Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-27
France Leads,

water mas Deen accomplished lo ehO
first time, except by balloon. The press
dispatches tell us that the people of
Dover have been anxiously awaiting
the coming of some such flyer for sew
eral days and that they were much dis
appointed when Bleriot came swooping
down upon the town out of the mist,
unheralded and unphotographed.
His rivals, Hubert Latham and Count
De Lambert have been trying their
best to win the $4,000 prize offered by
the London Daily Mail for the first
|aeroplane to cross the channel. They
expected to make another trial Sun
day morning. but received the news
that Bleriot had preceded them in the
twilight of early dawn. They were
disappointed that they had not won,
but Joined with the rest of the French
nation in rejoicing that the honor came
to France. The good fellowship which
exists among all seekers after the Sc
cret of controlled flight is best exhib-
tied by the expressions of pleasure,
heard on, all sides. coming from those
who are giving fight their whole ener-
gy and attention.
The landing of single aeroplane on
English soil does not mean that the
whole problem is solved and that a line
of aeroplanes for passengers will be
BIeriot rode in what is known as q
monoplane. the most "ticklish" air
craft known and that he exhibited
great daring and not a little skill in
making the flight in that kind of a
machine. His flight is chiefly valuable
as a sort of report of progress. 1t at
tracts the attention of the whole civil
lzed world and shows that continuous
flight from a point selected to a point
certain is attainable. France has
earned a tremendous victory in avia-
ton through the daring Bleriot. He
has not only brought great honor to
himself, but to French genius as a
whole.
The world must yield the palm to
France and Germany in the automobile
industry. 1t was there that the first
and most rapid strides in gasolene
driven cars was made. Until within
a year or two the very best cars came
from there and such Americans as
could afford the expenditure bought
their cars there.
The French applied liquid fuel as
found in gasolene to their marine de-
fences earlier and to greater extent
than did any other nation. They have
made wonderful strides along those
lines. They have had great disasters
and much loss of life, but they have
also had great victories. At the pres
ent time their torpedo and submarine
fleet are the marvel of the rest of the
civilized world.
The Germans have taken the lead
in ballooning and have had their best
success with the dirigible balloon or gas
bag fitted with a suspended frame work
to which is attached motor These
are makeshifts at best and heavy air
currents have upset planned fights so
often that experiments are constantly
being made to produce a motor and
steering apparatus which will overcome
the great pushing power exerted
against the great area of the gas bag
by the wind.
The best avators declare that the
monoplane or bipIane are the only
agents by which commercially profit
able and feasible aviation can be
accomplished. The first purpose of
the experiments is. however, to pro-
vide some means by which an enemy
can sail into a country without encoun-
tering the ordinary engines of war
The facilities for swooping down upon
a well nigh defenceless enemy from
above would give an invader tremend-
Gus advantage. For that reason It is
the military authorities in all countries
who are taking the aviators under their
protection and urging them to their
best efforts.
France has not conquered England
with single aeroplane but she has
shown the world that she leads and
that she must be reckoned as an i'm
portant factor in all future expert
ments. The United States with the
Wright brothers and Curtiss is not far
behind. Germany and England are
spending large sums. private and gov
ernmental. in searching for the secret.
1t matters great deal Who finds it
first and every advance is watched with
bated breath by the other nations.
France leads today. Who will lead to-
morrow?
There seems to be a town in Maine