New-York tribune., 1919-06-16
Made Offer of $4,000 for
Il Transatlantic Flight in
April, 1913, to Encour-
age Plane Development
Looked Forward to War
Felt Something Was Needed
to Protect England From
Casbags of Her Enemies

The Vickers-V -Vimy combination of
Captain John Alcock, pilot, and Lieu
tenant Arthur W. Brown, navigator, in
winning "Thc London Daily Mails"
prize of $4,000 for the successful
fight across the Atlantic takes prize
which has been open for competition
since April 1, 1913. On that date Lord
Northcliffe offered a prize of $4,000
to the first person making a transat-
lantic flight in a hydro aeroplane in
seventy-two consecutive hours between
any point in Great Britain or Ireland
and America in either direction. Later
the conditions were modified to include
other forms of airplanes.
Lord Northclffe's offer aroused great
interest and discussion among aviators
and airplane builders. Many of the
experts did not think the flight pos
sible at that time, but the English
newspaper owner felt justified in max
ing the offer.
Discussed by Northcliffe
In cabled interview to the United
States regarding the prize, on April 6,
1913, he said:
ut is natural that the proposed
peal to the spirit of an adventurous
people like the Americans, more espe-
cially as the great feat will have been
achieved by the invention of Wilbur
and Orville Wright
at cannot be too often repeated
that flight in a machine heavier than
air owes its origin entirely to the
scientific and practical work of these.
at one time, obscure young men of
Dayton, Ohio.
Before offering this prize of $4,000
for crossing the Atlantic l had many
conversations with the Comte de Lam
bert, friend and associate of the
Wrlghts. also had the honor of their
friendship and advice
ut was my confidence in their work
that originally induced me to offer a
prize for flight from London to Man
chester, which is about the same dis
tance as from New York to Boston:
the first oversee flight from Dover to
Calais, twenty-one miles, and the tri-
angular flight from London to Scot
land and back, of over one thousand
miles. At the time, both in the states
and Great Britain, the suggestion of
such flights were regarded as a joke.
M Distance Near the Record
"The distance between Newfound-
land and the west coast of Ireland is
less than 900 miles. Already nearly
1,7OO miles has been achieved in con-
tinuous flight by an airplane 1t is i'm
material to the progress of the science
of flying whether the flight be made
from Europe to America or from
America to Europe.
"The prize is open to the people of
all natonalities
"Orville Wright told me in Paris six
weeks ago that he believed the two best
fliers in the world were in the United
States and it seems to me not unlikely
that the glorious distinction of being
the first person to cross the Atlantic
in the air will fall to one coming from
America.
"The risks of all pioneers are con-
siderable, but the future is full of pos
sibilties for the waterplane, as we will
call it.
II am not fond of prophecy, but /
look forward with absolute confidence
to the day when oversee travel will
be achieved almost entirely in the air
Object of the Prize
"My chief object in Offering this
/ prize, and also a prize for the circuit
of Great Britain, is to perfect what |
believe to be the best means of air
defence for my country and the most
certain engine for the destruction of
gigantic dirigible gas balloons, which
foreign nations are building, and which
might or might not be used against
u.s.