AERONAUTICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 5

AERONAUTICS.

FAST. TIMES ON THE RHEIMS CIRCUIT.

SPEED CONTESTS. AMERICA WINS TWO DISTANCES; (By Telegrapta.-rresß ABjoclatlon.-Ooprrlnbt.l. Paris, August 29.: At the Rheims aeronautical toumoy further flights around the 10-kilometre circuit (ab<mt 6J miles) resulted in tlie time being further reduced. Earlier in the week M. Bleriot, in his monoplane, flew the circuit in 8 minutes 42 seconds. Mr. Curtiss, an American, in a biplane, boat this, taking 8 minutes 35 seconds. M. Bleriot replied with 8 minutes 4 seconds: To-day Mr. Curtiss went round in 7 minutes 55 seconds. . Mr. Curtiss thus wins the Tour do Piste, or speed rooord of the 10-kilometre circuit, M., Bleriot being second. The prizes aro £280 and £120. Mr., Curtiss also proved successful in the double distance, winning the Gordon-Bennett Aviation Cup, a speed contest over a distanoe of 20 kilometres with a prize of £1000 for the winner and a,cup valued at.£soo for his national club. Tho placed aviators and their times are:— . i. Typo qt Time, , Aviator. Machine. min. sec. • Mr. Curtiss ............ Biplane , 15 51 1 M. Bleriot .. Monoplane' 15 56 ... 2 Mr. Latham Monoplane .17 33 ... 3 [The time for the 10 kilometres works out approximately at .78 of a mile a minute—say, foUr-fifths of a mile. This would bo equal to 48 miles an hour. "Safety lies in .-speed", is a motto of Mr. Latham.] .. THRICE VICTOR, M. BLERIOT'S MOTOR EXPLODES. (Rec. August 30, 10.30 p.m.) ' Paris, August 30., . Following tip his success in - tho t\vo shorter distances,, Mr. Curtiss'also won the Vitesse, a speed. competition over 30 kilometres (about 18J'miles), : with prizes of £400, £200, £120, : and £80..',- Mr. Curtiss covered the: distance ' in 26- minutes 40

seconds. • ' '" t In this race, M. Bleriot's motor exploded, and, his'monoplane caught fire. The aviator sought to. alight with his burning machine, which struck tho ground with, somo force. M. Bleriot's hand was. slightly burned. A quarter of a millidn spectators witnessed tho-.finals of the contests. ZEPPELIN REACHES THE CAPITAL. FROM LAKE CONSTANCE. WELCOMED BY, KAISER AND PEOPLE. : (Rec. August 30, 10,30 p.m.) ■ , Berlin, August 30. On Friday Count Zeppelin, in his dirigible balloon, left'his shed at Friederickshafcn, on Lako Constance, on a Northern flight. - The. airship met with, .mishaps "necessitat-. ing stoppages for, repairs, but arrived,-in Berlin yesterday, Sunday. In the capital Count Zeppelin and hiscomrades were warmly welcomed by the, Kaiser in the presence of a: great gathering. The Kaiser drove with Count Zeppelin to the Royal Castle. ' , ,

[On, tjic occasion of Count Zeppelin's lust big trip, a> telegram was received in Berlin, purporting to come'from, tho j Count, announcing' that lie would visit the capitttl''ifl l ''ms' : 'difs'Hip!' The tfeiys'reached the Kaiser,- ' ho, it is said, helped -to spread it. The word went rotind, "Zeppelin ■ 'is, coming,"■ y and .all Berlin,: from ■ the Kaiser downward, > a.«e|nbled to do the veteran aeronaut honour. But-Zeppelin did not comp.'. Owing to some fuel difficulty or similar reason he returned to Constance; and, ythen the telegram was inquired into, the Count denied authorship. So runs the .story. as ,told in London. The incident appears Ho have caused a nasty impression in the Imperial mind which will now, perhaps,' bo effaced.]