The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-26
He FLIES ACROSS.
Continued from Page one.)

cliff. AS soon as am over the cliff I
reduce my speed. There Is now no
need to force my engine.
Il begin my flight steady and sure
towards the coast of England 1 have
no apprehensions. no sensations ut al
The Escopette has seen me and she is
driving ahead at full speed She makes
forty-twO kilOmeters an hour. What
matters as 1 am making at least sixty
eight kiIOmeters. Rapidly I overtake
her. travelling at a height of eighty
meters (abOut $50 feet). The m urneEt
is supreme, yet I surprise myself by
feeling no exultatiOn. Below me is the
sea- the surface disturbed by the wind,
which now Is freshening. The motion
of the waves beneath me is not pleas
ant. I drive on. Ten minutes have
gone and I have passed the destroyer
I turn my head to see whether ! am
proceeding in the right direction !
am amazed. There is nothing 20 be
seen, neither the torpedo destroyer nor
France nor England. am alone. 1
can see nothing at all.
For ten minutes / am los. It IS a
strange position to be alone and I'M
guided without compass in the air
over the middle of the channel. 7 touch
nothing. my hands and feet rest lightly
on the levers. I let the aeroplGna taken
its own course I care not whittier il
goes. For ten minutes 1 continue
neither rising nor falling nor turning.
1ItCII twenty minutes dIlGl L tGLL NuC
French coast I see the green cliffs Of
Dover. Dover castle and to the west
the spot where I intended to land
What can I do? It is evident the
wind has taken me out of my course. I
am almost at St. Margaret's Bay and go
ing in the direction of Goodwin Sands.
Now is the time to attend to steering. 1
press the lever with my foot and turn
easily toward the West, reversing the
direction in which am travelling. Now.
indeed, I am in difficulties, for the wind
here by the cliffs is much stronger and
my speed is reduced as 1 fight against
it Yet my beautiful aeroplane responds
steadily. I fly westward, hoping to cross
the harbOr and reach Shakespeare Cliff.
Again the wind blows.
Il see an opening in the cliff. AL
though am confident I can continue for
an hour and half. that 1 might indeed
return to Calais. 1 cannot resist the OPP
portunity to make a landing upon this
green spot. Once more 1 turn my aero
plane and in describing a half circle, 1
enter the opening and find myself again
over dry land. Avoiding buildings at
my right. I attempt a landing, but the
wind catches me and whirls me around
two or three times. I stop my motor.
Instantly my machine descends straight
upon the land from a height of twenty
n eters. In two or three seconds am
safe upon your shore. Soldiers run up,
and policemen. Two o. my cOmpatriOtS
are on the spot. They kiss my checks.
Inc contamination OIL my IllSnL over
WhelmS me. I have nothing to say to the
congratulations of representatives of the
Daily Mail and accompany them to the
Lord Warden Hotel. Thus ends my
flight across the English Channel.
The flight could be easily done again.
Shall I do it? I think not. I have prom
Ised my wife that after the race for
which 1 have entered I will fly no more
Madame BleriOt said: L am very hap
py. It seems a year since I waited on
the bridge of the destroyer. longing for
him to start. Then when he rose, mount
ing like a bird into the sky, my tears
came. How could 1 help it when I
thought of the danger he was about to
enter. My fears vanished when I saw
how well he Vas flying. When at last
he passed over my head 1 clapped my
hands joyiully. Again I was Respondent
when he disappeared from our sight and
/ feared greatly. 1t seemed he could
never reach England I cannot tell what
I felt when I saw him again on the pier
and knew he was safe. I have begged
linn not to fly again. He has promised -