When General Hirschauer was again appointed to the control of the "Aviation Militaire" a wholesale clearing out took place, and the French aviators have done far better than in the early part of the war, but even now there is room for improvement.

That Zeppelin Raid.

The other day, when the "Zeppelin Raid" on Paris took place, we were told that the fleeing airships were pursued by aeroplanes but escaped in the fog, and that the "Escadrille de Paris" had thoroughly vindicated its existence. Those who were in Paris at the time, and who are closely in touch with aviation, have a very different tale to tell.

According to them, the two "Zeppelins" were a Zeppelin and a Parseval-at any rate, there was a big ship and a little one-and they remained playing about over Paris for an hour without being hurt. Apparently, the anti-aircraft guns were not arranged to protect the very important districts engaged in manufacturing munitions of war, but merely to cover the "official" districts, round the Place de la Concorde, and so forth, which, from a military point of view, are of far less importance. It was merely bad bomb-dropping which prevented serious damage from being done, not anything in the way of defensive-offensive measures.

When the "Zeppelins" had got rid of all their bombs they went calmly home, unmolested. And when they had been gone for an hour and a half, the "Escadrille de Paris" apparently woke up, and said: "Where are they? Lead us to them!" or words to that effect.

One hears that the pilots who were supposed to be on duty that night were actually sleeping in Paris, and although the aerodrome at which the escadrille is stationed had had warning an hour and a half before that the airships had passed Compiégne, and although the fire-brigade had warned Paris to put out its lights, none of the pilots turned out their machines till the Zeppelins had gone.

That is to say there was an hour and a half between the warning and the arrival of the airships, an hour while they were over Paris, and an hour and a half after they left, before the first aeroplane turned out, or four hours in all during which nothing was done. And when two or three aeroplanes did go out they merely circumnavigated the aerodrome at a safe altitude and landed, reporting that it was too foggy to proceed.

Actually, when the airships were overhead it was a gorgeously clear night, without a cloud anywhere, and the so-called fog was the mist of dawn, for which the pilots apparently purposely waited.

The Joke of Paris.

In fact, the "Escadrille de Paris" is a huge joke to the really honest, hard-working first-line aviators. It is commanded by a M. Girod (now Commandant-or Major) normally Deputy for a place called Doubs. M. Girod is, doubtless, an honest "bourgeois-gentilhomme," and he has done much talking about aviation

More Airship Dreams.

The following remarks in "The Observer" by "C. W.," the frequently excellent "locum tenens" for Mr. C. C. Turner, may entertain readers who have read Mr. MacMechan's effusions in the American Press :

It is difficult to "place" Mr. Thomas R. MacMechan. Early in the war he tried to impress the world with his accounts of the big fleet of German airships that were ready to invade England and France. Now he asserts in the American Press that this country is building small rigid airships for defence against Zeppelins. He says these ships-there are to be fiveare to cost £20,000 each. They are to have one torpedo-gun firing a projectile 1,600 feet point blank, and are to be manned by a crew of eight and equipped with wireless. They will be 230 feet long and 28 feet in diameter, and will be driven by two engines aggregating about 200 h.p. They will carry a ten hours' load of fuel. The gas-container will be in fourteen compartments, and will be encased in wood.

Unfortunately, the calculation exhibits ignorance of

aero

in the past but he cannot have any sense of humour, or he would never represent a place with a name like Doubs, suggestive only of a lump of mud. M. Girod seems, in fact, a kind of French edition of Colonel (temp. Brig.-Gen.) Seely, who had sufficient mental activity to see some years ago that aviation had a big future, and resolved to identify himself with it, but had not the mental power to develop himself along with the developments of aviation.

M. Girod doubtless commands his precious escadrille to the best of his mediocre ability, but the poor man cannot be expected to sleep in his aeroplane and see that the " pilot of the night" is always on the alert at the first alarm. Therefore, one can scarcely hold him personally responsible for the fact that his escadrille seems to be composed chiefly of embusqués "or gentlemen who have "ambuscaded" themselves for fear of active service-who have slacked in Paris ever since war began.

It is true that Lieutenant-Aviator Roland Garros once joined this escadrille for a rest, after a spell of hard service at the front-but he left it in disgust a few days before the Zeppelin raid, and has since distinguished himself elsewhere.

