IN THE AIR.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 1 June 1917, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

EXTRAORDINARY FIGHTING, ✓ - ■ —- BRITISH RETAIN MASTERY. LONDON, May 31. Correspondents on the Western front give graphic details of the recent air battles at a -height oWthrse miles. The Britishers, whose mastery is indisputable, have frequent encounters with hostile groups, numerically superior, which, however, are easily downed. The latest fighting is "that many German machines, /thus harried and out-manoeuvred, fall suddenly to pieces owing to faulty construction or defective repairs. This is attributed to enforced haste to make good serious losses during the past few r we'eks.

The Daily Chronicle’s headquarters’ correspondent gives details of marvellous air-fighting on the 27th, showing that thirty German machines were brought down. Fifteen were seen to crash lo the earth or be hopelessly afire. Fourteen were driven down entirely uncontrolled. Only one fell to gunfire, because so few of the enemy ventured over our lines.

FROM LONDON TO ROME.

Received 11.15. LONDON, May 31

ABritish aeroplane has arrived at Rome from London, via Paris, Turin, and Pisa. ALLIED AIR RAID ON GHENT. Received 11.15. - AMSTERDAM, May 31. -A squadron of Allied aviators bombed Ghent. Great damage was done to St. Peter’s and the railway station. Some persons were killed and winded. . GERMANY’S INTERNAL TROUBLES. DEPRECIATION OF THE MARK. LOWEST RECORDED. # Received 8.45, I AMSTERDAM, May 31. Yesterday’s exchange value of the German mark represents a fall of 381 per cent, from pre-war rates, and is the lowest recorded. 5 ON XK E SEA. SHIPS TO BE RELEASED. > STOCKHOLM, May 30. It is believed that Swedish and Danish ships will be permitted to leave British liarbo irs on July Ist under German safe conduct, AUSTRIAN SHIPPING AMSTERDAM, May 30. At the annual meeting of Austrian Lloyds* Shipping Company at Vienna, the company’s losses in 191 G were expected to have been over three million kroner. That amount has been already exceeded during the present year. The directors considered that the ships interned in America were lost. BRITISH FOOD PROBLEM RESIGNATION OF FOOD CONTROLLER. M LONDON. May 31. The Daily states that Lord Devonport has resigned and that Mr. Bathurst is to carry on his duties until a successor is appointed. The Daily Telegraph’s Parliamentary correspondent is authorised to announce that Lord Devonport has resigned owing to ill-health. Mr. Lloyd George has accepted the resignation. Lord Devonport suffered a severe breakdown some months ago and has not recovered.