ZEPPELIN RAIDS

ONE REACHES LONDON AREA. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association; LONDON, October 21. Although six or seven Zeppelins crossed the English coast it is believed that only one penetrated the London area, and it dropped bombs in three districts. NEW ZEALAND AVIATOR KILLED. CAUSTIC PRESS COMMENT ON VISIT. "SOMEONE BLUNDERED." LONDON, October 21. During the air raid Lieutenant Solomon, of the Royal Flying Corps, was killed. He ascended from an air station in an eastern county, but something went wrong with his machine, which dashed to earth. Lieutenant Solomon was a New Zealander, who had served in Mesopotamia. ' The Sunday Times says: " Londoners and all Englishmen are chagrined that the fleet" of Zeppelins was able to visit the capital and escape scot free. Somebody blundered. How otherwise can be explained the strange shyness of our searchlights and the consequent shyness of our vaunted barrage?" BAD TIME IN FRANCE. FOUR ZEPPELINS BROUGHT DOWN FOUR OTHERS DISABLED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. PARIS, October 21. Official: Eleven Zeppelins raided France last night. They were chased in all directions by our aeroplanes and harassed by gun-fire. An official warning was given in Paris, but no bombs were dropped there. Our guns brought down a Zeppelin near Luneville, and another in the Upper Marne district. Our aeroplanes brought down a third in Burgundy, and a fourth in the Maritime Alps, after an all-night chase. The report that a fifth was brought down is not confirmed. The crew of one airship were taken prisoner, and the Zeppelin, itself was intact. Two other Zeppelins were disabled when attacked by our aeroplanes and antiaircraft and were compelled to descend. Their crews set fire to their airships and took to flight on foot, but were taken prisoner. < Besides those brought down, four disabled Zeppelins are wandering about France—two in the southwest, one over the Mediterranean, and one on the Swiss frontier. All are closely hemmed in by French aviators. DETAILS OF DESTRUCTION. HOW THE AIRSHIPS WERE DESTROYED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Aseootation. PARIS, October 21. The first Zeppelin was shot down at St. Elements, in the Meurthe et Mosello Department, at seven o'clock on Saturday morning. Three airships were seen in company travelling at 56 miles an hour against a head wind. The anti-aircraft guns! opened at a range of 4000 metres. The Zeppelins at once leapt to an altitude of 5500 metres. Tlia fourth shell fired penetrated the envelope of one, which ignited, and one e of. the gondolas became detached and fell. Then the Zeppelin, nose upwards, crashed to earth. Five bodies, fearfully mutilated, were found near by, but the remainder were buried in the ruins. The second Zeppelin, L 49, was forced to land undamaged at 9.20 a.m. by our chasing aeroplanes at Bourdonne, 30 miles west by south of Nancy. ' Her commander, second officer, and crew of 17 were taken prisoner. The third Zeppelin, LSO, ajighted at Dammartin, near Montignv le Roi. Two officers and 14 men landed of whom two were slightly wounded. They released one of their gondolas and ignited it, and the Zeppelin, with four men still aboard, swiftly reascended. One prisoner stated that LSO left its base at Oldenburg on 'October 19 (Friday), and lost its way in a fog while trying to return to Germany. The fourth Zeppelin fell at Laragne, near Gap, in Provence, at 10.50 a.m. Two officers and 15 men were taken prisoner after burning their machine. The fifth Zeppelin was brought down at four o'clock on Saturday afternoon between Sisteron and Gap. The crew set fire to the airship before they were taken prisoner. CONSTERNATION IN GERMANY. FAILURE OF ZEPPELINS ADMITTED. AMSTERDAM, October 21. (Received Oct. 22, at 7.30 p.m.) The Zeppelin disaster has caused widespread consternation in Germany. It is admitted that it demonstrates the failure of the Zeppelin as an offensive weapon. RETURNING FROM THE RAID. LOST THEIR WAY. PARIS, October 21. (Received Oct. 22, at 7.30 p.m.) The log book of the undamaged Zeppelin shows that the craft were returning from England. Prisoners from the three Zeppelins state that they were sent to England, but lost their way on the return journey. A NEW TYPE. THE MOST POWERFUL AIRSHIPS. Reuter's Telegrams. PARIS, October 21. (Received Oct. 22. at 7.30 p.m.) The captured Zeppelins seem to be a new type, bigger than usual, and able to fly 110 kilometres hourly and to rise 6000 metres.

ANOTHER AIRSHIP PROBABLY DESTROYED. GERMAN LOSSES. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. LONDON, October 22. (Received Oct. 23, at 1.35 a.m.) Apparently 11 aeroplanes (? Zeppelins) wore engaged in the raid, of wjiicb. eight reached France, and three others retired via Holland. An airship was reported disabled over Toulon, and almost vertical. It disappeared over the Mediterranean, and it is believed felf into the sea. French aviators were compelled to abanr don the pursuit, owing to approaching night. The Zeppelins were the largest yet seen, and some must have been in tho air 30 hours, travelling 1200 miles. It is estimated that, whereas there were 80 casualties in England, the Germans lost 141 killed or taken prisoner. A GERMAN PRISONER'S BOAST. BIG AERIAL OFFENSIVE PLANNED. PARIS, October 22. (Received Oct. 23, at 1.35 a.m.) A captured German aviator states that Germany is preparing for a great air offensive by masses of machines, forestalling those being constructed in America. The German machines include a giant biplane with four motors, carrying bombs weighing 300 kilogrammes. The Germans had 2COO aeroplanes in July, and are sparing no efforts to increase that number. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LOSS OF FOUR ZEPPELINS ADMITTED. LONDON, October 22. (Received October 23, at 1.50 a-m.) German official: An airship squadron on Friday night made a ■ specially successful attack on London, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham. Derby, Lowestoft, Hull, Grimsby, Norwich, and Mappleton. On returning, owing to an adverse wind and a dense mist, four airships crossed the French battle zone, where, according to the French, they were shot down or forced down. No details of the fate of these vessels or their crews are yet available.