The comic aspect of the "Escadrille de Paris" may be judged by the fact that one of the pilots went up to fight Zeppelins on a single-seater scout, armed only with a revolver, and without bombs. The official excuse for the delay in starting was apparently that they were waiting for orders from the Governor of Pariswho, good man, was probably in bed and asleep. A Lesson All Round.

Apparently, the military people in France are beginning to distinguish between the aviators of the front and the aviators of the rear, but it would be a good thing if all this humbug and graft could be wiped out by exposure in the French press. It is even worse in its effect than British stupidity and indifference, for a "fumiste" or "hot-air merchant," as a friend of mine neatly translates the expressive French word— does more harm than a mere blockhead, just as wellmeaning fools do more harm than clever knaves-especially if the knave is clever enough to know that honesty is the best policy, apart from any question of morality.

Anyhow, the story of the "Escadrille de Paris" is not without its usefulness, and it should show our people on this side what to guard against, in the way of lack of readiness for immediate action, though happily our various guard squadrons are free of "fumistes" and "embusqués," being composed chiefly of officers who are swearing even worse than the Army in Flanders because they are not in Flanders themselves, and they are only likely to get into trouble through being too anxious to distinguish themselves.

Still, this little story also has its moral for those who care to search for it.-C. G. G.

nautics. An airship of the dimensions stated would have a capacity of not more than 120,000 feet and a lift of about 8,000 lbs. certainly less than 4 tons. But less us say a lift of 4 tons. Now, the airship itself, minus engines, would weigh 3 tons; an airship on the rigid principle even of this small size could not be built lighter. It is not without reason that the smallest airship Count Zeppelin built was over 400 feet long, and that one weighed 9 tons. Well, now, let us put in the indispensable load, and see where it leads to

GREAT BRITAIN.

From the "London Gazette," March 30th, 1915.

:

ADMIRALTY, MARCH 27TH. ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Proby. flight sub-lieuts. confirmed in rank of flight sub-lieut, G. E. Livock. October 27th. W. S. Newton-Clare. October 30th. W. G. Moore. November 16th. C. B. Dalison. November 6th. T. V. Lister. November 20th. P. Legh. November 30th.

Acting flight lieuts. confirmed in rank of flight lieut.: J. R. W. S. Pigott. July 1st. C. M. Murphy. November 20th. Acting Flight Comm. F. K. McClean confirmed in rank of flight comm. February 2nd.

WAR OFFICE, MARCH 30TH. REGULAR FORCES.-ESTABLISHMENTS.-ROYAL FLYING CORPS.-MILITARY WING.-Equipment Officers-Sec. Lieut. A. Huggins, S.R., and temp. capt. February 16th. March 1: And temp. capts.-Lieut. L., S. Metford, S.R., Omr. and Hon. Lieut. F. H. Kirby, V.C., Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. A. Fletcher. March 8 Capt. D. G. Conner, R.A., Capt. G. B. Hynes, R.A., Capt. A. Christie, R.A., Capt. K. P. Atkinson, R.A., Lieut. R. H. Verney, A.S.C., and temp. capt., Capt. B. E. Smythies, R.E. Lieut. H. C. Barber, S.R., and temp. capt. March 18th. Assist. Equipment Officers. January 16th: Lieut. J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon, S.R.; Sec. Lieut. the Hon. E. A. Stonor, S.R.; Sec. Lieut. G. C. R. Mumby, S. R.; Sec. Lieut. N. Goldsmith, R.A.; Sec. Lieut. S. C. Callaghan, S.R. Sec. Lieut. L. M. Wells Bladen, S.R. January 19th. Temp. Lieut. A. C. S. Couldwell, 15th H.L.I., and removed to General List, New Armies. February 1. Sec. Lieut. T. V. Smith, S. R. February 2nd. Sec. Lieut. R. B. Bourdillon, S.R. February 13th. March 1st Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. W. J. D. Pryce, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. J. Ramsay, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. J. Starling, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. A. Levick, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. A. H. Measures, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. F. H.-Unwin, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. J. H. Wilford, Qmr. and Hon. Lieut. W. R. Bruce, Sec. Lieut. R. Orme, S.R., Sec. Lieut. F. Jolly, S. R. March 10th: Lieut. A. M. C. Scott, 21st London (1st Surrey R.), T.F., Sec. Lieut. J. E. Storey, S.R.

