AERIAL NAVIES.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 90, 31 May 1912, Page 3

AERIAL NAVIES.

AIR " WATCH ON THE RHINE." Twenty-four Hying machines—the modern "Watch on the Rhine" —will take up their station on the western .. •.i tier in tks middle of this month (.stated the Berlin correspondent of the 'Daily Mail,' writing on April 2). iMetz and Strasburg have been designated as the first Hying garrisons, and will each be supplied with six monoplanes and six biplanes. The new Anny airship, i'arseval JII., carried out successful "battle practice" in bomb-dropping at Tegel yesterday. During a cruise lasting an hour iind a-half four "blank" bombs weighing 1101b each were dropped from heights varying from 19.50 to 2600 feet on the target 33ft in diameter. The Aeronautical Department of the Army declared itself "highly gratified" with the experiments. FRANCE'S PATRIOTISM. One hundred and sixty aeroplanes would now represent the total sum subscribed by the French nation towards the military flying fund opened two months ago to present France with a great aerial navy. This morning the 'Matin' contained a list of the festivals and meetings which have been arranged for the near future, and the proceeds of which aro to be devoted to the fund (wrote the Paris correspondent of the 'Daily Mail' on April 2). A gala performance will be given at the Comedie Franeaiso on May 4, at which all the celebrated artists of the great French theatre will appear. A great flying meeting is to bo held it Troyes on Sunday and Monday next, and the gate money will be offered by the town for the purchase of an aeroplane for the Army. Biarritz is to hold a similar series of fetes on behalf of the