1908年，诺思克利夫勋爵向第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人悬赏1000英镑。
In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of £1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
一年多后，才有人进行了第一次尝试。
Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
1909年7月19日清晨，于贝尔·拉瑟姆驾驶他的"安托瓦内特IV"号飞机从法国海岸起飞。
On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV.'
他在海峡上空只飞行了七英里，引擎就失灵了，他被迫降落在海面上。
He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
"安托瓦内特"漂浮在水面上，直到拉瑟姆被一艘船救起。
The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
两天后，路易·布莱里奥带着一架名叫"XI号"的飞机抵达加莱附近。
Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.
布莱里奥自1905年起就一直在制造飞机，而这架是他的最新款型。
Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model.
就在一周前，他完成了一次成功的陆地飞行，在那次飞行中飞行了26英里。
A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles.
然而，拉瑟姆并没有轻易放弃。
Latham, however, did not give up easily.
他也在同一天带着一架新的"安托瓦内特"抵达加莱附近。
He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new 'Antoinette'.
看起来好像会有一场激动人心的穿越海峡的比赛。
It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
两架飞机原本都打算在7月25日起飞，但拉瑟姆没能早早起床。
Both planes were going to take off on July 25th, but Latham failed to get up early enough.
在凌晨4点15分进行了一次短暂的试飞之后，布莱里奥在半小时后出发了。
After making a short test flight at 4.15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later.
他那次伟大的飞行历时三十七分钟。
His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
当他在多佛附近降落时，第一个迎接他的人是一位当地警察。
When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
拉瑟姆在一周后又进行了一次尝试，到达了距多佛不到半英里的地方，但他再次遭遇了厄运。
Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
他的引擎再次失灵，他第二次迫降在海面上。
His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.