IF THE GERMANS DO CROSS

Evening Star, Issue 15708, 23 January 1915, Page 3

IF THE GERMANS DO CROSS

A HOT TIAIE PROMISED. In London a hand of heroic airmen have pledged themselves In hurl their aeroplanes at the (iernian Zeppelins should such craft, venture an invasion of London. It will mean certain death to them, hut these brave fellows have counted the cost. and are willing (o sacrifice their lives for I their country. If—and, after all, it is | not such a hit; if. for the (Jevmans are alj ready well nigh desperate—if Scotland i should he invaded, then? is no need for j panic. The authorities have all along J reckoned with this possibility, as they j were indeed hound to do. It may lie | noted thai on the east coast of England j Rrigadicr-Cieueral Riddel] has issued a ! notice to the inhabitants of myth. i Northumberland, warning them that in'the j event of any gun firing being heard thev ! are not to heeome unnecessarily nlannerj. j mid they arc not to rush int-o the streets, i as t-his action on their part would ne i likely to seriously impede the military in | the discharge of'their duties. In the'east ;of Scotland, as well as in the west of : Scotland, (here, are certain well-known districts which must not be mentioned which ; are likely to attra.ct the attention of the '. (German foe. But. both the military and ; naval authorities have done everything ; humanly possible to make these places , --A Veritable Hell for an Enemy.--Dirl the public only know what excellent ' work has i'leei: done'they would not be so carping in their criticisms, and were some jof our "Terriers" onlv able to undcr- | stand the honorable positions thev will fill I should an enemy's gun belch out'its shrap--1 nel on our shores, thev would understand ' whv so many fine fellow..- have been regained to guard the "homeland." The j Hermans, after all their espionage, have i been at fault all along the line, and should they made a dash on our coasts, it will lie | merely a filibustering expedition, an e.\i pedition planned to do as much damage as possible within a specified time. The Herman naval commanders know the risk ; of such a raid, and the Teutonic airmen j are aware that it. will lie a forlorn hope \ that they will he sent on. At the same . time, enormous damage could he done. ; Spies Foiled.-. ■

certain eTabiishmeiits in Scotland. ami ay;ain they tried to worm their win into Uu- confidence of .some of the men. hut not once were they successful, "thcie is a ne.vjil establishment in the west they desired to photograph. Time after r.n'e they ereot, up to almost a possible vani,.ie-e place, l.iit here also they were faced with a livino- iiari'ier wln'eli imthins; could pros. Am!, while the-, thought themselves worki.i S n, :,. v,- a y tiou, e\ery stop they took was known, ji.ul were checkmated e\cjy direction t,:ev turiied. It is. ol course, well known that German agents floun'shed for a time on tin.' east coast of Scotland. It is confidently believed, however, that all the iufoim.atioii they obtained was praetioallv worthless, and that the chief spy. Stuinlmur. has in his possession papers that are not v.o;t>i the ink they are written with. All the .same. Rosyth is a centre which doubtless Germany holds one. of the most valuable. and is one mapped for destruction. JJ it here they did not conn* on the " eoutcinptibl. little Army ' b-1.10 anie to play the game t ! as done l->,-. ■."..hi.ig has hern done to ensure that iirilisji shores shall not be invaded with impunity. The 15rilish Lion has both eyes wide open. Away up in the north, where the searchlight's make night into day, tireless sentinel.-; are on duty, and the Germans, while they were foiled in their attempt to learn the" secret, of the great fortifications, mayrealise something of their strength should they he foolhardy enough lo attempt to run" the gauntlet of the guns.