Page:My Airships.djvu/244

 aerodrome. When I went out again for a short spin that same afternoon of 29th January 1902 the obstruction of the sea wall made itself only too evident. The prince offered to tear down the wall. "I will not ask you to do so much," I said. "It will be enough to build a landing - stage on the sea side of the wall at the level of the boulevard." This was done after twelve days of work, interrupted by persistent rain, and the air-ship, when it issued for its third flight, 10th February 1902, had simply to be lifted a few feet by men on each side of the wall. They drew it gently on until its whole length floated in equilibrium over the new platform that extended so far out into the surf that its farthermost piles were always in six feet of water. Standing on this platform they steadied the air-ship while its motor was being started, while I let out the overplus of water ballast and shifted my guide rope so as to point for an oblique drive upward. The motor began spitting and rumbling. The propeller began turning. "Let go all!" I cried, for the third time at Monaco.