Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-29
TO REPRESENT j. S.
IN BIG CUP RACE
| Lieut.. Thomas Milling Is Ex-
peCted to Fly in France
Next September.
AMERICAN CHALLENGER
BEING BUILT ABROAD
Experts Think Winner of World
Trophy Must Make Speed of
125 Miles an Hour.

1t has been practically settled that
Lieut.. Thomas Milling OF the army av-
iation corps will represent America In
the Gordon Bennett cup race in France
this summer. An American syndicate
is having a cup challenger built In
France, where it will be ready for de-
livery to the syndicate July Is. 1t will
be a Deperdusan machine with a twenty
cylinder, 2OO-horsepower Gnome motor.
This will make the whole of the chal-
lenger apparatus of foreign design, ex-
cept the aviator, similar to the time
when the cup was last won for the
United States by Charles D. Weyman.
in the English competition of 1911.
There is no doubt that the race will
be won this year at the rate of 125 miles
an hour or better. Jules Vedrines. who
won the cup at Chicago last fall. flying
1851 miles per hour, has since that time
put the mark up to 1OS miles. Maurice
Provost, the other member of the
French team last year, has been flying
empowered machines until about a
1l5 miles an hour. Since then he has
flown 117a miles an hour with ma
chine of 140 horsepower.
Nav Build Faster Machine.
The chances are of course, that a
speedier machine than that ordered by
the American syndicate will be built IN
France before the big race in Septem-
ber There may, Of course, be some
other American entries. but SO far Lieut..
Milling is the only one in sight.
Official orders allowing Lieut.. Milling
to oil 70 in
been issued. 1t Will be a private un-
dertaking on his part. And II he flies
he will be on furlough. 1t is practically
certain, however, that ne VIII De the
one and probably the only one or the
American contestants. He recently made
a cross -country flight of 240 miles and
return while on duty at Texas ana Is
regarded as the most expert aviator IN
America with the possible exception OF or,
vile Wright himself 1t is not at all
likely that Mr.. Wright will take part
in the races, as he has never flown In any
public exhibitions, and 1t is understood
there is a provision in his contract with
the Wright company against any public
flying.
The International Aeronautic Fedora
ton. with it's headquarters in France.
controls aviation all over the world. IL
has been urged to issue a ruling COW
ering the Gordon Bennett race, provid-
ing that each country competing for
the cup must be represented not only
by a native aviator, but a machine and
motor of native construction. This
provision has not yet been promulgat-
ed, but if the cup is again won this
year by an American aviator in a for
eign- built machine the chances are that
such a ruling will be issued.
Lots of Practice Needed.
If Lieut.. Milling flies the 20O-horse-
power machine now contemplated 1T
will require a great deal of preliminary
practice in order for him to control it
in the air. In this case he in all
probability will have to go abroad
quite soon for preliminary training.
The race will be flown some time in Sep
TENDER, but the exact place and date
has not yet been settled. If such a very
asst machine is flown it will necessitate
anding at about ninety miles an hour,
:, hich, in itself is no small accomplish
ment. Nedrines, with his 105-mile ma
hine, had to land at about seventy
miles an hour, and il the race is won
at 12j miles this will necesstate landing
at about ninety miles an hour.
Lieut.. Harold Geiger, who has been
dying a hydro-aeroplane for the army
II San Diego. Cal, has been ordered TO
Honolulu, where he will establish an
aviation center. He will leave for his
new post some time at the end of July.