A RAIDER SCARE

"THE REALITIES OP WAR"

CABLE

(TOOM ODE OWN COItftfiSPONDENT.)

.SYDNEY, 24th April,

A couple of. days ago a man, selling the noon editions of the evening papers!, stood in Castlereagh-street bawling " Raiders off' tho Queensland Coast." The ijush for papers nearly carried him off his feet; and when the purchasers of his wares found not a line about a raider anywhere, they just grinned and, in the strange Australian way, seemed more inclined to commend his enterprise than damn- his dishonesty.

At the moment, Australia is suffering an attack of nerves in the matter of raiders, and any old story is accepted and sent wildly circulating. Certain definite signs of uneasiness in official circles, aild certain things'which cannot be hidden frortl the people have given co'lonr to tlie wildest rumours. There is " somei thing doiiig "—bin nothing to justify the ' excited storiss of an imminent enemy attack on Australia which are now current. Bat perhaps it is best to recite, in their 'order, the already, published chain .of events which Jiave led up to tills condition of public perturbation. ,-Firsi. of all, came stories from certain coastal districts of Western Victoria of an aerogiane or. aeroplanes flying Over in the early morning. A baker at Tobra, for I instance, leaving his . bakery between 1 ■ and 5 a.m., saw a large aeroplane circling close over the town and * over Port Franklin.. It manoeuvred for an houry and their departed seawards. The baker's statements, were confirmed by other witnesses. , People at Castertoh, on another day, reported a similar occurrence. ■It could not'be establishsd that'any Australian aeroplanes were in these districts |at thasa times. Then came reports of aeroplanes and strange lights on or near tho coast between Melbourne arid Sydney, and a. whole ;C.rbp of rumours based oii certain events of which the censorship forbids mention- „ Yesterday morning the Sydney l)aily Telegraph published the folio-wing :— '.'Melbourne, Monday : Within the past forty-eight hours, information has come to hanri which points to the jirdbability that tho realities of war' will soori b!o brought, before Australia in the most convincing fashion. Steps have boeh taken by the Cef ence aitthoritidS- to c6pe with a. situa.tipii\\vhich" may at any moment assume grave proportions. More than this cannot be '?aid for the present." . Naturally, the public fairly, seethed with excit«oient; but this state-' melit, in the noon editions, allayed the general anxiety : "A shipping firm, fearing for the safety of its steamers, enquired of a high naval authority as to whether it would-be wise to adhere'to its sailing list. The firm \fas, assured that it need have no fear for its vessels, and, consequently, it will run thorn as iiSual. Other information, tending to show that the rumours afe without foundation, was supplied. Enquiricsof other shipping firms showed that not .one single soiling had been cancelled."

j The latest development appears in the following statement in this morning's 1 newspapers :— "The following official statement was made by the Minister for Defence yes- j terday :_ 'Referring' to certain ' rumours of a- disquieting character Which were in circulation, Senator PdarSe to-day stated that there was nothing that need alarm the public, but it had been I thought advisable to take certain action of a precautionary nature to prevent any interference with our shipping.'' AEROPLANES. "Melbourne, Tuesday.—Regarding the reports about aeroplanes having been ■seen in certain parts of Victoria, the Minister said the public should note tho following facts in relation to distinguishing marks. All British and Australian aeroplanes are vjsibly marked with three concentric circles of colour—red, white, and blue. German, 'planes are marked with large black crosses in the shape of the. Iron Cross. Privately-owned planes are not so marked, and such marking on them would be illegal: "Any German or other 'enemy subject using an unmarked. 'plane or one with British marking is .-subject to the penalty of,a spy. j "It is important that all information regarding the 'movements of aeroplanes should be given at once, to the nearest military officer or to the police, and that not only should, markings, be- destfribed, but. the date and time, direction from aiid to, sound, and, if possible, a sketch of the outline of tho machine." '.