We greatly regret to record a deplorable accident at the
start of the Paris-Madrid flying race at Issy-les-1/Coulineaux early on Sunday morning, by which M. Berteaux, the French Minister for War, lost his life, and M. Monis, the French Prime Minister, was severely injured. An enormous crowd had assembled, and by sheer weight 'had burst some barriers and spread over the ground. One of the airmen, M. Train, had ascended in his aeroplane and was steering a very erratic course near the ground, as his engine was working badly. He was attempting 'a descent under great difficulties when be dashed into a 'group of Ministers and officials. It is said that M. Berteaux, who, in common with every. one else, had noticed the extreme perils of flying on such a crowded ground, had just remarked, " Les us set a good example and return to our stands." The aeroplane struck M. Berteaux with its full force, and he died a few minutes later. M. Monis would probably have been killed also had not his son thrown him to the ground so that he was lying down as the aeroplane reached him. M. Lepine, the Prefect of Police, had a narrow escape.
