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numerous accidents took place。 On nearly every occasion it was
comparatively easy to sail round the Tower； but it was a much harder task
to sail back again。
At length in October； 1901； he was thought to have completed the
course in the allotted time； but the Aero Club held that he had exceeded
the time limit by forty seconds。 This decision aroused great indignation
among Parisiansespecially among those who had watched the flight
many of whom were convinced that the journey had been accomplished in
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the half…hour。 After much argument the committee which had charge of the
race； acting on the advice of M。 Deutsch； who was very anxious that the
prize should be awarded to Santos Dumont； decided that the conditions of
the flight had been complied with； and that the prize had been legitimately
won。 It is interesting to read that the famous aeronaut divided the money
among the poor。
But important though Santos Dumont's experiments were with the air…
ship； they were of even greater value when he turned his attention to the
aeroplane。
One of his first trials with a heavier…than…air machine was made with a
huge glider； which was fitted with floats。 The curious craft was towed
along the River Seine by a fast motor boat named the Rapiere； and it
actually succeeded in rising into the air and flying behind the boat like a
gigantic kite。
12th November； 1906； is a red…letter day in the history of aviation； for
it was then that Santos Dumont made his first little flight in an aeroplane。
This took place at Bagatelle； not far from Paris。
Two months before this the airman had succeeded in driving his little
machine； called the Bird of Prey； many yards into the air； and 〃11 yards
through the air〃； as the newspapers reported； but the craft was badly
smashed。 It was not until November that the first really satisfactory flight
took place。
A description of this flight appeared in most of the European
newspapers； and I give a quotation from one of them： 〃The aeroplane rose
gracefully and gently to a height of about 15 feet above the earth； covering
in this most remarkable dash through the air a distance of about 700 feet in
twenty…one seconds。
〃It thus progressed through the atmosphere at the rate of nearly 30
miles an hour。 Nothing like this has ever been accomplished before。 。 。 。
The aeroplane has now reached the practical stage。〃
The dimensions of this aeroplane were：
Length 32 feet Greatest width 39 feet Weight with one passenger 465
pounds。 Speed 30 miles an hour
A modern aeroplane with airman and passenger frequently weighs
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over 1 ton； and reaches a speed of over 60 miles an hour。
It is interesting to note that Santos Dumont； in 1913that is； only
seven years after his flight in an aeroplane at Bagatelle made him world…
famousannounced his intention of again taking an active part in aviation。
His purpose was to make use of aeroplanes merely for pleasure； much as
one might purchase a motor…car for the same object。
Could the intrepid Brazilian in his wildest dreams have foreseen the
rapid advance of the last eight years？ In 1906 no one had flown in Europe；
by 1914 hundreds of machines were in being； in which the pilots were no
longer subject to the wind's caprices； but could fly almost where and when
they would。
Frenchmen have honoured； and rightly honoured； this gallant and
picturesque figure in the annals of aviation； for in 1913 a magnificent
monument was unveiled in France to commemorate his pioneer work。
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CHAPTER XXVIII M。 Bleriot and the Monoplane
If the Wright brothers can lay claim to the title of 〃Fathers of the
Biplane〃； then it is certain that M。 Bleriot； the gallant French airman； can
be styled the 〃Father of the Monoplane。〃
For five years1906 to 1910Louis Bleriot's name was on
everybody's lips in connection with his wonderful records in flying and
skilful feats of airmanship。 Perhaps the flight which brought him greatest
renown was that accomplished in July； 1909； when he was the first man to
cross the English Channel by aeroplane。 This attempt had been forestalled；
although unsuccessfully； by Hubert Latham； a daring aviator who is best
known in Lancashire by his flight in 1909 at Blackpool in a wind which
blew at the rate of nearly 40 miles an houra performance which struck
everyone with wonder in these early days of aviation。
Latham attempted； on an Antoinette monoplane； to carry off the prize
of L1000 offered by the proprietors of the Daily Mail。 On the first
occasion he fell in mid…Channel； owing to the failure of his motor； and was
rescued by a torpedo…boat。 His machine was so badly damaged during the
salving operations that another had to be sent from Paris； and with this he
made a second attempt； which was also unsuccessful。 Meanwhile M。
Bleriot had arrived on the scene； and on 25th July he crossed the Channel
from Calais to Dover in thirty…seven minutes and was awarded the L1000
prize。
Bleriot's fame was now firmly established； and on his return to France
he received a magnificent welcome。 The monoplane at once leaped into
favour； and the famous 〃bird man〃 had henceforth to confine his efforts to
the building of machines and the organization of flying events。 He has
since established a large factory in France and inaugurated a flying school
at Pau。
All the time that the Wrights were experimenting with their glider and
biplane in America； and the Voisin brothers were constructing biplanes in
France； Bleriot had been giving earnest attention to the production of a
real 〃bird〃 machine； provided with one pair of FLAPPING wings。 We
know now that such an aeroplane is not likely to be of practical use； but
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with quiet persistence Bleriot kept to his task； and succeeded in evolving
the famous Antoinette monoplane； which more closely r