KINEMA SCOUTS AT THE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2692, 11 February 1916, Page 5

KINEMA SCOUTS AT THE FRONT

VALUED BY THE STAFF DARING WORK IN THE AIR By Tclecranh—Press Asfioclatlon-CoDJTieWI Paris, February 0. Kinematograpli films aro immensely useful to tlio French Stalf. Tho photographers, who are volunteers, must have nerves of steel. They are willing' at great risks to fly in aeroplanes at a low altitude. If there is an accidcnt a special device destroys the films and prevents the enemy securing them, 'i'iia films show tho enemy's trenches, the moving of troops, and the firing of guus. Photographs taken from seaplanes sometimes show tho moving periscopes of submarines. The kincma. film offers the one bUib means of bringing baok from the air, to the general in command a conclusive record of what is taking place behind; the screen of tho enemy's held fortifications. In tho seclusion, and undisturbed darkness of the projecting-room the council of war may occupy the seat of the aeroplane observer and see witli their own eyes exactly what was un- - folded to him. Following a. film which has been taken from aloft brings the war vividly to the spectator's eyes. The buildings appear to be of Lilliputian, proportions, the open land is divided and sub-divided into irregular geometrical designs by criss-crossing high reads, bypaths, streams, and railways. Possibly an area from forty to sixty miles in diameter is brought within range of the eye, and the general aspect recalls nothing so much as the elaborate efforts of a. diligent child with plastic clap upon a 'large dining-room table. Towards tho north-east corner a puff of smoke is seen to burst from a copse behind a sheltering hill. A few moments later a ncsfc of houses in the centre of i the picture collapses. like a, pack of cards beneath a cloud of dust and smoke. As one becomes accustomed to the strange aspect of the country as seen from an unusual point of view, one observes here, there, and everywhere small clusters like ants moving busily, to and fro. These are the masses of the enemy's troops. Some are moving steadily along various high roads, others are swarming at distinctive points and are certainly engaged upon some pressing duty, sucil as the overhauling of a demolished field work or the placing in. position of a gun. Now and then there', is a wild commotion, and the clusters aro observed to scatter madly in the manner of ants when a heavy human foot descends upon their hill. A solid, dark phalanx is moving along a high road in the distance. In a moment tho patch has disappeared. The warning whirring of the aeroplane, from which these pictures were taken has been heard and the troops havo hurriedly made for the cover offered by the hedge-rows and trees to continue their advance undetected. The lines of the trenches stand out boldly, and if there bo any life within them the searching eye of the moving picture camera speedily reveals it. Now and again the uncanny panorama is momentarily ob» soured as the edge of the 'plane carrying the recording angel comes into the field of photographic vision. A ruff of white fleece, like a summer, cloud, obliterates the view for a few seconds. But it is not a bank of vapour. It is tlie outward and visible sign of a message from an "Archibald" (anti-aircraft gun), which, the daring inquisitiveness of the aerial observer, has burst in unhealthy proximity, to the searching eye in tho clouds. Everything'is there' except the thunder and roar of the guns. - _ •- _ When the films swing to the sea a more impressive and weird effect is presented. Tho picture is rimmed by a drab regular line—tho horizon of water. Beneath the Fleet is moving, but what a Fleet! From the altitudeof the aeroplane it recalls a Saturday afternoon scone upon a big suburban lake with model ships. The mammoth Dreadnoughts aro but diminutive toys, while the smaller craft resemble flies 'skimming over the mirror surface of a millpond upon a hot summer's day. Ragged, attenuated banks of smoke from the funnels trail lazily across the sky, while in the wake of each vessel stretcjies out a well-defined symmetrical line, freely splashed with white—bold immediately behind the vessel but _ ill the distance fading into the prevailing sullen drab of the water. Some lines are - straight, others zig-zag .in a. bewildering manner, ivliile still more describe stately sweeping curves: These trails are the iines .of troubled water caused by the revolution of the ship's propellers, and by following them one may easily discern the courses which tho ships have run during the evolutions which aro in progress. Kinematographiug the war from tho clouds has coma to be regarded as ono of the most exclusive duties of tho respective belligerents. In the Germany Army the aero-kinematographors are urged to prevent a film falling into the enemy's hands at all hazards, destruction of the pictures being an immutable law if. a descent into hostile, territory be unavoidable. Such precautions are imperative. Tho aeroplano is the eye of tho Army,' but the long length of sensitised celluloid ribbon, a littlo more than afl inch in widthj constitutes its brain, because it carries an indelible record of what has been revealed to the airmen during their flight, and one which may be consulted whenever desired.—Frederick Talbot, in the "Daily, Mail."' '• —-