*

From the "London Gazette," April 2nd, 1915.

ADMIRALTY, MARCH 30TH. ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Granted temporary commission as flight lieut. J. Dunville, March 30th.

WAR OFFICE, APRIL 2ND. REGULAR FORCES.-ESTABLISHMENTS.-ROYAL FLYING CORPS. MILITARY WING.-Assist. Equipment Officers: Sec. Lieut. H. E. Chaney, Lancs. F. February 15th. Sec. Lieut. G. C. Gold, S.R. March 21st.

NAVAL.

The following appointments were announced at the Admiralty on March 31st:

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Mr. C. H. Meares granted a temporary commission as lieut. comm., R.N.V.R., and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date March 30th.

The undermentioned have been granted temporary commissions as lieut., R.N.V.R., and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date as stated; F. A. Bumpus, March 1st; F. H. M. Savile, C. Suckling, H. Dodd, H. W. Trefusis, P. Garton, P. L. R. Fraser, A. G. Innes, B. H. N. H. Hamilton, G. McAlpine, E. R. Peal, J. W. Collinson, J. S. E. Townsend, and R. J. P. Briggs, to date March 30th.

Sub-Lieut. W. S. Galpin promoted to the rank of lieut., with seniority March 30th.

Mr. John Dunville granted a temporary commission as flight lieut., and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date March 30th.

Mr. J. P. Coleman entered as probationary flight sub-lieut.. and appointed to the "President," for R.N.A.S., to date March 19th.

Temporary Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R., K. C. Cleaver transferred to R.N.A.S. as probationary flight sub-lieut., and reappointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date March 30th.

ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE.-Temporary Lieuts. : F. Charles and H. C. Sinclair promoted to the rank of temporary lieut.coms. R.N.V.R., with seniority, March 31st.

Messrs. C. J. Galpin and W. Tesh entered as probationary flight sub-lieuts. and appointed to the "President," additional, for R.N.A.S., to date March 30th.

Chief Petty Officers: T. R. Grey, J. H. Lee, and B. J. Turner granted temporary commissions as sub-lieuts. R.N.V.R., and appointed to the "President," additional, to date March 31st.

The Secretary of the Admiralty made the following announcement on April 1st :

The following report has been received from Wing Com. A. M. Longmore, R.N. :—.

I have to report that this morning Flight Sub-Lieut. Frank G. Andreae carried out a successful air attack on the German submarines which are being constructed at Hoboken, near Antwerp, dropping four bombs. Also Flight Lieut. John P. Wilson, whilst reconnoitring over Zeebrugge, observed two submarines lying alongside the Mole, and attacked them, dropping four bombs with, it is believed, successful results. These officers started in the moonlight this morning. Both pilots returned safely.

*

Vacancies exist for men in different branches of the Royal Naval Air Service. On the completion of a short course of training opportunities will occur in many cases for proceeding on active service.

Selected candidates, who must be from 19 to 35 years old and able to pass the usual naval medical tests, will be graded according to suitable ability, and previous experience, from the rank of air mechanic, second class, up to the rank of petty officer, with pay varying from 4s. to 6s. per day, and separation allowances on the new increased scale.

Men with experience of a suitable trade should have no difficulty in obtaining the rate of A.M.1 at 4s. per day. Personal application should be made to the nearest Royal Naval recruiting office, or to the Royal Naval Air Service recruiting office at the London Aerodrome, Hendon, N.W.

Mr. F. W. Riggall, ex-Mayor of Grimsby, received notification on March 31st from the Secretary of the Admiralty that his son, Flight Lieut. E. Gordon Riggall, of the Royal Naval Air Service, has been killed in action. Lieut. Riggall took part in the raid on Ostend on February 16th, and was reported missing. Inquiries and information given by flying officers now British prisoners have satisfied the authorities that he was shot down and killed while returning from this exploit.

Lieut. Riggall was the first Grimsby vouth to secure a pilot's certificate and a commission in the R.N.A.S. He had recently been commended for a reconnaissance over the Belgian littoral made during a storm in January last and for a flight over Zeebrugge on February 12th, when bombs were dropped which damaged the Geman submarine works and power house. Lieut. Riggall was well known and highly popular in Grimshy, and much sympathy is expressed with Mr. and Mrs. Riggall