[The irreproachable tone of this letter would do credit to any British pilot. This type of German should be recognised.-Ed.] Earlier I have written about the Deperdussin monoplanes that the Germans told to have taken by Reims, and now I find the following in the German papers :--When the Germans had marched into Reims, one colonel in the reserve, Mardersteig, who is a lawyer in Weimar, started on an expedition for finding some spare part for aero engines on one of the many aerodromes in the neighbourhood; he first visited Mourmelon, halfway between Reims and Chalons-sur-Marne, without result, and then went on to Betheny, the famous place of the first aviation meeting in the world in 1909 and of the aerodrome de Champagne with the Deperdussin factories and where the GordonBennett race was held in 1913, and here Colonel Mardersteig was even more lucky that he had hoped to be. As he feared mines, he and his assistants worked very cautious; but there was no danger however, and great was their astonishment, as they found 9 biplanes and 20 Deperdussin monoplanes together with several Anzani, Gnome and Renault engines. Most of the aeroplanes were military ones, as the blue, white, red rosette told, and they were all ready for flight with their tanks full of petrol. A closer examination brought further 29 Gnome engines for the day, as well as several Renault and one Le Rhone engines, all well kept, some of them even with receiptdate from July, 1914.

The farmers of the neighbourhood told that the workmen had left the factory already a month ago, and it was very likely the Army property they had tried to hide there. The booty which had thus been captured by the Germans was of a value of almost 1,000,000 frcs.

Aerial "Mines."

According to the New York correspondent of the " Daily Telegraph,' a member of the Army General Staff at Washington, who is an expert on submarine mining, says that it is entirely feasible to "mine" the air above fortifications against attacks by dirigibles and aeroplanes. This expert's plan of defence is analogous to the mining of marine approaches to ports, and consists of sending aloft each evening a large number of small captive balloons at varying altitudes, carrying a sufficient amount of explosive to destroy the aeroplanes or dirigibles with which they come in contact.

These balloons can be supplemented by a number of kites provided with long tails of malleable wire to foul propellers.

The aerial mines could be reeled in at daybreak. Many army officers here who have been carefully studying the subject believe that Paris or London could be surrounded by such a cordon of explosive balloons at comparatively little expense, and thereby completely foil any night attack by German aviators. The same idea, suggested, if one's memory is correct, by Colonel H. S. Massy, C.B., was described in THE AEROPLANE anything over two years ago.

Accelerating Wood Work.

Now that there is such an enormous demand for aeroplanes of all kinds, manufacturers who find the demand greater than their own shops can supply will doubtless be glad to hear of firms who can assist them to accelerate their output.

One such firm with whom it is well worth while to get into touch is W. G. Evans and Sons, 1, Williams Mews, Stanhope Street, Euston Road, N.W. This firm has for a considerable time specialised on the most delicate kind of machine work connected with timber, and holds in stock wood of the best class. The firm is prepared to turn out spars, struts and ribs in prime quality clear silver spruce or ash. It can also supply best quality three-ply wood for fuselage work and the best French walnut for propellers.

The firm's experience in the selection and working of timber enables aeroplane manufacturers to trust them with the pro

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Show'y Rain Rain Rain Hendon.-AT GRAHAME-WHITE SCHOOL: Instructors: Messrs. Manton, Winter, Shepherd and Russell. Pupils with instructor: Probationary Flt.-Sub-Lieuts. Barnes, Cooper (new pupils), Bray, Hodsoll, Watson, and Messrs. Greenwood and Y. Y. Liu. Straights alone: Flt.-Sub-Lieut. Ffield and Mr. Stalker. 8's or circs. Flt.-Sub-Lieuts. Allen, England, and Morgan, and Messrs. Carabajal and Easter. Flt.-Sub-Lieut. England passed brevet test A. and B., but too dark to take test C. Certificate taken : Flt.-Sub-Lieut. Allen. Machines: GrahameWhite propeller biplanes.

AT THE BRITISH CAUDRON SCHOOL.-Instructors: Messrs. R. Desoutter and R. M. Murray. Rolling: Sub-Lieuts Bird and Tench, Messrs. Beynon, Williams (new pupil). Straights: Messrs. Barfield and Stevens. 8's or circs.: Messrs. Christie and Ivermee. Machines: Three Caudron biplanes. One new 35-h.p. machine has been put into commission.

AT LONDON AND PROVINCIAL AVIATION CO. SCHOOL.-Instructors: Messrs. W. T. Warren and M. G. Smiles. Strts. Mr. W. White. Rolling Messrs. Moore, Abel, Derwin, 1 hour each. Machine L. and P. tractor biplane. A new Brevet machine is now ready for tests.

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Mr. J. L. Hall.

AT HALL FLYING SCHOOL.-Instructor: Pupils Mr. J. Rose 4 strts., A. Cini 4 strts., Mr. J. Lloyd Williams (New Army pupil) 8 strts. showing good progress for a beginner. 8's: Mr. J. Rose 6 mins. Machines: Hall tractor biplanes. On Sunday, Kinematograph Film was taken by the Climax Film Co. with great success.

AT BEATTY SCHOOL.-Instructors: Messrs. Geo. W. Beatty and W. Roche-Kelly. Pupils at work: Messrs. Leong, Virgilio, Gardner, Aoyang, Parker, Whitehead, Jenkinson, Leeston-Smith, Beard, Beynon, Moore, Newberry, Anstey Chave, Christie, Donald and Wainwright.

Eastbourne.-AT E.A.C. SCHOOL: Instructors: Messrs. F. B. Fowler and R. C. Hardstaff. Pupil with instructor: Flt.-SubLieut. Iron. 8's or circs alone: Flt.-Sub-Lieuts. Petre (14 mins), Huskisson (31), Iron (36). Flt.-Sub-Lieut. Petre completed certificate tests. Machines E.A.C. biplanes.

Shoreham.-AT PASHLEY BROS. AND HALE SCHOOL.-Instructors: Messrs. E. and C. Pashley. Pupils with instr.: Messrs. Menelas Babiotis, J. Sibley, and J. Morrison. 8's or circs. : Messrs. C. Winchester, J. Woodhouse. Machines: H. Farman and Pashley propeller biplanes. Mr. J. Woodhouse, who went through the defence of Antwerp, has now returned.

post free.-ARTHUR EDWARDS & Co., LTD., Patent Agents and Consulting Engineers, Chancery Lane Station Chambers, W.C. 'Phone 4536 Holborn.

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