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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 1314.PDF
E ONE way and another the ceasing of the output from this one factory, it would have been thought, would speedily reflect upon the activities in the trenches. But no, Germany can still go on hammering at the various fronts, which suggests that the Allies are hardly likely to be helped towards freeing the civilised world ol this octopus of iniquity by "a la Coventry " Bolo methods. Incidentally, war in the air may be considerably influenced by the destroying of this Hun factory, as it supplied practically all the electrolytic hydrogen for the inflation of Zeppelins and their " cousins," and for this purpose had in reserve three gasometers with a total capacity running into hundreds of thousands cubic feet. So important was it in this respect, that a Zeppelin shed, usually containing two or three airships, was erected in close proximity to the works. For the kite balloons at the front the gas was supplied in steel tubes in the liquefied state. Moreover, the extensive electrolytic plant was further utilised to produce asphyxiating ga=, and lachrymatory and poisonous shells. Indeed, it was the greatest centre of this manu- facture in Germany, and in 1916 the output of poison gases reached the colossal figure of nearly 600,000 cubic feet a day. A LONDON clergyman, the Rev. J. Pughe Jones, curate ofSt. Anne, Brookfield, Highgate Road, who has already served as an Army Chaplain in the war, has joined the R.F.C. totrain as a pilot. The Rev. Mr. Jones is probably th e only • London clergyman who has entered the Air Service as a" pilot," instead of as a " sky-pilot." REFERRING to the Christmas tree air-raid Warning lights of different localities, Sir George Cave, the Home Secretary, states that he is aware that several borough councils have adopted the device of exhibiting coloured lights in their districts on air-raid nights. He adds that the Commissioner , of Police has arranged that any local authority may supple- ment the police warning to " Take cover '-'• by exhibiting a suitable red light, and the '' All clear " by a green or White light. PRIVATE letters are always touchy things to handle with discretion. A fortnight ago we reproduced a short quotation from "The Londoner's Diary," which has for some time been a feature in our contemporary the Evening Standard, and We refer to it again, as it points the moral as to the sacredness of private communications. The reference Was to What it feels like to be in a barrage, and we now hear from Alight-Lieut. Rosevear, Whose name was coupled with the extract, that he not only did not authorise its publication, but that he strongly objects to the statement therein set torth as being a highly coloured account of a private com- munication, and savours, moreover, of " cheap advertise- ment," Which Lieutenant Rosevear neither likes nor seeks. i>0 it Would appear to be up to " The Londoner " to justify the rape of this extract from a private letter. BROUGHT down Thursday morning and on exhibition at Trafalgar Square Saturday morning ! Surely that is some- thing by Way of being a record. When the German Command sent their night hawks across on the night of Thursday of last Week they scarcely anticipated that one of them Was to be the means, indirectly, of bucking up our War . Loan Campaign. Yet there can be little doubt that the 260-h.p. Mercedes engine shown near the Tank on Saturday last helped very materially to arouse the enthusiasm of potential investors. The legend above the captured engine attracted enormous attention, especially in view of the fact that the engine was, figuratively speaking of course, hardly cold yet after its rescue from the burning wreck of the Gotha. HERE is an extract from the first chapter of " Lorna Doone " which has caught the eye of one of our readers :— • • • it is in. the licence of any boy, however small and undoctrmed, to rush into the great school-rooms, where a score of masters sit heavily, and scream at the top of his voice, ' P.B.' " One would almost think this Was not from a romance of Dartmoor, but a story of Hertford ! A QUAINT story is going round aviation circles of the representative of a well-known firm in the aircraft industry who celebrated in very convivial fashion a satisfactory piece of business—and was awakened next morning by the voice of a hotel chambermaid at his door inquiring Whether he had been sleeping in his boots as his socks had been found outside ! WHILE an airship was sailing gracefully over Trafalgar Square on Saturday, the crowd made a big scramble for cards which were being dropped from it to assist the appeal for more money fox War Bonds. Alas for the aeronautical instruction v '• ' „• 7. •-, ' " •' ': DECEMBER 13, 1917. of the multitude—every .card was headed:—"From a British aeroplane"] The italics are ours. RAID-IOGRAPHS. A CORRESPONDONT tells us that one of his neighbours, on hearing air-raid warnings, immediately commences to play hymns on a piano—not Hymns of Hate, but something moire of a Moody and Sankey vintage. He asks whether we think this is done With the idea of drowning the noise of a very healthy anti-aircraft gun in that particular part of the West. End, or whether it is done by way of amusing or confusing the raiders. WTe give it up. THE same correspondent says that on the occasion of therecent early morning raid what tickled him most was, after the din of the barrage had died away and everyone in thedistrict was thoroughly wide awake, to hear a conscientious alarm clock trying to convey the glad tidings that it was7 a.m. and time to get up. TEN YEARS AGO. Excerpts from the " Auto."(" FLIGHT'S " precursor and sisterJournal) of December, 1907. " FLIGHT " was 'ounded in1908. THE LOSS OF THE " PATRIE." Only last week we announced that the famous French military airship the " Patrie " had taken up its .permanent quarters at Verdun, one of the principal stations on the Franco-German frontier, and now, by a most extraordinary piece of ill-luck the French have lost their idol. To actually lose such an enormous machine as an airship would almost seem impossible, but the fact remains that it was literally blown away in a gale, which carried it across France, England and Ireland. It was on Saturday evening that the occurrence took place, a temporary descent having been made at Souhes- mes on the day before, owing to a breakdown in the engine, brought about by the mechanician's clothing getting entangled in the gearing. During the Saturday evening the wind increased in force, and about 8 o'clock assumed the propor- tions of a gale. No fewer than 180 men were holding the airship down, but as those who have watched an airship swaying gently in the breeze will be readily able to realise, only quite a small percentage of this little army of human anchors could have possibly been effective at any one moment. THE " VILLE DE PARIS " TO GO TO VERDUN. As the sister airship to the lost " Patrie " will not be ready until February, the French Government has accepted an offer made by M. Deutsch de la Meurthe to send his air- ship, " Ville de Paris," immediately to Verdun. THE R.F.C. FIRST IN THE THRIFT QUEUE.— Opening scene in an £18,000 Xmas pay out. The twenty-sixth annual "pay out" of the New Taber- nacle Dividing Society took place this week, when nearly £18,000 was paid out to members. An R.F.C. man was the first recipient of a welcome Xmas box.
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