New-York tribune., 1909-07-28
LATHAM AGAIN FALLS
DROPS IN CHANNEL TWO
NILES FROM DOVER.
Great Speed attained on Flight from
Calais s-Aeronaut Injured
Cheered by Cro1cds.

Dover. England. July 27.-FTubert Lathann's SEQ
ond attempt 70 fly across the English Channel end
ed disastrousIy to-day. Utmost in the moment cr
victory his monoplans huJtsred down into the sea
two miles beyond Admiralty Pier like bird with
a broken wing Thousands OF people crowdin< tre
waterfront the fall and for nearly half an
hour they were kept in suspense. not knowing
whether the daring aeronaut had met death nad
again been rescued
feet OF large and small craft raced 70 the
scene Of the accident. pinnace from the British
batteship Russell picked up the unlrc<v flyer ara
put him aboard the French destroyer Escopett.
After surgeon had attended 70 HIS injuries tbs
destroyer brought n. Latham ashore and he
taken 70 the Lord Warden Hotel His face
bardaged and bleeding. his having been brols-
en- The machine. badly wrecked. was hoistsd from
the boat to the pier
NJ Latham's fight TO tire moment Of its
tionaI finish in respects ecpsed M BIsriot'x
He made greater speed. being only twenty minutes
in the air from the time he left coast OF Frznc-
Apparently he steered straighter course than NJ
Bleriot did. as he was making directly for Dover
when he fell
The ending Of the fight furnished a dramatic
scene Shorty after o'clock the ciannor OF sirens
and bells the ships in the harbor gave notice 70
the town that another Channel crossing was TO Be
attempted In a msrvellously short time the water
front. the piers and the cliffs behind the town
were crowded Thousands gathered there many
Of them carrying telescopes. field glasses ana
cameras Soon two French torpedot boats. which
preceded the aeropIans. seen approaching AZ
great speed. thick clouds Of smoke putting from
their tunnels
THE DROP INTO THE SEA.
At s:f4 O'Clock airshp discsrned hssdfng
straight for the centre OF the town The rapidfty
Of it's flight evidenced by the qJiclnsss with
which II grew larger and assumed birdliks out
lines. Suddenly it began slacken speed. at ths
same time gliding toward the surface of the ocean
II huttered a few times and fell Ike wounded
bird.
The aeroplane dropped with lateral incline to
the sea- There II hOated although only thoss with
glasses could make out that It had not sunk The
excitement while the boats were dartins % the
rescue intense Soon feet OF all kinds oc
craft gathered around the wreck. The force with
which the aeroplane had fallen caused fears thar
the aeronaut might have been killed in the wreck
il he had not been drowned. but signals from the
ships finally told those on shore that Latham hsd
escaped. although somewhat injured.
It was nearly o'clock when the Esccpette came
alongside the Prince OF Wales's pier 20 land
Latham and his machine. which was seen to be
much larger BIeriot's little flyer. The crowds
cheered the bandased hero enthusiastically. He
followed to the hotel by thousands. all trying
to learn the details OF the accident
EASILY oUTsTRIPs TORPEDO BOAT.
The crew Of the Escopette said that the destroyer
was ten miles from Calais when u. Latham
started and he overlook them in a quarter OF an
hour. waving his cap as he passed overhead
1T is another case Of real hard luck said NJ.
Lat interview.
thing very rosy The wind was Just right and
the rain was not serious impediment. / to
a height Of five hundred feet and Immediately felt
confidence in reaching Dover The splendid ssnss-
ton OF a coming triumph grtpped me. felt that
victory at last within my grasp
IT did not turn head The engine was work
ing with rhythmical accuracy q delightful sound
20 me. 1 seemed to stand still over a moving
plateau Of blue but IN reality was travelling az
great speed Almost in few moments. II seemed.
cliffs InrSen minutes must have gone at least
eight miles The coast seemed TO rise. To grow. to
issue clearer with every Dulsation OF the motor
Half wav across thought: There ls Dover.
clearly visible. I going spiendidly' looked as
the motor: all right Twenty minutes. 1
thought and I shall be those cliffs glanced
around uomentarily- Calais and its great tower
were mere hazy lines. Dover was growing even
thought I could see the people Then. within fhres
miles o. the coast heard the sirens and hooters
THE AERoNAUTs SENSATIONS.
MY heart beat rapidly at the inexpressibIs feel
ing Of q coming victory. I Ionged for the moment
OF descent Then came the tragedy was only
a mile and a half from the harbor mouth dead
silence: the pulsations OF the motor appeared 20
hesitate; they stopped. My speed slackened: the
engine gave spasnlodic throbs and then ceased
During these moments had been gradually de-
scending- At thirty feet above the water dr1fted
like Injured BIRD fearing 70 alsnt reslzins tnar
1 had failed again.
nv thoughts turned 10 my own safety and lay
down I'm order 10 tighten the force Of the blow as
much as possible Away IN the distance 1 could
see the TORPEDO boats, and wondered Il all would
turn out right AS luck would havs f. struck the
sea with comparative Ightness. not with the splash
that accompanied my previous fall. although the
descent was very rapid My goggles struck piece
Of the plane and cut my forehead was not
anxious as knew that the machine would foat
for soma time. Yet tt seemed tohS Nal1 OeIOF7
I rescued
THE accident was due the motor falling much
a. II I'D on the former occasion do not think
rba+ the rain had anything to do with the failure.
II was very unfortunate because another couple Or
minutes would have taken me over Shakespeare
C1,e However. I will have another try
am fit I do not think the machins was much
damaged. It Will be repaired probably before T
am"
The phvsicfar in attendance to-nisht reported
that Latham had three stitches in his forehead
and two in his nose. but he did not believe that
the seronaut was badly hurt The aeroplane q
being guarded By the police
NJ Latham returned TO Calais by the midnight
boat
Calais July 2-Afte- repairing his nachins.
which was damaged IN early morning trials. HUI
bert Latham pointed his aeroplane in the direction
of England and give the signal for the start across
the Channel at O'Clock this evening An enormous
crowd gathered the hills and Justify cheer5d the
Young aeronaut as he mounted into the air There
was deep gloom when the word was flashed rhsr
he had fallen into the water
NJ Latham followed the coast for about a third
of mile and then. making a graceful sweep
headed for Dover and was soon lost on the horf
zon.
NJ Iathan's attempt to cross the Channel early
this morning had be postponed In trial night
the machine came violently to the ground, smash
ing a wheel and damaging the propeller BY the
tirDa the machine was repaired the wind had m
TaFfe