New-York tribune., 1910-06-03

Dover, England, June 2.-The Hon.
Charles Stewart Rolls, captain in the
London section of the army motor re
serve, driving a Wright biplane, crossed
the English Channel twice this evening
without alighting. He made the round
trip between Dover and Calais in ninety
minutes.
While two Frenchmen, Louis Bleriot
and Count de Lesseps, have1erossed the
Channel in an aeroplane it remained for
an Englishman in an American machine
to perform the double feat. The dis
tance across between the two points
named is twenty-one miles, SO that his
over-water fight of forty-two miles
without a stop establishes new record.
CAPTAIN Rolls left Dover at $50
O'Clock. The atmospheric conditions
were excellent. He lost no time III
rianoeuvres, but after describing a circle
headed toward the coast of France. Ia
anticipation of the fight torpedo boats
steamed at full speed across the strait
but the pace of the aeroplane was
swifter.
Captain Rolls sent his machine to
height of eight hundred feet, and at that
altitude he skinned through the air like
a gr1at bird. The motor worked per-
fectly. The crowd who watched the
start confidently awaited the return. and
il was not long before the speek which
those who had telescopes saw disappear
On the French coast reappeared, grow
ing larger with every minute.
When finally the aviator became Wis
ible to the naked eye cheer after cheer
arose from the enthusiastic spectators,
and as he gracefully scared toward the
landing place made famous by Bleriot
he was given an ovation. He alghted
at s o'clock, at almost the same spot as
Bleriot. showing little signs Of the strain
of his flight.
When Rolls reached the French shore
he circled the cliffs of Sangatte twice
and then headed straight TO sea, and
made the return at a rapid pace. Three
TORPEDO boats which had been strung
across the Channel in anticipation of the
flight started simultaneously with the
bird-man when he set out for France,
| tut though the boats were driven at full
!
passed by the aviator
Captain Rolls was overwhelmed with
! CONGRATULATIONS as he diSmOunted. but
! these he received modestly. He said
! that much of the credit was due to the
b;plane. which ran perfectly throughout
the whole flight, not missing sparkling
! once.
| AS he was passing over Sangatte the
aviator dropped a paper tied with tri-
color ribbons. containing the following
message: Greeting to the Aero Club of
France, dropped from a Wright aero
plane crossing from England to France
ViVe rententei"
Captain the Hon. Charles s. Rolls has
successively followed the sports OF Dl-
cycling, automobiling, ballocning and
aeroplaning He is the third son of the
first Baron Llangattock, and was born
on August -, 1877. At Cambridge Uni
versity he was the captain of the bicycle
team. Later he competed successfully
ir numerous automobile competitions.
i and was awarded the gold medal for his
performance in the 1,UOO-nIile trial OF
1000 in England. He drove as the rep
rescntative Of Great Britain in the Cor
! DON Bennett race of 1903. Several times
he broke the worlds record for speed
Captain Rolls has made more than
on. Hundred and sixty balloon ascen-
sions. Taking up the sport of h.avier
;han air machines. ne made a flight with
wilbur Wright at lie Mans in October.
1905. on May u last he started to make
the Channel flight. but he had gone
,nlys a few yards when his engine failed
him. and the attempt was abandoned
Louis Bleriot and Count jacques de
/ Lesseps. the French aviators' have sue
oessf fully crossed the Channel. starting
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