THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1911. A GREAT RACE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10409, 1 September 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1911. A GREAT RACE.

The J>aily Mail's irace for £IO,OOO around Great Brtaiau was a magnificent contest between two mem, Beaumont and Vedrineis. Beaumont, whose meal maim© is Oonmiea'U,, is a French naval officer, white Viedrines is a poor and not highly educated Firiench mechanic. To Vedrinies tho iprize imioney meant a great deal, and he isaid so quite openly. He tod the (hardest of luck, for it was calculated that aif 'he had mot,lost time in piiiokinig up the right landing places, the wouH have just 'beaten Beaumont at the -finish. Beaumont's knowledge of navigation gave him au advantage especially between Stirling (and Paisley. Beaumont' flew straight for tihe .racieaoairsie, 'and landed., but Veurines could mot pick up ,th© place for ■tine ismoke and mist, and dropped . into a field, where lie asked the way of some men. He mistook what ihey said, and by the time he al-rwed at the course he- had Joslfc fifty minutes. Vedrines picked up some of -fclaiis It st time on the irum to Carlisle, and both men. took ©read; (risk® im going ota in heavy weather. The machines rocked and .swayied in tine wind as they slushed over mountain and moor, and iConnieau •said afterwards -ilia* isoroetimes he dropped 300 feeifc in a:r ,pookets>. Vedrineis, who istcruck heavier weather than his opponent, was pelted with 'big hailstones:, and tossed (about until he was l "isieaisiick," but with £IO,OOO in drronlt of Mm he set his tee'th and plunged otru through storm. His third piece of bad luck j occurred at Bristol, whene, owing to the crowd being allowed ito swarm oveir the official ground, Viedones did not recognise at as .such, and ialighted at a private aerodome. In. alighting he broke a iStay. tFlyfog m'agniificently, he made up a good deal of time, but tli© mistake in landing cost him Baxty-six imimutes. When, aifiter flying ito the official aorodome, he :aw , (Beaumont'is aeroplane", he broke v

down and oried like a child. Vedrimes was disconsolate about hiis failure, .but, like a good sportsman, he congratulated Beaumont, and the two were photographed together. The fact that the English aviators were hopelessly outclassed is not pleasant rto. British pride. Mr (kahaime White atifcributies .this failure to that ; amateur .touch which is characteristic of so m/uicli English, endeavour. The Frenchmen' made the most careful .preparaitdonis., attending to every detail, and almost living with their tmiachin;eis. ' 'What was happening in (tine English camp? Our young gentlemen, were not bothering tbemsel- ' ves very much. They were ta-king tea. and talking to the pretty ladies, | and letting things islide Good heavens, if I had been going in for .such a race I ishould have islept .under my .machine and. lived in m|y ished, and thought of nothing i else."