The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-22

BY CHARLES p. NoRcRoss


%%~+%~%+<<%<~~
BY CHARLES p. NORCROsS
London, May 21.-(Special.)-F Flying high
and fast wrapped in fog that tied him
blind, marking his course by the sun,
which glowed like a sullen red ball
through the clammy winding sheet of
mist, through silence made uncanny by
drifting clouds of vapor, M. Jacques De
Lesseps today successfully crossed the
English channel in an aeroplane.
Like some flying dutchman unvexed by
wind and weather, the huge pins of the
great craft lifted and wheeled through a
smolder of white. Beneath the staccato
explosions of his motor sounded like the
rattle of musletry in the dense silence
of the fog-hidden worold. Far below. the
channel craft picked their way gingerly
through the dark blank walls of white.
Questing horns and hooting sirens flung
their plaintive walls across the tumbling
waters. seeking guidance. but their NUT
ter was lost in the deadening envelope
and did not reach the gallant little
Frenchman swinging alone at a great al
titude.
This second conquest of the channel
failed to attract the attention that the
Bleriot feat did last year. so fast has the
science of aviation run that what yester-
day was most startling feat, today is
matter of course Paulhan's flight to
Manchester. Bleriot's last years trip
across the channel Lamberts heart
sitting swing across Paris and around the
Eiffel tower, Paulhan's mile in the air.
all have brought the spectacular to the
level Of the commonplace and yet the
feat of today was not devoid of heart
throbs.
DeLesseps who had intended making
the flight some time ago, but had post
poned it owing to Englands national
mourning, set out from the Cliffs of Ca
lais at $40 this afternoon. Forty-five
minutes later he broke from the smother
Of fog like giant bird bursting through
a paper screen. A little group had gath
cred on the tall cliffs between Dover and
Deal to welcome him. Word had been
sent forward as to the start.
At the start French turbine torpedo
boat took the water like fash to follow
him, but the fog made it impossible to
track his flight and all the boat could do
was to head straight along the expected
course. and Is minutes after DeLesseps
arrived Ii poked its nose out of the fog
and came tearing toward the harbor of
/. Dover.
The start was to have been made in the
morning, but wind conditions made a
postponement until afternoon necessary.
When the wind died down the fog came
drifting in, but the intrepid aviator de-
termined to start anyhow. Just before
starting the aviator said he thought he
could win the Ruinart prize for cross
channel flight and return to France with
out landing After a final look at the
machine he swung to the seat.
Z The aeroplane rose in splendid sweep
TO an altitude of 600 feet; 1t turned to
England, and off he started. Almost as
soon as he started the whiriing fog came
drifting in on him like a winding shroud.
and In a moment he was lost In It's
smother. Undaunted, he rose higher to
look for clear weather, but the fog rose
with him. Finally he doggedly took his
course from the sun and kept on until the
gray walls of st. Margaret's bay doomed
up through the mist, when, swinging in
a wide area, the aviator brought his ma,
chine to the ground within short dis
tance of where Bleriot landed last year.
He intended to make the return trip. but
weather conditions were such that he
postponed it until tomorrow.
story Of the Vayoge
London, May 21.-(Special.) )-Count Do
Lesseps, in an interview this evening,
said:
when l started from the Baraques
near Calais there was lot of fog, and
when first cleared the ground I got to
height of $50 metres (nearly 1900 feet)
in the hope of flying over 1t, which sue
ceeded in doing.
1T took bearings from a chart. for you
can't use compass on an aeroplane ow-
ing to the vibration. also relied on my
general knowledge of the direction of the
British coast, while the French minister
of marine placed at my disposal a torpedo
destroyer, which left Calais half an hour
before started to give me my derection,
and also as measure Of precaution.
II got only one glimpse of the de-
stroyer on the way across as there were
heavy banks of fog on the channel Wren
was 10 miles from Calais saw her far
below me- knew then that was keep
ing my course for Dover.
my machine behaved admirably.
Eventually | saw the harbor and the
town of Dover beneat;s me. and knowing
that my place OF landing was to the east,
steered In that direction. l had got too
far south TO land near Dover castle as 1
- amended to do. but I made most
descent in better place than
hned to stop
m uneventful fight, but am
I'D to have followed Feriots
II to try to make the return
morrow morning early II the
Hts
leans Nominate Candidate
May 21.-(Special)-The
kounty republican convention
af tho cnurfbousa hare todov v