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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0209.PDF
APRIL IO, 1909. Deutsch de la Meurthe, Abel Ballif, Henri Menier, Louis Bleriot; General Secretary, M. Georges Besancen • Treasurer, Comte de Castillon de Saint Victor. Affiliation of French automobile clubs, which have created aero sections, can now be effected, subject to the clubs being already affiliated to the Automobile Club de Prance. An Italian Mixed Aero Commission. IT has been decided to link up the various aero- nautical interests which are claimed to exist in certain associations by the foundation, as in France, of a "Com- mission Aerienne Mixte." This will comprise four members each from the following bodies: The Aero- nautical Society of Italy (Rome), the Aviation Society of Milan, Automobile Club of Italy, and the Touring Club of Italy. Prince Scipion Borghese is the President of this Commission. Blessing Aerodromes and Aeroplanes. LAST week we referred to the innovation of blessing the new aerodrome at Juvisy and the two Delagrange aeroplanes there. We now give in our frontispiece a couple of photographs illustrating this curious ceremony. It will be sean that a sort of grand stand was erected for the occasion, and to the front of this the two aero- planes were brought. The service was commenced by Mgr. Amette, the Archbishop of Paris, delivering an address, in the course of which he said that man by his original fall lost the sovereignty of the air, but the present inventions permit it to be hoped that man may be allowed by Divine grace to regain some small fragment of his original sovereignty. The Church was therefore happy to bless the machines, destined to soar through space and conquer realms hitherto beyond man's •domination. Short prayers were then uttered that those using the aeroplanes might be preserved from accident, after which one of the aeroplanes was named " He de France," by Baroness Lagatinerie, and the other "Alsace," by Madame Dussand, and sprinkling them with holy water, the Archbishop blessed them. At this moment a change •came over the heavens, and, as if in sympathy with the Archbishop's movements, rain fell in torrents, causing the " godmothers" and the assistants to flee for shelter. About five hundred people witnessed the ceremony, including the Duke and Duchess of Rohan, Princess Murat, Prince and Princess Leon, Marquis and Marchioness of Castellane, Marquis and Marchioness of Puybaudet, &c. ' The Bates Aeroplane and a motor car lined up on DaytonaBeach for the start of a " race " between them. No details as to the result have, as yet, come to hand. The Future of the " Silver Dart." INTERVIEWED concerning a report that the " Silver Dart" had been purchased by the American Government, Dr. Graham Bell said nothing definite regarding the future of the aeroplane had been decided upon. He said, however, that the Aerial Experiment Association had been dissolved, and that Mr. McCurdy and Mr. Baldwin would build machines in Canada, while Mr. Curtiss will build at Hammondspont, New York. It is said that an official of the British Government is expected in Nova Scotia shortly to negotiate for the purchase of the " Silver Dart " patent. "Zeppelin I" Returns to Friedrichshafen. LAST week's Flight recorded the exciting adventure which happened to the "Zeppelin I," after its arrival at Munich. On Friday, April 2nd, after riding out the night safely near Dingolfing, the airship ascended again, and proceeding to Munich was able to complete the original intention, and descended safely at the Ober- wiesenweld. There Count Zeppelin was greeted by the Prince Regent, who entertained the Count and his com- panions to lunch and decorated them with orders. Shortly after 3.30 p.m. the airship ascended again, and was headed in the direction of Friedrichshafen, which was reached without incident about four hours later. Throughout Germany this voyage of the airship has created a wonderful impression, and the military had a great deal of trouble to control the enormous enthu- siastic crowds which gathered to see the airship com€ to earth. At Dingolfing, although the weather was cold and stormy, large numbers of people watched the airship throughout the night. Long Trial of "Zeppelin I." - AT nine o'clock on Monday morning " Zeppelin I " ascended at Friedrichshafen, in charge of Major Sperling, Count Zeppelin not being on board, with the object of carrying out the oft-postponed twenty-four-hour trial. In the face of a fairly strong wind, a course was set in the direction of Stuttgart, but the wind increasing in force, Major Sperling deemed it expedient to return, and came down at Friedrichshafen, after a voyage of about nine hours. In less than an hour, however, the airship re- ascended with the object of continuing the trial, but only remained aloft for about an hour. A Night Flight of Zeppelin. AFTER a series of manoeuvring flights had been carried out over Lake Constance during Tuesday after- noon, the "Zeppelin I " started off at 9.40 p.m. with the object of carrying out a secret flight of about 20 hours. The night was clear and cool, with the moon shining brightly, while a moderate wind was blowing from the west. Airships in German Army Manoeuvres. FOLLOWING close upon these achievements of " Zep- pelin I," comes the announcement that it will be actively engaged in the manoeuvres which are to take place on the borders of Wurtemberg and Bavaria at the end of August. It will be attached to the Bavarian-Wurtem- berg Corps, under the command of Prince Leopold of Bavaria, and probably the Gross and Parseval airships will be engaged on the other side. Also, according to the Daily Telegraph, the new artillery specially designed for combating airships will be used against "Zeppelin I." 211
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