FOG AND AIR RAIDS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2287, 22 October 1914, Page 6

FOG AND AIR RAIDS

LONDON TAKES PRECAUTIONS , DARK STREETS BY NIGHT , While many English military authorities believe it would be impracticable for German aircraft to attempt to drop bombs on London, preparations have been mado to lessen the danger of such attacks. The London correspondent of tho New York "Evening Post," in a message of September 12, said:'—lt is generally conceded that Zeppelins could hardly make a trip over as well defended a city as London in the daytime, because of the danger from guns fired from high buildings. Still tho firing of such guns is highly dangerous in a crowdedcity like London, because the shells discharged at the aircraft must inevitably do great damage when they hit the earth.

At night the flight of a Zeppelin over London would be comparatively safe. It is difficult for guns to locate an airship at night, oven with strong searchlights. For weeks the lights about Buckingham Pnlace have not been lighted, and within tho last few days only about onethird of the London street lights have been turned on. Lights are few and far between on the docks and bridges across the Thames. Stores, theatres, hotels, and other public places have been asked through tho' newspapers 'to reduce their lights to the minimum, that London maj - not offer a bright glow for the guidance of aerial navigators.

At St. Paul's Cathedral nnd other centrally located buildings surrounded by a circle of lights, the lighting has been eo far reduced that these great buildings cannot be distinguished by the ,illumination. British airships fly over London day and night, and through their observations have been able to direct the suppression of light to the best advantage.

. A warning has been issued by aviation experts that Germans are most likely to attempt an assault on London somo clear night, when there is little wind to hinder their pi-ogress. English aerial experts say Germany certainly has fourteen first-class Zeppelins, and there is a likelihood that eoveral more may. have been added to this number for active war service.