wiseacres shook their heads and said that any pilot who used
it would be constantly in trouble with it. But during the last few
years it has passed from one triumph to another, commencing with a
long-distance record established by Henri Farman at Rheims, in 1909. It
has since been used with success by aviators all the world over. That
in the Aerial Derby of 1913--which was flown over a course Of 94 miles
around London--six of the eleven machines which took part in the race
were fitted with Gnome engines, and victory was achieved by Mr. Gustav
Hamel, who drove an 80-horse-power Gnome, is conclusive evidence of the
high value of this engine in aviation.

CHAPTER XXIII. A Famous British Inventor of Aviation Engines

In the general design and beauty of workmanship involved in the
construction of aeroplanes, Britain is now quite the equal of her
foreign rivals; even in engines we are making extremely rapid progress,
and the well-known Green Engine Company, profiting by the result of nine
years' experience, are able to turn out aeroplane engines as reliable,
efficient, and as light in pounds weight per horse-power as any aero
engine in existence.

In the early days of aviation larger and better engines of British make
specially suited for aeroplanes were our most urgent need.

The story of the invention of the "Green" engine is a record of triumph
over great difficulties.

Early in 1909--the memorable year when M. Bleriot was firing the
enthusiasm of most engineers by his cross-Channel flight; when records
were being established at Rheims; and when M. Paulhan won the great
prize of L10,000 for the London to Manchester flight--Mr. Green
conceived a number of ingenious ideas for an aero engine.

One of Mr. Green's requirements was that the cylinders should be made
of cast-steel, and that they should come from a British foundry. The
company that took the work in hand, the Aster Company, had confidence
in the inventor's ideas. It is said that they had to waste 250 castings
before six perfect cylinders were produced. It is estimated that the
first Green engine cost L6000. These engines can be purchased for less
than L500.

The closing months of 1909 saw the Green engine firmly established.
In October of that year Mr. Moore Brabazon won the first all-British
competition of L1000 offered by the Daily Mail for the first machine
to fly a circular mile course. His aeroplane was fitted with a
60-horse-power Green aero engin