FRENCH AIR FLEET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 85, 5 September 1914, Page 8

FRENCH AIR FLEET.

REFELS INVADERS. FIRST ATTACK ON PAT,IS. (Special Cables to Sydney). Paris, August 3. The first attempted aerial attack on Paris was frustrated to-day, when four German military aeroplanes crossed the frontier flying in the direction of this capital and were driven back by the •Rlieinm air squadron. A Rheims telegram says that wireless messages received fully confirm reports of the aerial sortie. Air scouts discovered the oncoming planes sliortly after daybreak. Th<i warning was flashed .'by wireless to the remainder of the corps in the tented hangars in Rheims. Immediately the remainder of the French corps took the air, their machines ladeji with contact bombs, explosive shell and high-power | rifles. GERMAN AEROPLANES FLEE.

With tlie first flutter of the French flock of flying machines the German invaders swung around with the Frenchmen in full pursuit. The French aviators sought altitude to give them advantage in the impending battle in the air. This manoeuvre ga.ve the Germans an advantage in their straight-away flight and they escaped. Meawhile, at Eiffel Tower the military wireless operator had caught the warning out of the air and quickuring guns were immediately made ready to repel aerial, invaders. A danger which the French Government lias taken every meaauie to ward off, if possible, is a raid by Zeppeiin airships. Leaving their stations on the frontier at nightfall the Zeppelin leviathans of the air could be over Paris within a few hours, drop bombs on the capital and return to Germany. SEARCHLIGHTS RANGE SKY. To-night between SParis and the frontier the sky is a literal network oi high-power lights from which no aerial invader can escape undetected. The great beams from the searchlights are combing the sky from a dozen different stations between here and Rheims. Immediately a Zeppelin iB sighted military airmen will be sent up to drop special projectiles on them. If this }/as no effect, the airmen's orders are tb ram the airship. Such an heroic exploit means certain death to the airman, but each of the Corps accepts the order with a smile.

BATTLE IN THE AIR. ' TALES OF WRECK AND DEATH. DARING AVIATOR DESTROYS GERMAN CRAFT. (Speeial Cables to New York). Paris, August 2. The aeroplane as an engine of war has thus early in the European conflict received its baptism of fire, and promises to 'be one of the chief factors in the. approaching struggle. The first 'battle in the air'wast fought to-day near Nancy, between a French aeroplane and a German dirigible. Every man engaged in tho fight was killed. According to the Teports received here to-night, Roland Garros, the French fiver, sighted the German dirigible shqrtly after it had crossed the border from Alsace-Lorraine. The dirigible was air enormous affair of the Zeppelin type, and was manned by 25 German soldier". It is supposed to have been sent up for scout duty from the German column \vliicli crossed tho French frontier at C-ircy. " ,V" AEROPLANE RAMS DIRIGIBLi".

Garros, who had boon scouting übout the territory for some time after news of the German invasion was received, sighted the dirigible at ti height of more than 1000 ft. He drove his fleet monoplane straight at the dirigible. Instantly the huge gas bag exploded with a terrific detonation, followed by a burst of flume. The monoplane, hopelessly entangled in the wreck of the dirigible, crashed with it to the earth engulfed in flames and without a possible chance to clear itself from t.ha debris. Garros and the 25 German soldiers probably were dead before they 'struck the ground. All that could be recovered from the smoulderiu .uw flames had been quenched was somecharred fragments of Jiuman. flesh and bones, according to the report received here.

It is supposed that Garros knew when he headed his monoplanefw the cumbersome, slow-flying dirigible that a collision was his only hope of, destroying it. anil that such a collision would surely be fatal to himself as well as to the Germ'an flyers. Such advices as had. been received here concerning the battle state that Garros did not hesitate for the fraction of a second when called upon io. throw his life away in the service of his country. EXPECT MOKE AIR FIGHTS. Future engagements in the air may' bo of frequent occurrence within the next ten days, as a large fleet of German dirigibles is known to be at the border and a correspondingly large flotilla of French monoplanes is ready to repel them when they cross French"territory. The second conflict was waged last night over the little village of Toul. At sunset the villagers were sent into a panic by the" sight of a monster Zeppelin dirigible hovering above, them. It was momentarily expected that the war airship would diop bombs into the village, and excitement ran high when a Jfrp'neh military aviator got out . his Machine and rose'to a great height above the Zeppelin, and began riddling it with bullets. The. huge aircraft fell to the ground, and in descending the French aviator lost control of his mouorihine. and was instantly killed. BOMBS DROP INTO TOWN.

A Frenc.li aviator dropped bombs during the day into the city of Nuremberg, causing much damage. Saturday night several other hostile aircraft were seen in tile Rhine province. One was low down and living from Keprich in the direction of Anisrnacli, ten miles northwest of Coblenx. Others were sighted near Duere Hying in the direction of Cologne. TRY TO BLOW UP THE TI'NXEL. Last night an hotelkeeper in Kochein and his son tried to blow up the Prussian State railroad tunnel at Kwheni. Their attempt failed, and .the men were shot and killed. At fi o'clock this morning, while a great throng of recruits wan rushing to join their regiments, an ail' squadron of eight aeroplanes, flying in close formation. disappeared over the city and quickly disappeared in the direction of the Oerman frontier. They created the wildest excitement. Searchlights from the Eifl'cl Tower find the roof of the Automobilo Club, IPlacc do la Concorde, are sweeping the sky for possible Zoppo%is. ■, :