Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-20
Latham, French Aviator, Has
Thrilling Experience-Is Pick
ed Up Out of Water Peacefully
Smoking a Cigarette.
GIRLS CROWD ABOUT
AND HUG AND KISS
HIM AFTER RESCUE
Several Thousand Persons Assem-
bled and Entire Population of
Neighboring Village Lined the
Shore Below.
tBy Associated Press.l

CALAIS, July 19.-Herbert Latham, the
French aviator, after waiting for over a
week for a favorable opportunity to at
tempt a flight at crossing the channel
from Calais to Dover, made a start this
morning, but after covering about l6
miles, and while at a great height the
motor failed and the machine fell into
the water. The French torpedo boat de-
stroyer Harpon was close at hand, and
rescued both Latham and his mono
plane.
Latham's start was made from the top
Of the cliff ct sangatte, and under pro-
pitious circumstances.
Anticipating an early start, Latham
slept in a shed of the old tunnel works
at the foot of the cliff, where the mono
plane was housed, while NJ. Lebavasseur,
the Associated Press correspondent, and
the constructor of the machine, who was
to give the signal when the start was
to be made, slept on board the torpedo
boat destroyer Harpon off Cape Griz>
Nez. -
LATHAM CLAPPED HANDS. d.
At the first streak of dawn Latham
came out of the shed clapping his hands
with joy at the sight of the smooth sea.
The sky was overcast, but the wind was
hardly percaptible. few minutes later
gun fired on the Harpon confirmed the
daring aeroplanists opinion that condi-
tons were right, and an automobile was
dispatched to Calais to apprise the au-
thorities that a start would be made be-
tween and o'clock.
While the monoplane was being taken
out and pushed to the top of the cliff a
crowd of several thousand persons as
sembled to witness the start and the en-
tire population of the neighboring viii
lagos lined the shore below Latham was
In high spirits as he carefully inspected
every part of the machine, and on max
ing several trials with the eight-cylinder
motor found the machine perfect. There
was a wait of an hour until the torpedo
boats and tugs, strung out in a line to-
ward the horizon, took up their positions.
Finally all was in readiness and the
monqplane was pushed back two hundred
yards from the crest Of the cliff, which
has prec!pitous fall of two hundred feet
to the sea. Latham was clad in a knicker-
booker suit and had donned life-pre-
server. He showed no signs of nervous
ness as he shook hands, with his friends
on mounting the saddle.
START THE MOTOR"
Start the motor" he cried to his as
sistants, and then with nod of his head,
See you in Dover" with the starting
the machine running along the ground
with increased momentum at every turn
Just before reaching the edge of the
cliff the aeronaut touched the horizontal
lover and the machine, with it's white out
stretched wings rose gracefully and sailed
out over the shining waters, amid a roar
of cheers from the cliff and shores The
Inonoplane. after leaving the cliff, ascend
ed gradually until 1t probably was three
hundred feet above the sea. Then, straight
as an arrow, it continued its flight to
ward the English coast, apparently under
perfect control, at a rate of about IS
miles an hour. The black hulled destroyer
Harpon kept almost under her aerial COM
panion, and at the end of ten minutes
both disappeared in the haze on the
horizon. .-
AVIATOR GETS OVATION.
When the torpedo boat destroyer enter
ed the harbor with Lathtm andLebevas-
seur aboard, the daring aviator received
a tremendous ovation. Dozens of times
he was compelled to kiss girls who threw
their arms about his neck. .-..
M Latham said the motor failed about
twelve miles out and owing to the slow
ing down of the engines he was unable
to remain longer in the air. The aviator
was neither injured or discouraged and
declared his intention again Of trying to
cross the channel.
WofchoY-c of Hover ..