Violent Fighting Proceeds

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 69, 26 February 1916, Page 5

Violent Fighting Proceeds

Three-quarters of Million Germans

French Position Strengthened

SENSATION IN UNITED STATES

WILSON'S BACK TO THE WALL

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

near as fast as a Zeppelin, and the follow on top has obviously the better chance. And, thirdly, an airman scouting at night, once he is tip, may find it exceedingly difficult to get safely down again. Obviously, if he cannot find a good place for a descent before his petrol gives out ho stands a chance of coining to smash, and a light scout plane cannot carry petrol for many hours. Under the circumstances, a scheme by which German airmen contrive to descend safely after night flights has a good deal oi interest. This scheme was described some time ago in “Flight.” Jt is simple enough.

The “Sink-at-Sight” policy of the Germans has again come into the glare of public limelight, mainly through the splendidly firm action of President Wilson, who appears in his true form in international circles, in insisting on the rights of Americans being conserved. To-day’s news states that a sensation has been caused in Xew York owing to the pressure by the Germans on the democratic members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and to their decision not to longer support him in his determination that Americans should bo allowed to travel on armed merchantmen. Washington is also seething with excitement at the news that German-American lobbying has worked the situation up to a climax, in which the President is threatened with a revolt among his own party. ■ The Teutonic pressure is said to lie such that there is a danger of the democratic majorities yielding to it. It is quite refreshing to read of President Wilson “standing on his hind legs,” and telling his opponents that his patience is exhausted and that he will not endure in silence any more charges of timidity by the Administration in the negotiations. The position now is, that there will be a fight in the Senate on the part of those who believe they should secure from Germany a promise to issue a warning before the act of torpedoing is committed, and thus avoid, if possible, further complications with her.

German submarine monitors are the latest production of the enemy naval works to appear upon the scene, or, at least, to bo spoken of in connection with the enemy’s sea campaign. These, are said to he submersible cruisers of very large dimensions, earning one or two heavy guns, and capable of going on long journeys. A prominent expert, Mr Gerald F iennes, calls them submarine monitors. These craft, it is said, will he used in conjunction with Zeppelins and other machines on “The Day,” when., the German Fleet sails out to do battle with the British. No one on our side will do anything at all to prevent such a consummation.

The talk of Germany’s new torpedoproof ships, armed with 16fin. to even 20in. guns are probably something like the new craft that Britain has been turning out, and the most novel of which are said to have been planned by “Jacky” Fisher when he was First Lord of the Admiralty. These new craft, so far as. they have been described ut ail, consist m :—(. <) Monitors ol the original type, chut ot the three which were bunt m untisu yarns lor nver-uork in frrazu, aim taken over lor me urazinau- u-m eminent when me war broae om, one-guu barges, mere seu-vemcie* tor the weapons they carry; ana WJ UI1 ‘ wieldly out poweriui uonuesenpt,,, me possible loioruuuers tu «. i*o»» »pmios Ui will ship, SUCH as muse whu,m appearance oh the Gallipoli i'eniusut.i jxr Ashmead Uaiuett has deseriuou. Other now factors that have been introduced into naval warlarc, and oi which announcement lias been allowed to appear, include mine-laying submarines and new mine-sweeping ap paratus, swift motor boats as 311 marine-killers, together with tbe ael.-> and other devices which have own used for detecting and catching submarines; and the new siibina linesmashing bombs which, if dropped from aircraft, are not deflected or exploded when they strike the sinlace of the, water. But the development of the submarine itself should by rights be counted in. The defence of a city against airships has at least three handicaps. In the first place shells fired by antiaircraft guns have to drop somewhere after they have hit or missed. Secondly, an aeroplane cannot rise anywhere

A large white light is sunk in a pit in the ground and covered with glass plate thick enough to withstand the shock should the wheels of an aeroplane pass over it. At a distance of about 250 ft. from this light, and also sunk in the ground, are lour rod lights, and which are set at the cardinal points of the compass. Each red light is connected by subterranean cables to a wind vane mounted on a mast or tower. At night the central light burns continually, whilst the number of red lights showing is determined by the direction of the wind. The system is, of course, continually altered, so that an airman has to understand the code before ho can discover his whereabouts. One great danger with this system would he that the lights might reveal the position of an aerodrome. They might, however, be obtScured until an aeroplane appealed overhead and gave code signals. As far as London is concerned, if there were a large number ol such lights, turned on only one at a time, and on receipt of such signals, they should be a help to defending airmen and yet betray nothing to a raider. But probably some‘such system for guiding oui airmen has been adopted alieadj.