FANCIFUL STORY OF A ZEPPELIN RAID.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4141, 19 January 1916, Page 5

FANCIFUL STORY OF A ZEPPELIN RAID.

AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST IN..

BERLIN

“SHIPS DESTROYED.”

Through the German wireless station, an American journalist’s fanciful version of a Zeppelin raid on London on October 12 sent to the Associated Press, New York, and was picked up by the Wireless Press. There was no raid on October 12 5 but a raid took place on the London district on tlie night of October 13. The message, which was signed Conger, was as follows : , I have learned from an authoritative military source that the Zeppelin bombardment of London on October 12 was more tremendously effective than heretofore. The reported partial list of damage done is as follows :

London Docks effectively bombarded ; also East India Docks, where a big warehouse was burnt. The quay wall of the City of London Docks was damaged; several ships were hit, some of which were destroyed. A cotton warehouse at the victoria Docks was burnt out. Tho Tower of London and Tower Bridge were bombarded; St. George and Leman streets suffered severely. , The City proper and newspaper quarter also suffered heavily; “Morning Post” building damaged. Heavy destruction in Chancerylane; Liverpool-street, Aldgate, and Minpries suffered; many houses were destroyed—in some places whole blocks. The South-Western Bank was completely burnt out. Woolwich Arsenal was damaged, and some machinery destroyed. A battery with searchlights were silenced at Enfield. _ The pumping station at Hampton was damaged. Factories were burnt at Croydon. A battery -of searchlights was bombarded at Kentish Town, and several / factories were damaged at West Ham and East Ham. The fire from a battery at Ipswich weakened greatly after a few combs were dropped thereon.

Twenty-six searchlights played on the Zeppelins, and four aeroplanes attacked them. , No Zeppelin was. damaged in any way, despite the continual firing, which showed that London is very well defended so far as tho number of guns is concerned.