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Herald, City of Mexico
11 Jan 1907.

INTERESTS AREONAUTS [[AERONAUTS]]
BRITISH TO BRING BALLOONS TO UNITED STATES.
ALL NATIONS MAY COMPETE
Aerial Contest at St. Louis, Mo., October 19, for Which James Gordon Bennett Has Offered the Cup, Attracts Great Attention.

Associated Press Dispatch.
London, Jan. 10.—Racing in the air, thanks to the public spirit shown by James Gordon Bennett, bids fair to become popular. It is announced here today that the Aero clubs of the United Kingdom have decided to enter the next contest for the James Gordon Bennett cup, and it is further stated that the clubs will be represented by three balloons.
Great interest is manifested here in the result of the contest as on all hands it is hoped that a British balloon will secure the cup. Several European nations are reported at being competitors in the great aerial contest which will take place near St. Louis, Mo., October 19.

"So much for the scientific side of the subject. As for the sport, I know of no other which is so calculated to tune up the nerves, fit men to make prompt decisions, and teach them confidence. I have only one son, but if I had several I would expect each one to make at least one balloon ascension and encourage them to continue the sport if it appealed to them, just as I would expect each one of them to learn to swim.

FLYING AS A SPORT.
The sport, while calling out in an eminent degree the qualities we like to see in young men, is no more dangerous than most sports, for, given the proper material and a capable pilot with ordinary precaution which must always be taken, there is no reason why there should be any accident. We have proof of this in the long list of ascensions made by the Aero Club of France, amounting to more than a thousand, without any serious accident ever occurring.
I have just returned with other members of the committee who went to St. Louis with a view to locating the big international race of this year. We found what we wanted—most valuable assistance and encouragement from the leading business men of that city. The international cup race promises to be an important event and will draw attention to aerial navigation in this country in a way that was never done before.
Every effort will be made by England, France, and Germany to re-take the trophy that America won last fall. They will send their most capable aeronauts to St. Louis, and leave nothing undone to carry off the victory.. The American club is young, but before the race comes off we will have pilots whom we believe will carry our colors to victory a second time, and again compel the foreigners to cross the ocean for the race in 1908."


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Club of America in Europe this year and is in New York to take passage on La Savoie for Havre, believes that this trial will settle once and for all the actual value of the Wright brothers' invention.
Mr. Lahm is not given to fads, nor has he wasted much time in idle theory. He is a conservative American business man, representing one of our largest industries abroad. At the same time, he is an enthusiastic balloonist. While at home in Ohio on a visit, he called upon the Wrights at Dayton, and talked with bankers, business and professional men of that city who have seen the Wright brothers operate their invention at will in the air, and make both long and short flights. Mr. Lahm declared without reservation his belief in the success of flying machines, that their permanent use is assured, and that the public must take them seriously.
"The public can hardly realize what the Wright brothers have accomplished," said Mr. Lahm. "I am so thoroughly convinced of their results, that I predict the flying machine will be accepted publicly before the end of this year. Not many years will elapse before it has become practicable. It may seem premature to talk about aerial lines of transportation, but the near future holds surprises in store in that direction.
I was already convinced before I went to Dayfon that the Wrights had accomplished everything they claimed to have done, but I had never seen them in actual flight. During my recent visit I talked with a number of witnesses, and received full confirmation of the most enthusiastic reports sent me. Persons have asked me why, if the Wrights have flown, do they not make a public demonstration. That they have flown, and claim the longest continuous flight—twenty-four miles made in a circuit around a large field. Such is the truth, but the Wrights are not yet ready for a public demonstration, for reasons best understood by themselves.
NOTHING LOST BY DELAY.
Nevertheless, we will not lose anything in waiting for them. The Wrights are making the best use of the intervening time to perfect their motor, in order that when they do attempt a public flight, the results will in all probability go far beyond what they have already done. IN order that there may be no hitch in the working of their machines when the time comes, they are rebuilding two complete machines—motors and all—each with duplicate parts, so that in case of accident they may not be delayed, as they have already been on one occasion.
Is it doubtful if they know themselves when this next trial will be made, or if they can predict what the outcome of their invention will be. One thing is certain—the Governments of the leading countries can no longer afford to ignore what has been accomplished by these flying machines, as there is no doubt but that it would be of great auxiliary value in case of war.
My confidence in practical flying, as expressed above, is based entirely on what I know of the Wright brothers' machine and the faith I have in the two men themselves. They are modest, intelligent, honorable gentlemen, whose names will certainly be honored in the future more than we can foresee at present, for patriotic pride is admissible when we consider that these two young men have in reality solved the problem that has attracted the attention of scientific men of many countries, and interested humanity almost since the beginning of time. We are on the eve of practical aerial navigation; and, without in any way wishing to detract from the brilliant results that others have accomplished, I can say with confidence that the Wright brothers have gone much further, and obtained greater results, than any other inventors I know.

Transcription Notes:
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