IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1915, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

RAID ON GHENT. COTTON FACTORY DESTROYED. Received Sept. IC, 5.5 p.m. ' tov "- Amsterdam, Sept. 15. Allied airmen destroyed a German cotton factory at Ghent, forty soldiers being killed and wounded, ENEMY PLANES BROUGHT DOWN. ELEVEN IN ONE WEEK. Received Sept. 10, 10 p.m. London, Sept, 16. Sir John French reports that-the situation is unchanged. Twenty-one air fights had taken place during the week, and in eleven cases a German aeroplane had heen downed. Our artillery, assisted by aeroplane direction, homibarded, on the 10th, two observation balloons eastward of Ypre3. One burst, and the second became deflated and was removed. ZEPPELIN PAIDS. HUMOR FROM GERMAN PAPERS. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) Reecived Sept. Hi, 6.35 p.m. London, Sept. 15.

The German press is seeking to justify the Zeppelin attack on London. The Lokal Anzeiger says the only reason why enemy airships .have not destroyed the royal castle at, Berlin and killed thousands of peaceful.citizens, disregarding international law, is because it is impossible for them to reach the capital. The Vossiclie Zeitung, in an imaginative account of a Zeppelin raid, comments on the failure of preventive gunnery in the daytime, and says it must be extraordinarily difficult to hit' airships at night; but even if seriously injured by gunfire the Zveppeliua are able to cover long distances. DEFENCE OF LONDON, SOON TO BE COMPLETED, 'Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.ni, London, Sept. !». In the House of Commons, Mr. Balfour, replying to questions on the naval and air services, said the number of flyers was now very 'great. The defence of London is now in process of development, and with the assistance of Admiral Scott he hoped it "would be completed within a reasonable time. He was unable to promise immunity from attadlc, but everything was being done to diminish the dangers. TO GET AN IRON CROSS, Received Sept. 16, 10 p.m. Amsterdam, Sept. 16. The aviator who killed Pegoud will "ceive a first-class Iron Cross.