Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-11-11
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
TAKEN UP AS PASSENGERS
Postmaster Genera, Hitchcock Is
Among the Prominent Washington
Visitors to Take Flight and When
He Descends Asks for Another
Trip-Accurste Shots Fired in Air.

Try Associated Fressl
BALTIMORE, MD, Nov. to.-Sun-
beams. shot with raindrops. narrowed
the aviation visitors who fiocked to
the field today. The attendance was
the largest thus far. The day was
one of good flying conditions. The
sky, while overcast with clouds OF
varying shades of gray. Offering an
exceptionally good background for the
beautiful pictures made by the fitting
aeroplanes, the program was one OF
great attractions and the audience In
c,uded come distinguished visitors.
Today's flights differed in many re-
spects from anything seen heretofore.
Bomb throwing and target shooting
from feeting airships: aerial gymnas-
ties. that thrilled and there were trips
aloft made by prominent government
officials.
Postmaster General Frank Hitch
cock. after fight with Count
Jacques De Lesseps. was so pleas ed
that he asked Archibald Hoxsey for
a higher fight in the Wright biplane.
But Hoxsey had found the upper air
too gusty to make passenger-carrying
altogether safe and asked the post
master general to wait until tomor-
row. Mr.. Hitchcock expressed him
self as delighted with HIS experience
in the air. After he had been brought
safely to earth. General James Allen.
chief of the signal corps, entered
Count De Lesseps' 100 horse power
Bleriot ano was given the new expert
encc of fight
Prominent Visitors.
In the party from Washington with
the postmaster general were
Secretary of War Jacob NJ Dickin-
son. General William Wotherspoon.
president of the war college Of the
army; Count Zeppelin. Minister OF
the Netherlands Louden. Thomas Mel
son Page and several others, together
with a number of ladies'
The first of the flyers to take wing
was James Radley. at bit after two
O'Clock. he being followed aloft almost
Immediately by Hubert Latham In his
Antoinette Both descended after
brief flights.
A little later Count De Lesseps. In
his 100 horsepower B!eriot, took aloit
for rife practice champion. John 4.
Douw of the state ordnance corps
After trip around the course TO give
the rarksman his bearings. Captain
pouw fired twice az &C" target. u.
:. A. small arms practice. but the
best of the shots mis- sed the mark
by four feet. Latham then tried with
a revolver Covering the target IN
the circumference Of a circle oil
small diameter from his Antoinette,
he twice fired two shots from re-
voIvcr. or these. four shots. two
were hits. one scoring two and the
other three points. Count DE I>esseps
then took up as a passenger Leuten-
ant Dupuy. OF the signal corps OF the
state of New York.
Fiys for Altitude.
lust before three O'Clock J. Arm
strong Drexel began a try for alti-
tude. the wind at the time blowing
at the rate of nine miles an hour. I'm
about ten minutes ne had fioated out
of sight in the direction OF the city.
He returned after trip Of about
quarter Of an hour. reporting the
wind sioft TOO fiuky for light. His
harograph recorded $50 feet only.
though the manner of his fight gave
the Impression of much greater slti-
tBdc to the spectators
Ely went into the air intending 10
try for the Commodore Barry bomb
throwing trophy. but descended be
fore completing lap for the purpose
Of making Establishments TO bis b.
plane.
5ont Throwing Contest.
Latham began the bomb throwing
contest and made score of l. points
with six bombs. One Of these would
have dropped in;o the funnel 81 q
bafsleship. and u therefore counted as
a bulls eve. Under the rules govern
ing the barry trophy contest bombs
must be thrown from a height Of not
les. than fna feet some Of Iathan's
fell from more than double that 'aiti-
iude. and against rising winds.
Drexci followed Latham In the
bomb contest From bis Bieriot he
dropped six 81 the missiles uDor the
outline representing The deck OK a
hafffesliip. bui A. none ~ them struck
= vital spot. his score was only six.
While 10 Was preparing % drop
hts second bomb. Hoxsey. IN bic.
passenger Carrying Wright biplanc.
fcw aero, tho Grand stand from tie