Bleriot’s Channel flight. 1909.

French Aviator’s Great Triumph. From Calais to Dover in 33 minutes. Machine flying at 40 miles an hour.

It was in the early hours of Sunday morning the great feat was accomplished by which Bleriot has gained undying fame.Latham, another French aeronaut, attempted the feat last week but failed.He meant to try again last Sunday morning but set about his task in a leisurely way which proved his undoing. While he was sleeping in his hotel at Sangatte, Bleriot was active and busily completing preparations for his epoch-making excursion through the air. Bleriot rose at 3 o’clock and soon the intrepid aeronaut, who owing to an injured foot had been limping threw away his sticks and declared “I shant use them till I have been to England”. Shortly after, his machine was climbing in the sky in the direction of England. Down below he could see a French torpedo destroyer steaming at full speed towards Dover. Madam Bleriot was on board the war vessel which had been placed at her husband’s disposal by the French government.

" When the latter was about four miles distant I rose in the air to a height of 80 metres and at a speed of 40 miles an hour made for the English coast. In a few minutes I was out of sight of land and could see neither French or English coasts but subsequently I found I was in a direct line for Dover, the first object I saw being the Castle and then I flew over the warships of the Atlantic Fleet and after two circles round the Castle I decided to land. I came in contact with the ground  sooner than I expected and I and the machine were heavily shaken".

Ref: The Meath Chronicle, July 31, 1909.

The First Crosss Channel Aeroplane Flight. 1909.

Stories by Eye-Witnesses.

Mr. Burnard, the Chief Officer in charge of the Coastguard Station at the Northfall Meadow, stated :- I was called out just before five o’clock this morning by the man on watch, as he had sighted a torpedo-destroyer coming at great speed across the Channel from the direction of the French coast. As it was known that these flying men might make the attempt at any time, and that they were to be accompanied by torpedo-destroyers, the watchman believed that one was making the attempt, although he had not been able to sight the machine. We kept a sharp look-out, and all at once sighted a dark spot on the sky away to the Eastwards, which quickly developed, going almost straight for St. Margaret’s Bay. The speed it was traveling at was almost incredible. It looked just like a huge bird. Then off St. Margaret’s it swept around, and came heading for the Naval Harbour at the same marvelous speed. The noise it made was just the same as a high-power motor , a continuous buzzing that we could hear distinctly when the machine was several miles away. The flight of the monoplane was perfect, and Bleriot managed it remarkably, steering as straight as an arrow for the gap in the cliffs. He came over the Atlantic Fleet at a height, I should say, of nearly 300 feet, and about 80 yards outside of the battleship ‘Implacable’ ; then the machine came into the meadow just in front of the Coastguard Station, but, of course, flying a great deal higher than the houses. I think Bleriot was excited with his success, and that may have caused the mishap at the descent.

Fast Travelling.

Chief Boatman Read, of the Northfall Coastguard Station, also gave some interesting details of this wonderful feat. Mr. Read explained that the reason the machine was not in sight until it was only a few miles  from the coast was, no doubt, because of the very light colour of the monoplane, and the enormous speed at which it was cleaving through the sky, which was very bright and sunny. He stated that he had never seen anything travel so fast as the aeroplane did once it was within the line of vision.

Ref: The Irish Times  26 July 1909.

"The Lighthouse Focus" [Vol 1]

Boat Accident. August 1884. 

Miss Annie Roddy would often visit Dundalk via Soldier’s Point by using a small ferry to cross the Castletown river leading up to Dundalk harbour.  At about half past three on a Saturday afternoon she started for home after finishing her shopping in Dundalk. There was such over the river that the ferry man, a feeble old person, feared to attempt the passage. It would seem that a Coastguard named Barnes, from the nearby Coastguard station at Soldier’s Point, had a light and altogether unseaworthy skiff, which had been lying unused for a couple of years. In this he offered to take Miss Roddy across the river. She thankfully accepted, not knowing the dangerous state of the craft. About mid-way across the river the boat half filled with water and capsized, throwing the occupants into the water.

The local “Dundalk Democrat” tells us:

“Neither could swim, so their lives were in imminent danger. Miss Roddy caught the boat at the stern and the coastguard caught the boat at the bow, and thus they held on and drifted seaward Their screams for help were unheard for about three hours. In this time they drifted nearly four miles outward and at length got on to one of the guide walls from the lighthouse. Here Miss Roddy left the boat and proceeded along the wall towards the lighthouse shouting for assistance. Her cries were heard by the Lightkeeper, a brother of Miss Roddy, who immediately proceeded to her assistance and on coming close he  found to his consternation that it was his own sister. She held up bravely in body and mind up to this time, but on seeing her brother her strength gave away and she fainted, falling flat on the wall.Mr.Roddy took the inaminate form in his arms, waded to the lighthouse and carried her up the iron stairs. Returning he also took the coastguard to the lighthouse and attached his body to a rope with which he was assisted up. At this time Miss Roddy was in an utterly prostrate condition, and for some time her life was considered in imminent danger. She was kept in the lighthouse during the nightt and the following morning was conveyed to her home. She is rapidly recovering from the effects of her long exposure to weather and water, and gallant struggle for life. The coastguard did not suffer much from the effects of the accident.”

It was mentioned in the “The Irish Times” that she was kept afloat by the voluminous clothing which was the fashion of the period. It is possible that Miss Roddy’s skirts did help in her survival, if not by creating a floatation effect then more so by providing insulation against the cold.