PEKIN TO PARIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 17 August 1907, Page 4

PEKIN TO PARIS.

A WONDERFUL MOTOR JOURNEY Our cables the other day announced the arrival at Paris of Prince Borgheae, the winner of the Pekin to Paris motor race. The race lias caused considerable excitement all over the world, and the result was looked forward to with universal interest. The competitors started from Pekin on the morning of June 10th. 'The departure was made from I lie French barracks, which were decorated with bunting, and was witnessed by nearly all the foreign residents at Pekin, including Sir Robert Hart, and the French, United States, and Austro'Hungarian Ministers. A French band, playing selections of music, preceded the e-ir-t. and accompanied them ont of the Legation ipiarter, down a pun ion of one of the main streets leading to the north city w ill, whence the cars sot off on tlieir long journey, amid the enthusiastic cheering of the spectators and shouts of ''Bon voyage!" There were five entrants for the race, their names and cars being as follows:—Prince Scipio JSorghesc (the winner), Italy, Italia car; M. (lucldard. Holland, Spyker car; M. Pons, France, 'J'ri-Contal car; It. Cormier. France, Do Dion-Boulton; M. Collision, Fiance, Do Dion Boulton. The reports of the early stages of the race state that the Chinese were very much astonished, as motor cars had never been seen in Pekin before. The preparations made for the journey were vel'y complete. Every car was practically a travelling workshop, carrying collapsible bridges, ropes and pulleys, and other appilances for surmounting obstacles, which varied from mountains to fragments of rock and lakes of mud. Arrangements were also made for the replenishing of petrol tanks at various posts along the road, at which stores were left by a caravan of camels. It is stated that these caravans had spread the news that a number of mad white men were coming in carts which moved by themselves, but 110 hostility from the natives was expected. At lirst the Pekin Government placed many obstacles in the way of the race, but these were ultimately overcome. At different parts of the route the motorists were met by natives on horseback, who ran races with the cars: and at some of the settlements Hie women, much bejewelled, offered the travellers milk, which was gratefully accepted. It is worth noting that Hie telegraph office at t'ong-kiong had been open for seven years, and the telegrams in relation to the race were the lirst to be despatched from it. Previous message told of the collapse of one car, and of tile arrival of three others at a town on the Trans-Siberian railway; but nothing further has been chronicled regarding those who started with Prince BorghcM> in the race. The whole distance is estimated at. 10,000 miles. The winning car is capable of running at a speed of SO miles an hour, .but on one nnrtion of the lo"-:ey it Itook o'/', hours to cover ;!S miles. No doubt tlie details of the whole journey | when they come to hand will make interesting readi j.