The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1915. THE THREATENED ZEPPELIN RAID.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 291, 18 May 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1915. THE THREATENED ZEPPELIN RAID.

According to a cable message which appeared in a recent issue, American visitors at Berlin, who were contemplating trips to London, were warned not to proceed thither during the coming fortnight, as important Zeppelin raids had heen planned. It was also stated that the recent raids were only a preliminary to test tile strength of British aerial defences. The news emanated from Rotterdam, and may he only rumor, hut the many evidences we have of Germany's determination to use every available means of terrorism gives, at least, an air of probability to the announcement. Additional force is lent to this view liy the account of an interview accorded to the New York Sun by Mr. Thomas R. Macmecbon, president of the Aeronautical Society of America, who considers that such a raid is Germany's trump card. Tic says that Germany has proved that her Zeppelins have made good, and he. points to the fact of their success in the raids that have already taken place. Moreover, lie knows what he is talking about, for his linn lias been commissioned by the British Covernmont to build a small fleet of dirigibles to act as Zeppelin destroyers. From this we gather that the Home authorities are quite alive to the danger of these aerial engines of destruction and arc doing all they can to meet the threatened main raid, which, if successful, would undoubtedly be followed by others, with 'consequences which may well strike teriror into the hearts of the people, and cause such devastation as one shrinks from contemplating. All the same, the threatened horror has la be faced and. if possible, averted. It must bo remembered that (lie Zeppelins creep over the doomed locality like a. thief in the night and drop their murderous bombs at will, leaving a trail of death ami destruction in their wake. Official Dugland has been aroused to the danger, being well aware that Germany has for r long time past been actively engaged in manufacturing Zeppelins as rapidly as possible. By this time she should have sufficient for her purpose, and it is quite | poxib'.e the tiu:c for action is not far

o.1." Those'wltQ>ar«eparsona%' acquaintml with the • Homeland, and have asso- ' eiations therewith, will hardly 'lie able ' to realise the possibility that the his- . torical buildings which iliey venerate so ; highly may bo reduced to aslios Ivy the unscrupulous Germans. Yet this same enemy has played havoc with the most venerable pih-s on the. Continent without hesitation or regret, so why can tliev [ be expected to spare tlu> cherished landmarks of England? Tlicy will "lory in a work of" destruction that they know will be more keenly felt than any other atrocity they have yet committed. We have had' a foretaste, of their villainy in raiding peaceful coastal towns and dealing- out death and destruction, but, unless the Zeppelin destroyers prove equal to the task, we will probably have to face the llavoc caused by a large fleet of these aerial monsters. That they will dare and do all they can goes without, saying. Under the cover of the darkness of night the approach of these airships to the English coast will not be easy to detect, for they sail at a great height, and by this time should l)e adept in judging the exact whereabouts of their destination, even should there be not a single light burning in any of the towns. To use searchlights from the land into the sky would only serve to disclose what should be concealed. Apparently the only hope rests on the destroyers, which have a speed of sixty to seventy miles an hour, and as they are said to be capable of staying in the air for ten hours, besides being fitted with a torpedo gun, they should certainly prove effective, provided they can sight the enemy. iA.id.eu by a sufficiency of aeroplanes there is a prospect of warding off the blow. We shall have to trust to the Home authorities to do their best, and that they will succeed in defeating the machinations of the - enftm y wiu Ufl the prayer of all British subjects.

tiiio riocruiting rally. Never in the history of New Plymouth has there been witnessed such a scene as that presented last night outside and within the Theatre Royal. It would seem as if the pent up patriotism of the. residents of the district had at last found a vwt, and they flocked to the scene of the recruiting rally as they have, jiovcr done on any other occasion. It may be then; is some force in the argument used by the principal speaker, Mr. Hornsby, that as Taranaki owes its present phenomenal prosperity to the heroism of the pioneers who took part in tlie Maori war, the fighting instinct still remains. Yet that would not account altogether for the remarkable exhibition of enthusiasm, which tiiere is little doubt is due mainly to the terrible atrocities perpetrated by the Germain. No matter, however, what the cause, tlie effect was most pronounced, and the ; vast audience as well as the far larger number that will read the report of the proceedings, cannot fail to be impressed with the urgency of the call for more men for the front. As Mr. Hornsby aptly pointed out, every man that helps to swell the numbers of Lord Kitchener's forces now may save a hundred lives. II is the present need that has to be met, no matter what the future may demand. We believe there are hundreds of eligible young men who could if they would form one of the force to save these hundreds of lives. After last night's meeting and the expression of opinion made thereat with such praiseworthy unanimity, every eligible man in the district should be impelled from a sense of honor to offer his services in defence of the Empire and for ending a war that has for its object the establishment of a durable peace, and putting it out of the power of a single" man to flood the civilised world with blood and tears. It is to the influence of the women we must largely rely upon for arousing the young men to a sense of their duty, and we should not look in vain. Taranaki has already sent many of her best sons to the war, and it is for their sakes as well as for tlie honor of our flag and th<' benefit of civilisation that all who can should buckle on their war equipment without hesitation and go forth with the best of all ideals—championing the cause of liberty and protecting the weak. By helping to crush the power of the enemy they will protect their homes and loved ones from ever coming under tlie grip of the most brutal nation that has ever polluted the earth. It will be very surprising if the grand demonstration yesterday does not bear immediate and satisfactory fruit.