IN THE AIR.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 November 1917, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

DESTROYED ZEPPELINS. PART THE BRITISH PLAYED. ENEMY DRIVEN TO FRANCE. LONDON, Nov 1. Scientific explanation of the atmospheric conditions during the Zeppelin raid demonstrates that not only was the British air service not to blame, hut it was actually primarily responsible for the Zeppelins arriving over France. Above the disconcerting ground-mist there were three distinct strata in the t atmosphere, each with different air currents and winds. In the highest of these, namely, 14,000 ft the wind was blowing at 40 miles an hour from the north-west. It wag into this strata that the aeroplanes forced the Zeppelins. Thus the latter were carried to France, Avhere the authorities had been warned to look out for them, and they wore easily v able to deal with them in daylight. f A conception of the size and force of the newest Zeppelin bombs maybe gathered from the.evidence at the inquest , s on-14 ,-victims., pf the recent' London raid,.,, Witnesses, related i that the f bombs'fell : with a weird, rushing sound and houses collapsed Mike cards, killing seven in one family and r blowing other . inmates across, ; the road. Two children were hurledfrom an upstairs room across a fence on the other side of the road, and were picked up dead Road metal was scattered for 20Qyds, and holes were made in the roadway of from 25ft to 12ft in depth., :A mother who was buried in a house with her four children held up a partition, with ,her shoulders, thus saving her. children from suffocation, meanwhile crying, for help. All were rescued. A mother searched the burning ruins of her home, where her children had been _burned. She was forcibly removed ? with her hands burnt and bleeding, crying, "I know they are all dead!"