WAR IN THR AIR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1394, 21 March 1912, Page 7

WAR IN THR AIR.

—— 9 BOMB DROPPING IN TRIPOLI. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Received Slarch 21, 0.15 a.m.) Rome, Slarch 20. A dirigible balloon at an altitude of 1200 metres (about 4700 feet) directed the Italian artillery fire on the Turkish camp at Zangur with success and precision. The Turks (led. The dirigible then proceeded to the Turkish camp at Suniaden and dropped bombs, destroying the commissariat depot. Rome, Slarch 19. An Italian aeroplane at Benghazi, by dropping bombs over tho enemy's forces; killed twelve Arabs and Turks.

AN AEROPLANE GUN. London, March 19. Messrs. Vickers, Son, and Maxim havo successfully tested quick-firing guns to be carried by aeroplanes. BALLOON ACCIDENT. Berlin, March 19. An unusual balloon accident is reportted from Alsace-Lorraine. A balloon, manned by two officers, broke from its moorings and drifted, dragging a steel rope. The latter touched a high-tension wiro and caused a short "circuit. Tho balloon was set afire, and fell at Bischeim, a village- two miles from Strasbourg. Tho officers were badly injured. THE AEROPLANE IN TRIPOLI. Military aeroplaning has received a groat advertisement by the intrepid scoutlug that has been done by the Italian, aviators in Tripoli. As this is tho first time, with the exception of an odd flight on the Mexican border, that an army in the field has employed tho aeroplane tho results should be carefully studied. In the first place, says a writer in the "Manchester Guardian," it should bo remembered that the Italian aeroplanes were unopposed by similar craft. It must also lie remembered that the Turks and Arabs had no arm with which to check the Italian aeroplane beyond their rifles. Tt remains to bo seen what exactly the Italian air officers were able to accomplish. They had, of course, the easiest field of observation next to' the seascape which airmen can be called upon to observe. The Italian aeroplanes, soaring over the desert at a height that nut them beyond the range of Turkish rifles, were able accurately to locate the camps which the Turks and Arabs formed at Ainzara, Zanzur, and Azizia. On each occasion, howler, the observation officers used the thousand point as tho unit for location. That, is they said thero are "two of three thousand men" here oi about "a thousand men" there. The most important movement—the oasis attack in October—that the Turks and the Arabs made the aeroplane failed to observe. Tho Turks and Arabs moved in under the covor of darkness, and were, of course, concpaled beneath the feather-like leaves of tho palm, trees from all overhead view by daylight. It so happened that at the very moment that the aeroplanes, scouting over the desert, reported the Turks and Arabs to be in retreat tho. main attack was. in progress beneath the palm trees. This, adds the writer, shows that the aeroplane supplies but a limited amount of information, and teaches us not to build too much upon tho accuracy and completeness of tho work it will perform.