The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4006, 12 August 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1915.

The Huns, ii will be seen, have undertaken a further aerial attack on Britain, but tho results must again have proved a disappointment to them. In the aggregate they have on this ocasion succeeded in causing only twenty-five casualties and in every instance the victims, it would appear, were non-combatants. As far as can be gathered the latest raid brings the total of those costly and very risky adventures to England up to sixteen. Among the places that have been tho subject of these unwelcome visits uro Dover, Mouth of Thames, Yarmouth, Sheringham, King’s Lynn, Colchester. Coggeshall, Braintree, Blythe, Tynside, .Malden, Lowestoft, Favor,sham, Ipswich, Bury St. Edmunds, Southend, Westell'ff, Leigh, Ramsgate, Outlying London, as well as undefined places on the East Coast and North East Coast. Perhaps the most successful raid from the point of view of the Hums, was that in June when 5 men, 13 women and 0 children were killed and about 10 people were injured. Tt is a remarkable fact hut, as on that occasion and in the present instance, the victims have included far more women and children than men, hi all, the total number of fatalities is still much below 100 and, as far as is known, tho damage to property has been very slight. The latest raid was seemingly on a larger scale than its predecessors as the official accounts describe the visit as having been made by “a -squadron of airships.” What may have been the case is (hat this was the promised raid ill retaliation for the Allies’ attack on Karlsruhe. In tubs regard it may be recalled that, as a sequel to that particular attack, the Huns, in their anger, immediately threatened reprisals in the shape of a great raid on the “West End of London rather than Paws, which is fortified.” ff it should so happen, therefore, that the raid which has just been carried out represented the threatened great attack tho disappointment on account of the small fruits of their work will be still greater to our unscrupulous enemy. As it so turns out the; Allies have not delayed in adopting retaliatory measures for, it will be observed, they have just carried out a counter-attack in tho form of >a raid on Saarbruck, a town of Rhinish Prussia, on the Saar, which is a small industrial centre and is famous in history chiefly on account of the fact that it was the scene of the first engagement in the Franeo-Pvus-sian War. The Huns, however, are not likely to admit that they expected greater results as a sequel to thenraid. As on the occasion of previous raids they may again assort, that the raid was made merely for tlsje purpose of testing new airships and providing an opportunity for additional commanders to become better acquainted

The Latest Zeppelin Raid.

with tlicir duties in view of a future raid on a very elaborate scale. The position, we take, it, is that Britain and her Allies are not yet lully prepared to undertake frequent concerted aerial attacks on Germany. Certainly, so far as Britain is concerned, there has been very wide expansion in connection with the aerial service over since the war began. According to a statement which Mr. Tennant made in the. House ol Commons recently the number ol Hying pilots has been increased ten-1 old and the personnel of the air service generally 'live-fold. Some difficulty was, however, experienced up to a lew months ago in the matter ot the supply of high explosive air bombs, but the trouble was stated by the L ndcr-Sec-rctary for War to have since been overcome. It is quite evident, wo should say, that ere long the Huns will be made to pay much more dearly for their action in attacking undefended towns in England and ITaiinciiud killing women and babies arnicannloss civilians. When freqinwt raids over Germany become possi*le, instead of isolated attacks at considerable intervals, the Huns will mim\ that (hey will have but little time ",in which to indulge in lengthy aerial cruises (which servo no military purpose) to England. As far as the manning ol the British Air Service is concerned it lias been very plainly demonstrated that our airmen are second to none and, like the courageous Lieutenant Warneford, are longing for opportunities similar to that which came to him for a test of their ability to successfully attack enemy airships or other air craft-. The great need of this branch of our military service is, seemingly, a greater number of mad lines of a more formidable