Part 9 (2/2)

This took so long that his French rival, M Paulhan, was able to complete his plans and start from Hendon, on 27th April So rapidly had Paulhan's machine been transported from Dover, and ”asse ready at Wormwood Scrubbs, was taken by surprise when he heard that his rival had started on the journey and ”stolen adaunted, however, the plucky British aviator had his ht out, and he went in pursuit of Paulhan late in the afternoon When darkness set in Mr White had reached Roade, but the French pilot was severalfeats in the history of aviation Mr

White knew that his only chance of catching Paulhan was to h this was extremely hazardous he arose fro, some hours before daybreak arrived, and flew to the north His friends had planned ingenious devices to guide him on his way: thus it was proposed to send fastthe route, and huge flares were lighted on the railway; but the airhts from the railway stations

Over hill and valley, forest and e, the airman flew, and when dawn arrived he had nearly overhauled his rival, who, in co pursuit, had not yet started

But now came another piece of very bad luck for the British aviator At daybreak a strong wind arose, and Mr White's machine was tossed about like a mere play-ball, so that he was compelled to land Paulhan, however, as a pilot with far usts, and he flew on to Manchester, arriving there in the early

Undoubtedly the better pilot won, and he had a truly nificent reception in Manchester and London, and on his return to France But this historic contest laid the foundation of Mr Grahareat reputation as an aviator, and, as we all know, his fame has since becohts (Cont)

About a month after Paulhan had won the ”London to Manchester” race, the world of aviation, and eneral public too, were astonished to read the announcement of another enormous prize This time a much harder task was set, for the conditions of the contest stated that a circuit of Britain had to bea distance of about 1000 miles in one week, with eleven compulsory stops at fixed controls

This prize was offered on 22nd May, 1910, and in the following year seventeen coress of aviation at this time, e read that, only a year before, it was difficult to find but two pilots to compete in the much easier race described in the last chapter Much of this progress was undoubtedly due to the immense enthusiasm aroused by the success of Paulhan in the ”London to Manchester” race

We will not describe fully the second race, because, though it was of i since becoreat exciteine troubles, breakdowns, and other causes soon reduced the seventeen competitors to two only: Lieutenant Conneau, of the French Navy-who flew under the name of M Beaumont--and M Vedrines Neck to neck they flew--if weexpression--over all sorts of country, which was quite unknown to them

Victory ultimately rested with Lieutenant Conneau, who, on 26th July, 1911, passed the winning-post at Brooklands after having conificent ti about 45 h defeated, ely to his ability to keep to the course--on two or three occasions Vedrines lost his way--and doubtless his naval training in e over his rival

The third historic flight was ust, 1913

This was an attempt to win a prize of L5000 offered by the proprietors of the Daily Mail for a flight round the British coasts The route was fro the southern and eastern coasts to Aberdeen and Croh the Caledonian Canal to Oban, then on to Dublin, thence to Fal the south coast to Southampton Water

Two iht was to be ine Hitherto our aeroplane constructors and engine companies were behind their rivals across the Channel in the building of air-craft and aerial engines, and this country freely acknowledged the h in the European War it was afterwards proved that the British airman and constructor were the equals if not the superiors of any in the world, at the date of this contest they were behind in many respects

As these conditions precluded the use of the faine, which had won so ine made abroad, the competitors were reduced to two aviation firms; and as one or these ultimately withdrew froston-on-Thames and Brooklands entered aAustralian airman, Mr Harry Hawker This skilful airman came with three other Australians to this country to seek his fortune about three years before He was passionately devoted toin his native country, he had been intensely interested in the progress of aviation in France and Britain, and the four friends set out on their long journey to seek work in aeroplane factories

All four succeeded, but by far the most successful was Harry Hawker

Early in 1913 Mr Sopas looking out for a pilot, and he engaged Hawker, who at Brooklands

In a , and in June, 1913, he tried to set up a new British height record In his first atteine froze, and as the pilot hier of frost-bite, he descended

About a fortnight later he rose 12,300 feet above sea-level, and shortly afterwards he perfor with three passengers to an altitude of 8500 feet

With such achieve that Mr Sopwith's choice of a pilot for the water-plane race rested on Hawker His first atteust, when he flew from Southampton Water to Yarmouth--a distance of about 240a holiday at Lowestoft, watched Mr Hawker go by, and his machine was plainly visible to an enorret the pilot was affected with a slight sunstroke when he reached Yarmouth, and another Australian airman, Mr Sidney Pickles, was summoned to take his place This was quite within the rules of the contest, the object of which was to test the ine rather than the endurance and skill of a particular pilot

During the night a strong wind arose, and next ht, the sea was too rough for a start to be made, and the water-plane was beached at Gorleston

Mr Hawker quickly recovered froust, he, with a er, left Cowes about five o'clock in thein his second attempt to ate, and here he had to descend in order to fulfil the conditions of the contest