The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-23
Aviator Grace Who Flew Across
the Channel Yesterday
And Started on Return to Eng
land Has Disappeared.
THE LAST SEEN OF HIM
He Was Headed in Direction Of
the North Sea.
Incessant Search of Land and
Water Is in Progress.

London, Dec. 23.-There was no news
this afternoon OF the fate of Cecil s.
Grace, the American born aviator who
disappeared in the fog while attempt
ing return flight from Calais to Do
Yer yesterday. It is feared that he fell
into the North sea. A great feet of
motor cars were out all night search
ing every nook of the east coast of
England while warships scattered
along the shores and dotting the North
sea swept the waters with wireless in
quiry concerning the airman. These
futile efforts were continued today.
Grace went out for the Baron de For
est prize of $4,000 to the British avia-
tor who in a British-made aeroplane
shall cover the greatest distance. in
cluding the passage of the English
channel during the present year. Sop
with had set mark of 174 miles. Ora
bame-White prepared for the compe-
tition but met with a serious accident
before he could get under way The
days during which the record OF Sep
tember might be eclipsed were few and
Grace decided to make the trial yester-
conditions. heavy fog hung over the
channel and obscured the aviator soon
after he ascended at Dover. He cross
ed the channel safely and two hours
Calais. He reached the Belgian 'front.'
Ter and was going fast after SopWith's
figures when he encountered adverse
winds that compelled him to turn back.
He alighted west of Calais at 2:10
o'clock, again ascending. pointing his
aeroplane toward Dover. Grace was
soon again enveloped in the fog that
had become more dense. Those who
saw the start say he took a northeast
erly course. It is evident that he lost
his bearings, for had he had his proper
direction he would have reached
Dover without trouble, for he had the
power and his aeroplane must have
behaved well. Instead of approaching
Dover, however, he was sighted later
far to the northeast, over the Good
win Sands, the exec eedingly dangerous
shoals that extend off the southeast
coast of England, some seven miles
east of Deal r. nsa :
At this point the airman made a
grave mistake in his reckoning, for
with land but q 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 deducted
from the absence of news. nothing
whatever has transpired to throw
| light on his whereabouts
A false report that he had landed
at Deal for time cheered anxious
friends, but when this was disproved
|
| to to find him.
Friends Still Hope.
This afternoon his friends clung to
| the hope that the aviator through a.
| discovery of his error in reckoning or
| by some lucky chance had reached the
coasts of Suffolk or Norfolk, while the
| more optimistic talked of a record
fight terminating in the north of Eng
land.
| Many vessels arrived from the
| North sea during the day but none
| brought word of Grace. Particular in
| terest is felt in the adventure as Grace
| is a sportsman aviator rather than a
| professional f1ier. He has broken no
| world records but has made some
notable flights. He was born in Chile
about 80 years ago. the son of the late
| John Grace of the banking house of
| w. r. Grace & Company, New York.
Former Mayor Grace of the American
metropolis was his uncle. He was
| graduated from Columbia university
| and when his parents came to this
| country to live he studied at Oxford.
| Since the death of his father he has
made his home with his mother here.
He has long been interested in sports
and is a member of the Royal Aero
| club Like most aviatorS he has had
| a few tun bles but none proved serious.
He first attracted wide attention
when his aeroplane suddenly appeared
/ out of the haze and man over
| the British warships anchored off
| Sheerness. The start that he gave the
navv emphasized the possibility of air
| ships as instruments of war. He used
| a Wright machine at the time and
after leaving the harbor flew fifty
miles in 81 minutes. rising at enc time
| to height of 1,50O feet.
/ This was on April 80 last and more
recently he had given several splendid
| exhibitions.
]