by a method which is practised
freely upon the water. The torpedo boat flotilla when in danger of being
overwhelmed by superior forces will throw off copious clouds of smoke.
Under this cover it is able to steal away, trusting to the speed of the
craft to carry them well beyond gunshot. The "smoke screen," as it is
called, is an accepted and extensively practised ruse in naval strategy,
and is now adopted by its mosquito colleagues of the air.

CHAPTER XIII. TRICKS AND RUSES TO BAFFLE THE AIRMAN

The airman has not been allowed to hold his undisputed sway in military
operations for long. Desperate situations demand drastic remedies and
already considerable and illuminating ingenuity is being displayed to
baffle and mislead the scout of the skies.

It is a somewhat curious and noteworthy fact, that the Germans were
among the first to realise the scope of the airman's activities, and the
significance of their relation to the conveyance of intimate information
and the direction of artillery fire. Consequently, they now spare no
effort to convey illusory information, in the hope that the hostile
force may ultimately make a false move which may culminate in disaster.

Thus, for instance, as much endeavour is bestowed upon the fashioning of
dummy trenches as upon the preparation of the actual lines of defence.
And every care will be taken to indicate that the former are strongly
held. The dug-outs are complete and at places are apparently cunningly
masked. If the airman is flying swiftly, he is likely to fail to
distinguish the dummy from the real trenches. To him the defences appear
to be far more elaborate and more strongly held than is the actual case.

The advantage of this delusion is obvious when a retreat is being made.
It enables the enemy to withdraw his forces deliberately and in perfect
order, and to assume another and stronger position comparatively at
leisure. The difficulty of detecting the dummies is emphasised, inasmuch
as now, whenever the sound of an aeroplane is heard, or a glimpse
thereof is obtained, the men keep well down and out of sight. Not a sign
of movement is observable. For all the airman may know to the contrary,
the trenches may be completely empty, whereas, as a matter of fact,
they are throbbing with alert infantry, anxious for a struggle with the
enemy.

This is one instance where the dirigible is superior to the aeroplane.
The latter can only keep circling round and round over the s