... apart from several in 1903, with the longest being ~900 metres as mentioned before.
That article is probably of his 2nd or 3rd machines which came a few years later.
Except for the fact that R Pearse did not claim to have flown in 1903
at all,ISTR that originally he claimed to have flown in 1904 but revisionists have changed that date to 1903 - it sort of weakens your case when Pearse himself did not claim it !
And I repeat again that the Wrights did not claim to be the first to fly !