The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-18
HE is AN AMERICAN.
Moissant Has Set a New Mark for
Ayiators.

Deal, Eng, Aug. 1S.-It has been
reserved for an American citizen to
perform one of the most daring feats
in the history of aviation. John B.
Moissant of Chicago, who flew across
the English channel from Calais to
Tilmanston with q passenger, far sur
passed the feats of Bleriot, DeLesseps
and the English aviator Rolls, who
afterwards met his death at Bourne
mouth. The two-man flight from
France to England was the more as
tonishing. for it was only a month
ago that Moissant learned to fly and
he made so few flights and was so lit
tie known among air-men that even
his nationality was not disclosed. He
was reputed to be a Spaniard and it
was only when he landed in England
that 1T was revealed that he is a
young Chicago architect.
To make the feat still more sur
prising, Moissant was totally ignorant
of the geography of his course. He
had never been in England and was
obliged to rely entirely on the COM
pass. while the crossing of the chan
mel was accomplished in the teeth of
q strong westerly wind.
The channel flight was an incident
in the aerial voyage from Paris to
London. Moissant left Issy with HUI
bert Latham and reached Amiens in
two hours. Latham's aeroplane was
wrecked and Moissant, leaving
anician, Albert Fileux, who had ac-
companied him across the country,
took his place in the machine when
the motor was set in motion for the
! dash across the channel. Thousands
who had gathered to watch the daring
aviator were amazed and urged him
not to make the attempt in the face
of the half gale that was blowing.
Mcissant cared nothing for the warn
| ings of the people and even the fact
Ifhaf there fOrr,adn ff fr<I-
low in his wake. but only slow NOV
ing tug, did not deter him. He made
the trip in 81 minutes. When he de-
scended his eyes were bloodshot and
greatly infiamed, as the result of a
heavy raii,storm into which he drove
| on approaching the English coast The
| high wind beat the rain into the faces
Of the men like hail and almost blind
| ed them.
An average height of between 800 and
| 400 feet was maintained over the wa
| ter. The cold was intense and both
Moissant and his mechanicial were be-
numbed. When he revived sufficiently
he laughed and said to an interviewer:
This is my first visit to England.
| This is only Nv sixth fight in an
aeroplane,'' he continued ST did not
know the way from Paris to Calais
when I started and don't know the
en- the compass. 1 would like to land
| in Hyde park If can find it.
| My mechanician, who weighs 1872
| pounds, had never been in an aeroplane
| before and did not know where 1 was
| taking him. The people tried to dis
| suade me from making the fight from
| Calais in the gusty wind, but in spite
of the pitching during the crossing of
| the channel the greatest difficulty en-
countered in the trip was landing, the
sea and land winds causing dangerous
| cross currents"
| Asked how he came to attempt such
a flight as that from Paris to London,
| Moissant said that the idea was dis
| cussed in aviation circles in Paris and
was generally regarded as an impossl-
bility. He said that not only would he