New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-25
FEAR HAMEL LOST
CROSSING CHANNEL
Left Villacoublay, France, on
Saturday Morning-NO Word
After As Hours.

by 'dbAf w INV Ai'hNh'fi
London. May 25.-The deepest public
anxiety is felt concerning the fate OF
Gustave Hamel, the famous aviator.
He had gone to France to bring over
a new machine. which had been spe-
cially prepared for the aerial Derby
which was To have taken place around
London on Saturday He is known to
have started from the aerodrome at
Villacoublay at 4:30 a. m. on Satur-
day, but he has failed TO put in an
appearance on this side of the channel.
Inquiries made in all directions
proved fruitless, and yesterday anxiety
deepened to serious alarm. No news
Of him had been received up to l
O'Clock this (MondaY morning, al
though vigorous search had been made
in the Channel by. warships and sea-
planes and inquiries by telephone ana
telegraph had been directed To every
possible point on the English, French
and Belgian coasts.
There is some uncertainty on the
pojnt whether Hamel actually left the
French coast on his 'cross-Channel
fight. Conditions for such flight on
Saturday were dangerous. There was
a mist and stiff southwesterly wind
was blowing. 1t is thought unlikely
that with his great experience OF
weather conditions in aviation he
would make the attempt
Claude Grahame White the aviator,
who went to Calais To investigate
Hamers disappearance. reports that he
learned that a Channel steamer had
seen an aeroplane flying in mid-Chan-
mel on Saturday afternoon.
The only hope held here late tonight
for the safety of Hamel was that he
might have been rescued by tramp
steamship or that he put about and
returned to some desolate spot on the
French coast.
According to advices received from
Paris attempts were made TO induce
Hamel to postpone his flight until the
weather cleared. His machine was not
provided with floats, and i'm the opin-
ion of experts il would have sunk i'm
mediately it touched the water. The
only precaution taken by Hamel was
an inflated pneumatic tire which he
wore about his body TO act as life
buov in case he fell into the water.
Gustave Hamel was Englands best
flyer. Some think he even -Pegoud
Pegoud. the Frenchman. i'm his sheer de-
light in showing disregard for any sort
of peril In the air. only five days ago
he entered for the Northcliffe $4,000
prize for a fight across the Atlantic and
ne was to have started i'm August.
Hamel began looping the loop in the
air at the end of last fall, and on Janu-
airy this year he took Miss Trehawhe
Davies as passenger during loop
flight. He was the winner of the aerial
Derby around London last year, complet-
ing the 94-mile course In 10 minutes. FOR
the last forty miles ne had TO hold his
finger on hole in his gasolene tank
caused by the dropping out OF screw.
Another sensational flight was his trip
with reporter from Dover, England. TO
Cologne, Germany. in April last year. 245
miles in 25S minutes. 1t was fully be-
lieved in England that Hamel would win
the transatlantic prize. and he himself
was confident he would make the light
across the ocean this year. His machine
for the attempt was under construction.
The disappearance Of Hamel recalls that
of Albert j. Jewel in october last. Jewel
left the aerodome at Hampstead, Long
Island. for a flight 10 Staten Island ana
was seen some hours later headed for the
open sea. No trace Of aviator or aero
plane was ever found