AUTOMOBILE EACES. 607 



A sporting- ovont of such evidently exceptional importance had 

 stirred up all the autonioljile world. The French constructors had 

 gained in a very little time a iK)tal)le place in the new industry and the 

 machines from their workshops had hitherto led all others. Few for- 

 eign competitors had entered ])efore, but this time England and Ger- 

 many came forward prepared for a serious struggle. 



The route chosen in the east of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and 

 Germany was hard and dangerous, being 748 miles, in three divisions 

 (285 miles from Paris to Aix-la-Chapelle, 278 miles from Aix-la-Cha- 

 pelle to Hanover, and 185 miles from Hanover to Berlin). In the 

 second and third divisions the narrow, uneven, and only partly paved 

 roads offered very unfavorable conditions to the pneumatic tires and 

 there were no expectations of reaching' the 80 kilometers an hour which 

 had easily been obtained on the good roads. There was especial need 

 to show prompt decision and coolness, especially as the populace along 

 the road, still unfamiliar with the new method of locomotion, was 

 crowding to see the new vehicles, prompted by a curiosity which only 

 created an additional trouble for the drivers. 



In spite of all these difficulties the winner of the race, Fournier, 

 mounted on a French automobile supplied by the Mors Companv, fur- 

 nished with Michelin pneumatic tires, reached Berlin in 16^ and 6™, 

 gaining one hour and a half on the Northern Express; and this exploit 

 was not the only one, for following it Girardot arrived in 17'' and 1'", 

 Rene de Knytt' in IT'' 1'", while among the light vehicles Giraud took 

 about 19" and 33"\ Louis Renault, in the Voiturette, 19" 16'" and 25% 

 and Osmont, on a simple motocycle, in 18" 59"' and 50^ 



We have endeavored to present graphic pictures of this closely 

 fought contest, and to bring out thereby its notable characteristics. 



At Aix-la-Chapelle, Fournier arrived in the midst of the frenzied 

 shouts of thousands of spectators, the crowd pressed on the track for 

 more than three kilometers, refusing to obe}" the soldiers who were 

 there to secure order, and closing* the entire roadway up to the very 

 last minute, when a trumpeter in pointed helmet sounded a call at the 

 same time to warn the troops of the approach of the vehicles and the 

 too enthusiastic spectators to get out of the way. The automobiles 

 were afterwards taken to the park, where they were to be kept under 

 military guard until next day, and around the yet hot vehicles still 

 pressed the crowd. Outside the barrier there was great excitement on 

 the arrival of ever}' new automobile. The constructors sent mechanics 

 charged with the urgent repairs out at every stage of the road, and 

 they were pressing their way to the barriers, eager to get to work, for 

 the drivers have just a quarter of an hour to indicate what work to do, 

 and just a quarter of an hour only to repair all the uijuries suffered by 

 the machines on the road. These fifteen minutes elapsed, at the com- 

 mand of the constructor, the drivers must quit the spot, after which 



