The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-27
HNL LATHAM AIR CHAMPION Wrests New Laurels
 From Paulham. M0N0PLANE PERFORMS FEAT Frenchman Competes for Prize of
 $I0,000. Daring Aeronaut Travels Almost Nine- ty-six Miles fin Two Hours and
 Eighteen Minutes--Beats sf His own Record.
NoN0PLANE PERFORMS FEAT

Betheny, Aviation Field, Rheims, Aug. 26.-Huburt Latham, the French avia- tor. today took glorious revenge for the hard luck which he experienced in his recent attempts to cross the Eng fish Channel and his indefatigabie, but hitherto unsuccessful efforts-to accom- plish some notable achievement during the present meeting, by establishing a new worlds record for distance, 15z Kilometres, $50 metres or s5.ss miles.
 Latham covered fifteen laps, or 150 kilometres, in two hours. thirteen min utes and nine seconds, and the full dis tance in two hours, eighteen minutes. nine and three-tifths seconds, which also is worlds record, the flight be- ing at the rate of about sixty-eight and half Kilometres an hour, as com pared with fifty-three and a half made by Wright at Lemans, and fraction under fifty. made by Pauihan yester- day.
 Except for the one lap speed records made by Bleriot and Curtiss this week. and Paulhan's time record in the air, Latham now holds every record for dis tance and speed. Like Paulhan. he de- scended today when the gasoline tank was empty.
 Nachine is Graceful.
 Nothing could have exceeded the beauty and impressiveness of the pro- ionged flight. In grace of lines, no other aeroplanes here compares with Latham's monoplane. The slightly tilted places from the long skiff-like body, give 1t resemblance, when close, to a winged canoe, while sailing high up in the air. 1t looks, from a distance. like a mammoth dragon fly.
 For an hour, with fiuttering wings like a living thing, 1t fought it's way against the storm of rain and wind al an average height of 150 feet. mounting higher as the wind rose. until duSng the worst of the storm, it was up fully 300 feet The contention of the advo- cates of the biplane that the monoplane would be unable to live in a strong breeze, has been amply refuted.
 Latham. earlier in the day. with NO, 13," another aeroplane of the same type. made flight of morN than seventy kilometres, and after he had finished in the afternoon, Count, de Lambert covered 1ie Kilometres t72.s miles) in commanding fashion. Three flights, therefore. in a single day to- tailed more than 210 miles.
 Curtiss DisappOints.
 Glenn H. Cuftiss, the American, had two practice spins, but, although his machine behaved sp1endidly, It's speed was disappointing. An accident Wnich BIeriot suffered about dusk may im- prove, Curtiss's chances for the inter- national cup. While trying to alight in front of the tribune. with Q pas- senger aboard, his big S0-horse power machine, Bleriot crashed into fence. the wings and propeller being broke. He narrowly missed killing several of the spectators.
 whether or not the motor was in- jured has not been definitely deter mined. If so, Curtiss's most dangerous rvial has been put at a disadvantage, as Bleriot intended to use the wrecked machine in the International event, ale though he qualified with another.
 Roguier, also while giving an exhf- bition performance. landed in crowd. lunching on the grass. and slightly in- jured two women and man.
 Bleriot insists that his accident was not due to recklessness, with which he was charged by the crowd. He as- serts that squadron of dragons was moving across the field and crowded him toward the fence. compelling him to choose between landing among the horses or against the barrier.