Sport: Death of Segrave

Speed, a modern goddess, exacts fierce allegiance from those who worship her in motorboats, airplanes, automobiles. Among Speed’s most faithful devotees was Major Sir Henry O’Neal Dehane Segrave. Last year in his monster car, the Golden Arrow, at Daytona Beach, Fla. he set a new world automobile record of 231.36 m. p. h. In March he was fined £5 for driving his private car 45 m. p. h. in Hampstead. People smiled at that story. Segrave, who had said he was through with auto racing, seemed to be keeping his word. But Segrave was continuing his service of Speed in boats.

Last week on narrow Lake Windermere, England, he took out his new boat Miss England II, an improvement on Miss England in which he beat Garfield A. Wood in Miami last year. Miss England II was de-signed by F. Cooper and built by Saunders Roe, Ltd., of Cowes. She had two Rolls-Royceengines of 2,000 h. p. each, made of a new aluminum alloy called hiduminium. “Well, now for it,” said Segrave. “She’s chewed up three propellers. I’m trying a bronze one on her now.”

Over the course roared the boat in a stiff inverted V of foam. Turning around, she shot down the lake again. Her average time for the two trips was 98.76 m. p. h. That broke the record. To the two men with him Segrave said, “Let’s try her once more.” Now the engines were warmed up. Miss England II was doing more than 101 m. p. h. on her third run when she swerved suddenly. The whole side of the thin white flying shell seemed to give way. While the roar of the engines still echoed across the lake, a column of flame, smoke, foam, water shot up and the boat burrowed under. It came up slowly, upside down.

Rescuers found Segrave half floating in his life-preserver. His arms were broken, a thigh and rib were fractured, a lung was punctured. He died that night, happy in the knowledge that the record was his. His mechanic was drowned. His engineer was badly hurt.

Observers who rushed in launches to the accident discovered its cause—a low-floating bough from some tree, 20 ft. long, 3 in. thick.