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Show PROTEST OF THE SWISS JIERO CLUB New York, Dec. 28. America's rep-resentAtlveft rep-resentAtlveft ot the meeting: of the International In-ternational Aeronautic Federation In Paris, January 10, aro to Xaco a now and unexpected protest. Tho Swiss Aero club, according to a comnmnica-tlon comnmnica-tlon received from tho headquarters of the federation, has filed a formal protest charging that tho International Internation-al balloon race held at St. Ixula in October was not organized properly. The race was won by Messrs. Hawiey and Post In the America 11. It Is understood that the Swiss club has no fault to find with the race itself or with Us results, but only with the management of affairs In SU Louis up to the time tho balloons left. A statement by Cortlandt Field Bishop regarding the matters under protest- Is as follows: "Conditions at St. Louis were not as good as mlpht have been desired, but I have no reason to believe they were not as good as possible. In spite of the fact that two features were not satisfactory and served to handicap I the starting of the balloons, they were j started Just as promptly as when the race was started in Zurich, Switzerland. Switzer-land. 'Both the handicaps at St, Louis were due to conditions over which the Aero Club of St. Louis, which was ! In charge had no control One was j the supply of gas, which was sufficient, suffi-cient, but slow. This was due to the fact that the gas works were at the time . undergoing a general overhaul-J Ing and were unable to meet the de-. mand in the desired time. It took ' twelve hours to fill the balloons, where as. If the works had been In their j normal condition, two hours would have been ample for the purpose. I Another trouble was In the force of j men in charge of the field, the Inflation Infla-tion of the balloons and the general preparations for the flight. They were militiamen and others employed for the purpose, and while willing and faithful, had never had any experience In ballooning. In 1007 we bad the use of selected men from the Signal corps of the United States army and there was neither hitch nor delay. Pro-, tests were made afterward, however, , against United States hoops being assigned as-signed to such duty, nnd President , Roosevelt Issued an order prohibiting It thereafter, "The St. Ixuis Aero club has been notified of the Sw iss protect and ask- j ed to furnish data with which to meet it. I havo no doubt we will bu able to overthrow tho protest, but it may result re-sult in stricter regulations for the race hereafter. , "It is a grave question in that event where to start the race of 1011. It J must be at some city where a good supply of gas can be obtained, and : such cities are few in this country." |