Omaha daily bee., 1910-12-24
North Sea Claims as Victim Man Who
Braved Winds.
wARsH1Ps AID IN FUTILE HUNT
Wireless Impressed Into Service
without Result All Day.
LOSES HIS BEARINGS AT SEA
lie WINS Last seen seven Miles East
OF Deal, when lie Pointed His
Machine I'm an Easterly
Direction.

LONDON. Dec q. 3.-There was no news
this afternoon OF the fate Of Cecil :.
Grace the American born aviator who
disappeared IN the fog wniie attempting
return flight from Calais. France. to Dover
yesterday H. ls feared that he fell into
the North sea
a great fleet Of motor cars was out all
night searching every nook OF the east
coast of england. while warships scattered
along the shores and dotting the NOrth
va. swept the waters with wireless Inquiry
concerning the sirman. These futile eI-
forts we're continued ioGay
Grace went out for the Baron de Forrest
prize Of $4,000 offered to the British avi-
ator who in a BriHsh-made aeropane shall
cover the greatest distance, including the
passage OF the English channel during the
present year. Y. Sopwith had set a mark
OF ia miles Grahame- White prepared for
the competition, but met with a serious ac-
cident before he could get under way Ihe
days during which the record of Sopwith
might be ecllpsed were few, and Grace de-
cided TO make the try yesterday in the
face OF adverse weather conditions.
heavy fog hung over the channel and
obscured the aviator soon after he as
cended at Dover. lie crossed the channel
safely and two hours and half from the
start passed over Calais. He reached the
Belgian frontier and was going fast after
Sopwith's cures when he encountered ad-
verse winds that compelled him TO turn
back. He alighted west of Calais at 23O
o'clock, agan asceuded. pointing his aero
plane toward Dover.
Lost iD the Fog.
Grace was soon enveloped in the fog that
had become more dense. Those who saw
the start say he took northeasterly
course II is evident that he lost his bear
ings, for had he had his proper direction.
he would have reached Dover without
trouble for he had tflt power and his
aeroplane must have behaved well Instead
Of approaching Dover however he was
siEls ed later far TO the northeast, over the
ci6oawin Sands, ihe cNcoedinely dangerous
shoals that extend Oft the southeast coast
OF England some seven miles east Of Deal.
At th.s point tho airman made grave
mistake in his reckoning, for with land
but a few miles to the west. he veered to
the east. and when last seen was heading
over the North sea. At this point he was
swallowed up by the fog. and since then
except FOR the negative inferences TO be
deduced from the absence of news, moth
ing whatever has transpired to throw light
on hs movements.
NErShipa Aid In search,
a false report that he had landed al
Deal for time cheered anxious friends
but when this was disproved every possl-
BILE resource was appealed to TO find him
The warships and merchant vessels alonl
the east coast were instructed to keep a
sharp lookout, but Their wireless exchanges
were an OF the same tenor-nothing seen
s.t.tN.
ties secured the coast in the hope that
Grace had descended at some out of-the-
way point
This afternoon his friends clung to ths
hope that the aviator through a discovery
OF his error n reckoning or by some lucky
chance. had reached the coast OF SuffoR
or Norfolk while the more optimistic
talked OF a record n sht IN the north OF
England. Here again the wish was father
20 the thought, and grave doubt OF the air
mans safety was felt generally.
Many vessels arrived from the North seS
during the day, but none brought word o.
Grace
Grucc Sportsman Aviator.
Particular interest IS felt in the presen
adventure. as Grace is a sportsman "a vlato
rather than professional flyer. lie ha
broken no wofld's records but has mad,
some notable niehts lie was born in Chill
about thirty years aso the son Of the lat
lohn Grace OF the banking house OF W. Il
Grace & CO.. New York. Former Mayo
Grace Of the American metropolis was hi
uncle. Tie was graduated from Columbi;
university and when his parents came e
this country 10 live he studied at oxford
Snce the death OF his father he has mad
his home with his mother here. lie ha
long been interested in sports and is
member of the ROYAL Aero club.
like most avlators, hc has had fcg
tumblcs but none proved serious Tie frs
attracted wide attention when his aero
plane suddenly appeared out OF the haz
and mancuyered over the British war
slips anchored of Shecrness.
The start tlat ne glve the navy EN-
puasized the possbllit cs Of 0irships as in
sIumouts ot war.
Tie used Wright machine az the tim
and. after leayng ,h" harhor flew fit
mites nfty-ora minutes, r.sing az on
time to a haigh, 90 ,Ol fc {. This was o
April 20 last oad more recently he ma