The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-07-26
BY LOUIS BLERIOT.


DOVER, England. July 26.-I rose at
2:30 Sunday morning, and, finding that
the conditions were favorable. ordered
the torpedo boat destroyer Escopette.
WHICH had been placed at my disposal
by the French government, to start.
Then | went to he garage at Sangatte
and found that the motor worked well.
At 4 a. m. ! took my seat in the aero,
plane and made a trial flight around
Calais of some fifteen kilometers (more
than nine miles), descending at the
spot chosen for the start across the
channel.
] was dressed in a khaki jacket lined
with wool for warmth over my tweed
clothes, and beneath my engineers suit
of blue cotton overalls. A close-ftting
cap was fastened over my head and
ears. My thoughts were only upon the
flight and my determination to accom-
plish it this morning.
At 4:35 "Alfs ready" My friend lie
Blance gives the signal, and in an in
slant | am in the air, my engine MAX
ing $4,000 revolutions, almost it's high
est speed, in order hat l may get
quickly over the telegraph wires along
the edge of the cliff.
Torpedo Boat Follows.
AS soon as | am over the cliff / re.
duce speed. There is now no need to
force the engine. l begin my fight.
steady n sure, toward the coast Of
England. I have nj apprehensions, no
sensation-pas du tout--not It all.
The Fscooette has seen me. She is
driving ahead at full speed. She makes
perhaps AZ kilometers (26 miles) an
hour. What matters it? I am max
ing at least 6S kilometers (over AZ
miles,. Rapidly l overtake her travel
ing at a height of 80 meters (260 feet).
Below me is the surface of the sea.
disturbed by the wind. which is now
freshening. The motion of the waves
beneath me is not pleasant.
Ten minutes are gone. I have passed
the destroyer, and l turn my head to
see whether / am proceeding in the
right direction. i am amazed. There
is nothing to be seen-neither the tor
pedo boat destroyer nor France nor
England. l am alone; l can see Moth
ing at all.
For ten minutes l am lost, it is a
strange position to be malone,
guided without a compass in the air
over the middle of the channel.
| touch nothing, my hands and feet
rest lightly on the levers. l let the
a%eroplane take it's own course. l care
not whittier it goes.
For ten minutes | continue, neither
rising nor falling nor turning, and
then, twenty minutes after l have left
the French coast, l see green cliffs and
Dover castle, and away to the west. the
spot where l had intended to land.
i What can | do? 1t is evident the
wind has taken me out of my course.
l am almost at st. Margaret's bay,
going in the direction of Goodwin
Sands.
VIII Fly No More.
Now it is time to attend to the steer
ing. 1 fly westward, chopping across
the harbor, and reach Shakespeare
Cliff. l see an opening in the cliff.
Although l am confident l a continue
for an hour and a half, that / might,
indeed, return to Calais, ] cannot re-
sist the opportunity to make a landing
upon this green spot. At nee l stop
my motor, and instantly my machine
falls straight upon the ground from "a
height of 20 meters as feet). In two
or three seconds I am safe upon your
shore. b
Soldiers in khaki run up, n police
men. Two of my compatriots are on
the spot. They kiss my cheeks. The
conclusion of my fight overwhelms me.
Thus ended my flight across the
channel-a flight Which could easily be
done again. Shall l do it? l think not.
lave promised my wife that after 4