Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22
BY SAMUEL TAYLOR MOORE.
Cart. Balloon Section, Army Air
Corps Reserve,

H. Duoyant gas, Will rise NJ uVe-
minute intervals from base ball
park in St. Louis to float on varying
air currents in the eighteenth interna-
tional balloon race for the third James
Gordon Bennett Trophy :.
No matter what the weather, gale or
calm, tempest or sunshine, 20 men,
representing six nations. will soar aloft
in crowded wicker baskets, seeking those
elusive currents which should carry
them farthest from their starting point
That Is the only thing that countS-the
distance covered between landing place
and starting point. Hours spent in the
air. attitudes reached, direction. miles
travelled other than in a straight line,
have no bearing on the result. The
winners will be those two who land with
their basket and instruments intact at
the greatest distance from st. Louis
There should be much public interest
=: Tia international balloon classic this
year becc-Se of the recent demonstra-
tons of airship reliability by the rigid
dirigible Graf Zeppelin. Free ballooning
Is the primary school of all lighter
than-air navigation aerostation as dis
tinguished from aviation.
Zeppelin Handled as Free Balloon.
It is only necessary to reck.;. the
difficulties of the Graf Zeppelin in rs
first attempted fight to America la,k
Spring to establish the relation between
the clumsy Spheroid gas bags and the
modern air liner. When all but one of
its motors became disabled in midair,
the Graf Zeppelin was landed safely be-
cause it was handled as free balloon.
Every airship captain must learn his
A C's of plotting in a free balloon.
1t was in 1906 that Commodore Ben
nett's trophy to stimulate international
interest in aeronautics was FIRST placed
in competition. The winners were
Americans: Lieut.. tnow brigadier gen.
eraD Frank P. Lahm, pilot, and Mai.
II. B. Hersey, aid, flew from Paris to
Flying Dales in England, a distance of
402 miles.
In the 16 races to follow (because of
the war the races were suspended from
1918 to 1920 six other Americans have
gained leg on the beautiful silver
cup, E. w. Mix, in 1909, Alan r.
Hawley, in 1910; Ralph Upson in 1913;
w. T. Van Orman. in 1885, Edward j.
Hill. In 1927. and Capt. William E.
Kepner, in 1928.
Belgians Took Original Cup.
Because under the deed of gift it is
necessary for a national representative
co win the race three years In sue
cesSlon for permanent possession, it was
only last year that trophy came to
America permanently. It was not the
original James Gordon Bennett Trophy,
however. That was won in 1924 by
Belgium, represented by q young lieu
tenant, Ernest DeMuyter. Indeed. from
1920 to 1925 Belgian representatives
won five Of the six races
DeMuyter, who will pilot the Belgian
entry this year from St. Louis, has the
unparalleled record Of having won four
3 the seventeen international balloon
races. No other individual has won
more than one race.
The trophy, which now rests In
America, was donated by the Royal
Aero Club Of Belgium. The third trophy,
which goes into competition this year.
Is the gift OF American aeronautS.
Vagaries Governing Force.
National representatives in the inter-
national race are limited to three to a
country. Until 1909 American balloon
teams were more or less hand-picked.
In that year national elimination race
was inaugurated. Winner and finishers
In second and third places ordinarily
are entitled to represent this country
However, as occurs this year, the win
ner Of a preceding international race
Is automatically the challenged, the cup
defender. AS result only the winner
and runner-up Of the 1929 national race
are represented In the international
classic.
The vagaries of those invisible air
streams sweeping through the heavens,
vagaries Of speed and direction, in
pther words, luck, has much to do with
defeat or victory in balloon racing. The |
interval of time between the take-on
Df the first and last gas bag, or indeed,
the five-n1inute interval between the as
pension of one spheroid and the next,
may mean the difference between being
swept into a thunderstorm and time
10 hurdle the ominous mass of crack |
ling lightning.
Rare Courage Required.
Primary requirements of a racing bal |
loon pilot are: A flrst-class knowledge |
Of meterology to take advantage of the |
most favorable air currents and to avoid |
treacherous weather conditions; con-
lidence in ones ability as a navigator
to fight down the doubt which arises
when clouds and darkness screen the |
landscape for hours on end; stamina
10 remain mentally and physically alert
with little sleep for two days and
more.
Frequently in the enervating cold,
thin atmosphere five miles above the
farth courage is required to fly on when
the country below is wilderness that
means days of toll, privation and hard
Ehip to fight back to civilization after
landing.
Lost Week in wilderness.
The referee Of the current race, Alan
r. Hawley is the embodiment of cour-
ege In the international race of 1910,
which also started from st. Louis.
Hawley and Augustus Post were one
Of the American teams. Morning OF
the second day of their flight found |
A. kIa 10 Of Nixfi1
lion in Northern Quebec. They rode
;he wings of a binding blizzard further |
INTO the wilderness to land near Lake |
st. John, 1,173 miles from their start
ng point. |
For eight days the combined land
forces of Canada and the sea forces of
the United States sought them fruit
lessly. AS hope of rescue was dying. !
Hawley and Post, near exhaustion, poled
INTO the outpost settlement of Chlcou-
tini Quebec, on an improvised raft.
DeMuyter's Second Race in u. S.
1t is peMuyter, the Belgian pilot, |
whom every contestant, French Ger I
man, Dane, Argentinian. American, pc
race in America since his victory in !
1920. Nine years ago he piloted his |
bag from Birmingham, Ala, over the !
appalachian Mountain system, to land |
il Burlington, VT
Two years later he guided the same
talloon from Geneva, Switzerland. |
bcross the Alps to Ocnitza, Run1ania. !
The next race carried him from Brus- |
sels across the Baltic to Stockholm.
The following year he rode the breezes I
from Brussels over the bleak North |
Sea to land in Edinburgh.
Against this marvellous pilot, the
United States is fortunate In being
represented by three of the strongest
balloon teams IN the history of its par ,