The Holbrook news., 1911-08-25

only in America and Europe,
 but in far-off countries like
 Japan air craft are being built by the hundreds and scores of exhibi- tons are planned for the next few months. In this country and in Flu rope alone total of more than $1,500,- 900 is offered in prizes for aviators. No such wonderful progress in new means of transportation has ever been witnessed in the world before. The flying machine is coming into general use more than twice as rapidly as did the automobile. Although travel by land and water will not be rivaled by travel in the air for many years to come. yet the airship is likely to out strip all other methods of rapid trans portation within the next year or so.-
 America is still far behind Europe both in the giving of prizes and the flying of machines. This, however, is not likely to continue to be the case. Not even France is showing more ac- dvity in aviation than America is be- ginning to. The list of prizes that are open for competition thus far this year in America totals almost S500.- 900. Under the auspices of the Chi cago Aero club, there will be a tour nament that in the wealth of its prizes and the distinction of its contestants will exceed anything the world yet has seen. The most expert of pilots will be in charge and the most famous of inventors will there meet in contest. The prizes are fixed at a minimum of $200,OO0. At the very first meeting of the club, called by Harold F. McCor- mick. $80,000 was subscribed, and since then the total originally desig- mated has been made up.
 Like all the other contests of this year, it will be cross-country meet that Is, 1t will be long-distance affair and not merely an exhibition. It will be utilitarian, and nothing will be per mitted in the way of competition that will not have for its intent the evolu- tion of the science of aviation. The Chicago Aero club in this particular is following closely the lines laid down by the Aero Club of America, which has for its basic principle the making of mere sport subsidiary to utility and
  enlisted hundreds of thousands of cap ital contributed by men whose eco homie genius forbids a questioning of the correctness of their foresight.
 These men do not fly machines. But at their desks they write out the checks that stimulate pilots" and in- cite inventors to their best efforts. They pay the expenses. precisely as the grocery men" in the days of the Argonauts "grub-staked" the pros pectors for gold and other precious metals.
 Among the other prizes that will be competed for this summer is that of- fered by the Automobile Club of Amer lea, motor reliability, $1,O0O. Then there is the $15.OOO prize offered by Edwin Gould for the most perfect and practical heavier-than-air flying ma chine designed and equipped with two or more separate motors and propell- CTS so connected that they may be op- erated individually or together. There are two big prizes for long flights. One of these is $5O,OOO for a flight across the continent, and the other $30,000 for a flight from New York to St. Louis.
 In England the biggest prize that has been hung up thus far this year is for the 1.000-mile race around Great Britain, and the winners purse is $5O.- 900. On the continent the French governments competition for military aeroplanes has $24O.OO0 in prizes. The prizes at miscellaneous meets and cir cults in Germany. Italy, Russia and Belgium amount to $150.000. There are many big individual events. All