Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-07
COOK WANTS NO ROW NEXT AVIATION MEET
81 Desire No Controversy Aero Club to Make Immediate
Peary Is My Friend" Application
COMMENTS ON EXPLOIT DECISION REACHED TODAY
Doubt of Joint Meeting Club and Chamber
ment of Explorer of Commerce Officials.
COMING TO NEW YORK ONCE ISQUIER APPROVES GROUND
VIII September
Fl on Board the Steamer onnnittee
Oscar II to DraftI Inviat
Aero Club to Make Immediate
Application.
DECISION REACHED TODAY
Joint Meeting of Club and Chamber
of Commerce Officials.
sQUIER APPROVES GRO
Potomac Park, he Declares, Offers
Fine Field-Committeer Named
to Draft Invitation.

Formal application will be made this
week to the Aero Club America for hold
ing the aviation carnival of 1910 In Wash
ington about the month of May.
There was joint meeting of the COM
mittees from the Aero Club of Washing
ton and the Chamber of Commerce in the
office of Charles j. Bell today, at which
a committee was appointed to draft such
an application. There were present at
the meeting Charles j. Bell, DR.. Albert
Zahm, secretary Of the Aero Club Of
Washington; Prof. Willis Moore. John
Barrett, Maj. George Squier. D. ]. Calla-
han. A. Leftwich Sinclair and Joseph
Richardson.
Maj. Squier had been asked to look
over the ground with view to picking
out course, and reported that he was
satisfied that the western end of the
Potomac Park offered as fine a field as
would be needed for the contest He
said that aviation was advancing with
such strides that the course for the
races of 1909 would be entirely different
from that required in 1910. He said
1t was no longer question of six
mile or ten-mile course, but that he
was sure the feature of the next aviation
meet would point flights from Wash
ington to such places as Norfolk, Mount
Vernon and Baltimore, all of which Of
fered excellent landing facilities.
Will Make Decision.
Courtland Field Bishop. the president
of the Aero Club of America. will be
in New York October z, and it is thought
by the members of the Washington club
that he will practically have the de-
cision as to the place Of holding the
next meet. He will. at any rate. find
the application of the Washington club
in due form awaiting his arrival. The
committee appointed to draft this ap-
plication consists of Maj. Squire, John
Barrett and DIR. Albert Zahm.
George Oakley Totten, the Washington
representative who was present at Rheims
is on his way back to this country, and
will be In Washington within q few days.
When he arrives the joint committee OF
the Aero Club and the Chamber of Com
merce will arrange q meeting with him
and learn all that is possible Of the ar
rangements that were made at Rheims
and the cost Of the meet to that city.
The committee at it's meeting today dis
cussed not only the prospects of the Nor
folk-Washington race. but a cross-country
flight from here to Baltimore as well. 1t
is believed that big prize will be of
fered either by the municipality Of Balti-
more or the business men there for such
a race. and that landing place can be
easily arranged in Druid Hill Park.
No formal arrangements have yet been
made for a guarantee fund, but Mr.. Bell
said after the meeting he had no doubt
that there would be million visitors in
Washington during aviation week, and
that the city could well afford to meet
any financial inducements that were held
out by any other city. He said it would
be perfectly feasible to raise a guarantee
fund by popular subscription, as was done
in the case of every Inauguration, and the
returns would be equally as great.
Proposed Race to Norfolk.
The proposal to make a race to Nor
folk one Of the features of the carnival
has taken strong hold of the promoters
Of the meet. The race probably will be
over the water course, which will in
clude the Potomac river and Chesapeake
bay. This would make the distance about
zoo mifes. II the race were made In a
straight line it Is only 145 miles. but it
is not thought that aviation will have
reached the point next year when a flying
machine will want to make the trip over
land. and to do this In a straight line
would not only necessitate flying by COM
pass. but would rob the event of one OF
its most important features. and that Is
demonstrating the availability Of the fly.
ing machine for naval use.,
Flying the course in an air line, while
1t would be interesting as a speed con-
test from point to point, would take the
avtators many miles inland at several
sistance of the torpedo boats that would
be detailed to follow the race along the
water course. The Navy Department
says it would be perfectly feasible ia
have relays OF destroyers and torpedo
boats along the entire course, SO that the
racers would never be out of sight of a
boat should they want it. From the wei
known interest OF Secretary Meyer in me.
chanical fight 1t is thought there will be
no doubt about his detailing as many
racers.
Average Speed Of Tug.
The average speed OF q torpedo boat is
about twenty-five miles an hour, and BY
next year the speed Of an aeroplane /,
predicted to be between forty-five and
fifty. Putting 1t at the high figure. 1,
would take an aeroplane four hours te
cover the distance and a torpedo boat
twice as long. but there would be an
abundance Of boats available to keen the
racers in sight all the time.
Norfolk has taken with enthusiasm te
the suggestion, and while there has no,
been time for much detailed figuring. the
business men there promise to subscribe
contest well worth while.
Naval officers are also enthusiastic over
the plan for water contests, and saw thaI
this is the first time in the world when
there has been a chance to practicable
demonstrate the utility Of the aeroplane
for naval work. They say it would be de.
sirable to have contests for landing or
the water and rising from IT as we'll as
for launching machines from the deck ot
battleship and returning to it after 4
flight. There would be no difficulty abouI
securing the use of battleship from the
navy. and there is enough water for q
battleship between the navy yard and the
railroad bridge. SO that the water eyolu-
| tions could be easily watched from the
Potomac Park.
Two Cities Bidding for Meet.
John Barrett. director OF the bureau
of American republics and an enthusi:
astic member Of the Washington Aero
Club, said he knew that st. Louis and
Cincinnati had both pledged them
selves to raise fund Of 800, 200. IL nec-
essary. to secure the meet The same
amount probably will be necessary from
washington, as the actual expenses for
preparations, entertainment and prize
money Will run from $4,000 to 5000.
The receipts. however, would cover that
amount and probably there would be a
Continued on Eleventh P3gel