
worlds record for ten kflometers at the
rate Of 74.SlS meters (forty-six miles, an
hour by Bleriot. was the features Of the
aerial race meeting yesterday.
Owing to the high winds there probably
would have been no flights except for the
visit In the afternoon OF President Fall
Heres and his cabinet. The president was
OF the French and British armies His
presence stimulated the sky pilots, and a
dozen machines we're brought out on the
neid. but majority Of them we're unable
to battle against the winds
Young Bunau-Variila, however. with his
machine plunging like a ship in stormy
sea, managed to navigate the turbulent air
currents for one round. Then Paulham
who already had won a-reputation for
courage and endurance. began, his thrilling
hight He made the first two rounds at
an altitude of $50 feet, but, ascending in
front Of the tribunes as he entered the
third circuit, he reached height Of be-
tween 400 and 500 feet The spectators
gazed aloft In admiration. mingled with
horror, as they watched the biplane
strike what seemed a dangerous angle.
The machine swayed In the wind, but each
time righted itself.
Paulham completed his exploit with
wonderful exhibition Of maneuvering. His
hero of the meeting.
Tells How It Felt.
In his shed after the flight the aviator
appeared calm and described the sensa.
lions which he experienced as magnifi.
cent.
why did you venture out in such a
wind?" he was asked.
The president of the republic was
there responded Paulham; 1T was nee
essary to fly
Did you have any feeling of dan
ger?"
Not a particle. I had absolute con-
ndence In the motor"
Why did you go SO high?''
Because said the aviator, lin height
lay security. The higher / went the
safer | was as the wind, though strong.
was more regular at high altiture than
close to earth. where there are air
breakers like waves near shore during q
storm"
Paulham had nothing to gain by the
risks he took as his flight was not
counted in the endurance test, and II is
probable that a much higher rate of
speed will be reached by the contestants
in the Prix de Ia vitesse. Paulham's
time today was six minutes slower than
yesterday for thirty kilometers.
Flies on Low Level
Bleriots record-makins lap was accom-
plished with his eighty-horse- power ma
chine at low level. Latham put two
machines out of commission In an att
tempt to start. Finally, just at dusk. he
got away. and made a superb flight Of