THE ZEPPELIN RAIDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10115, 24 October 1917, Page 5

THE ZEPPELIN RAIDS.

I MR BONAR LAW ON THE SITUATION. “THE GREATEST AIR DEFEAT GERMANY EVER SUFFERED.” Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Received October 24, 10.15 a.m LONDON, Oct.' 23. In the House of Commons critics of the London air defences moved the adjournment of the House in .order to discuss Friday’s raid. Mr Chamberlain and Admiral Meux advised the House to make short work of the motion. Mr Bonar Raw said he refused to help Germany by giving' particulars of our methods of defending London. Of eleven Zeppelins only one came over London. The air services view v.as that the mist did not save London, but it saved the Zeppelins. If the Germans ever smiled at. our way of conducting war they would have a. happy time over the British' House of Commons stopping business to make this fuss over I tie greatest air defeat Germany ever .suffered. The motion should be withdrawn. Two raids upon German towns with large populations had already taken place. This is what happened owing to the pressure ox one or two Commoners and the pressure, of the newspapers to find out what we were going to do. It. was a fact that the Germans, who know the only, quarter whence raids could take place, had sent flying squadrons to await our flyers and then they were ready to receive our men. The motion was withdrawn. The Daily Express, commenting upon the incident, says: —If bombing a town lorty miles over the border is what the Government moan by bombing German towns, it is not what the public mean. The statement creates widespread astonishment, as the continued lack of action is causing widespread discontent.

ARROGANT GERMAN PRISONERS. MADAME DUPONT’S CAPTURE. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Received October 24. 11.10 a.in. PARIS. Oct. 23. It is still doubtful whether five or six Zeppelins were'destroyed in France. Four or .five escaped to Germany, though it. is believed that-the Zeppelin which landed 16 mien at Moutfgnyleroi now lies in the. mid-Alps. The German prisoners state that 13 Zeppelins participated in the raids, of which numboir 'eleven- returned across France. All the crews belong to the navy, there being no longer any land Zeppelins. The officers' were; arrogant, and claimed a special regime a ( nd rooms at an hotel. They were much distressed when they were treated as' prisoners. .The officers and' crow of the L 45, which descended at Laragne, were captured by Madame Dupont, la farmer’s wife, but she was unable ho prevent Captain Kooller setting Tiro to the Zeppelin by shooting at it with a revolver.

HOW THE GERMANS WERE CUT OFF. Received Ootobei' 24, 11.0 a.m. PARIS, Oct. 23, It is believed that tine Zeppelin engines froze when they were cut oft by their two hours’ drifting over London. this is the real cause of tlho disaster, as it would be impossible to restart at such a high altitude. The Zeppelins then drifted to France and were forced to descend at dawn, when the Freticii aeroplanes discovered them. DIRECTED AGAINSIT ENGLAND. BRITISH REPRISALS. Australian-New Zealand i"atble Association. LOMU ON, pel. 22. Mr Perrins, a with tho French armies, says the cnews of t.jo superZeppelins L 49 and 1.50 ootilum the statement that t hey took pari iki a & ingle oxpedi . tion against England. The. fleet numbered twelve, and left three ports separately. When they reached England they tfere Iwtherod by our aircraff. batteries, .'Mid and quioklv dropped tjjV\ r bombs and rose to a heigiht of tlirco mile*, ■where they were caught in a strong north- - westerly wind and became lost. The men became frostbitten, iwid the .alternators would not work. It was; impossible to ta.ko their bearings, and one captain, at dawn, thowght they were over Holland or Westphalia, ,'ind then only recognised his mtistake when they were on French soil. In the House of Commons, Sir George Cave, explaining tbe late Iteppolin raid, said the Government had alrouvly announced its intention of bombing Geitman towns until an end was put to such cold-blooded at-’ tempts upon the civil population of England. Two such British attacks Had already been made, and the House miijght be assured that the process would be continued until this purpose was attained. In addition to tho live Zeppelins, whose fate has been mentioned, j another was brought down between Sistevon and Cap, tho crow destroying the airship before surrendering. The crew regard two others as doomed, as when seen by them, they we PC drifting above Gap, one beiiag out_ of eon- 1 trol. Thus, of tho raiding 'fleet, it seems reasonably certain that only the three which wore reported 'over Holland returned to Germany.

OSTEND BOMBED. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. LONDON, Oct. 22. The Admiralty reports:—Our ships bombarded naval works at Ostend on Sunday. Photographs slrow that (lie results arc satisfactory.