Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-26
AVIATOR MAKES
CHANNEL FLIGHT
CONTINUED from Page One,

! gtTTTJ
English channel, and stole march on
his rivals. Hubert Latham and Count
de Lambert, both of whom had hoped
to make the attempt today.
Bleriot described his remarkable
fight very modestly.
Il arose at o'clock" he said. "and
went to the aeroplane shed Finding
everything in order on the trial spin, |
decided to make the fight. The French
! torpedo boat destroyer, which was in
attendance, was signaled, and 1t put
! out about four miles. Then | rose in
the air and pointed directly to Dover.
After ten minutes l was out of sight
of land, and had left the warship well
behind. For few minutes l could not
! see either coast or any boat. | tried to
| keep at an average height of $50 feet"
Could Have Gone Higher
| 81 might easily have gone higher,
but 1t would have served no purpose.
This was about the right height,
thought, to clear the Dover cliffs safely.
1.-THE machine dipped toward the
water several times. l put on more
petrol once. l estimate the propellers
were going 1900 to 1400 revolutions a
minute.
1.-The first objects l saw were ships
off the English coast, then I observed
| Deal, and l discovered the wind. which
was southwest, was carrying me
thither. I veered to the southwark to
Dover castle and then saw friends
! hourishing a flag in a valley suitable
for landing. 1 made two circles while
| lessening the speed, and then dived
down, but I came in contact with the
ground sooner than expected. Both
the machine and myself were shaken
up severely.
"A few persons quickly assembled
| and / was helped out, as my injured
| foot was painful. l am exceedingly
glad to be hero"
NJ. BIeriots friends took him quickly
| to the old Lord Warden hotel. Mean
while his wife arrived On the destroyer.
She embraced him, weeping, but they
were soon sitting at breakfast, the
center of a proud gathering of French
people.
The mayor and other Dover officials
welcomed NJ. Bleriot in the name OF
the city and the nation as the pioneer
of international flight.
Townspeople Caught Mapping
Townspeople of Dover, who for three
weeks have been on the alert for the
signal announcing one of the flying
men had started, were caught mapping
A gale was blowing last night and
the weather forecasts promised a
strong wind and squalls. Hence the
operators of the steamer sirens which
were to be blown when the flyer
started, were absent from their posts.
Only a few persons received the wire
less warning of Bleriots ascent.
Nj. La Fontaine, friend of the av-
iator, arrived at the Lord Warden
hotel from Calais at midnight, saying
he had an appointment to meet NJ.
Bleriot at 8 o'clock. The hotel people
thought he was joking.
NJ. La Fontaine selected as a landing
place a cup-shaped depression two
miles east of Dover where the airship
would be sheltered from the wind in
settling. There he planted the French
flag.
The sailors on the ships in the har-
Dor were the first to discover that M.
Bleriot was approaching. They heard
the buzzing from the motor two or
three minutes before they could dis
Germ the aeroplane. Then what looked
like a big white butterfly glided over
their heads as fast as a train of cars,
and with almost as much noise. 1t
reached the cliff near the gray turrets
of Dover castle. SwOoped around in
broad curves and disappeared.
1t was not long before half the popu-
lation of Dover, dressing as they went,
were rushing to the seine. Photogra-
piers and cinematographers were crest
fallen because they had missed the
great event for which they had waited
so long.
The city officials conceived a happy
thought, and with Nj. Bleriot's consent
raised a tent about the machine and
charged sixpence admission to view It,
The profits from this enterprise will
go to the hospitals and the police PEN
sion fund.
The exhibition did big business all
day.
Parts of the framework Of the mono
plane were splintered on landing
Every one expressed surprise at it's
small size. 1t is no more than twenty
feet across the wings, and its weight is
about 400 pounds, the motor being %
horse power.
In this same machine NJ. Bleriot re-
Gently made a cross country trip of
twenty five miles from Etampes to
Orleans. 1t is fitted with an alright
sausage shaped rubber bag. so that it
would float If it should descend to the
sea.
NJ Bleriot said however. he had alb
solute control of the machine through
out, and had no fear the motor would
fail. The only difficulty he experienced
was from the force Of the wind, which
hurt his face and eyes badly. and from
the wind eddies, which twisted his ma
chine about while nearing the English
coast
coneratuIates Rival
Count de Lambert came from Calais
by boat to congratulate his rival. A
telegram was received from Hubert
Latham, who few days ago failed
in his attempt to cross the channel,
saving 81 hope to follow you soon"
NJ Bleriot early announced that II
Latham crossed today he would share
the prize with him. The American
consul at Calais, James r. Miner, who
came here with Count de Lambert. said
on his arrival that he had left Latham
sitting with his head on his monoplane,
weeping.
NJ Bleriot returned to Calais on the
destroyer this afternoon, but will re-
cross tomorrow for the official recep-
tion to be rendered by the Dover mu-
nicipality Afterward he will go to
London, where great demonstration
is being arranged in his honor.