578 CIRCLING EIFFEL TOWER IN AIR SHIP. 



<;r<)uiid or au^ht else in the ineantiine, juid all within the maximum 

 time limit of a half hour. Althout^h this offered a definite incentive 

 to plunge into what wa8 one of the most fascinating impossibilities of 

 the future, only the flying-machine inv^entors^ — the synonym of a disor- 

 dered mind — regarded flying machines with any respect. This fascina- 

 tion had long enslaved the rich young Brazilian, when one da}^ the 

 Grand Prix was founded, and he constructed his Santos-Dunumt TV 

 to win it, seeking therel>y the official recording of a definite triumph. 

 For him the $20,(X)0 would be merely a little purse for the building o". 

 more air ships. But ])efore he housed his aerial pet, Santos- Duino)tt F, 

 in the balloon shed at the park that morning of July 12, he announced 

 to his fiicnds that he would tr}' again for the Grand Prix. 



A SKCOND FI.IC4HT TO THE TOWER BEFORE THP] PRIZE COMMITTEE. 



At 4 o'clock the next morning, July 13, the sky was mottled with 

 clouds, while a choppy wind blew from the west; but as there was no 

 change for the worse by 5 o'clock, Santos-Diunont began making 

 preparations for his flight. Long before he was through with testing 

 the parts of his machine, a crowd had begun to gather in the park — 

 wheelmen, chaufleurs, photographers, and correspondents. At 6.20 

 the great sliding doors of the balloon house were pushed open, and 

 the njassive inflated occupant was towed out into the open space of the 

 [)ark. The big, ])ointed nose of the l)alloon and its fish-like belly 

 reseinbled a shark gliding Avith lazy craft from a shadow into light 

 waters. In the basket of the car stood the coatless aeronaut, who 

 laughed and chatted like a boy with the crowd around him. The prize 

 committee was there and expressed its hopes for a successful trial. 

 This committee is composed of Count Henri de la Vaulx, the vice-pres- 

 ident of the Aero Club, who intends shortly to cross the Mediterra- 

 nean in a l»allooii ; Prince Roland Bonaparte; Henry Deutsch, and two 

 nieml^ers of the National Institute, MM. Bouquet de la Grye and 

 Cailletct. 



From the very first the conditions did not show themselves favor- 

 able for the attempt. The wind was blowing at the rate of 6 or 

 7 3'ards a second. The change of temperature from the lialloon 

 house to the cool morning air had somewhat conden.sed the hydrogen 

 gas of the balloon, so that one end flapped about in a sadly flabl)y 

 manner. Air was pumped into the air reservoir, or ballonet, inside 

 the balloon, but still the desired rigidit}'^ was not attained. But, more 

 discouraging yet, when the motor was started, its contmuous explo- 

 sions gave to the practiced ear signs of mechanical discord. It should 

 be stated that this motor can be started only from the ground, by the 

 strap twisted around the wheel, as already mentioned. Once the 

 motor stops while in air, there is no way to set it going again without 

 coming down to earth. 



