The feat of flying across the English Channel in a heavier-than-air machine – a thing which had never before been done – was accomplished yesterday morning by M. Louis Bleriot in a monoplane of his own construction.

It was done, moreover, in the short period of 33 minutes, the start being made at 4.35 a.m. and the descent at 5.08 a.m.

The distance traversed was 26 miles or more, the bee-line distance being 22 miles, whilst a parallel run along the coast, from St Margaret’s to Dover, would be four to five miles.

It was nearly half past four yesterday morning when the news reached Dover that M. Bleriot contemplated making the flight, and a few minutes later came a wireless message stating that he was actually on his way across the French coast, having ascended at Baraques, a village two miles to the west of Calais. The monoplane travelled with great rapidity, and its motor made such a din that it was heard when it must have been six or seven miles from Dover.

Dover had intended making a suitable demonstration when the Channel was first crossed on a flying machine, but as events turned out there was no time to do anything whatever.

M. Bleriot’s great bird-like machine was first sighted over the Channel to the east ward of Dover, heading for St Margaret’s Bay, a little resort about five miles along the cliffs between Dover and Deal.

When off St Margaret’s it suddenly came round with a fine sweep to the westward, still at a high rate of speed. Strange as it may seem, the monoplane, now that it was heading westward, was travelling against a fresh south-west twenty-mile-an-hour breeze, but this appeared to cause no diminution in the rate of travel.

When about a mile out at sea the monoplane was judged to be flying at a height of about 309 feet. It came over the naval harbour, passing above the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet, and making a course for the opening in the cliffs behind the castle.

On the cliffs M. Fontaine, a friend of Bleriot’s, had taken up position with a large French tricolour which he waved vigorously as the monoplane came over the harbour.

M.Bleriot was looking for this to guide him to the place where he wanted to come down. He steered the monoplane for the opening in the cliffs with as much ease as if it were a motor-car.

He came at slightly reduced speed over the wire fence which divided the Northfall Meadow from the cliff path, and was directed at an easily sloping bank.