e began to murmur against the
policy of taking these attacks "lying down". It was felt that "darkness
and composure" formed but a feeble and ignoble weapon of defence. The
people spoke with no uncertain voice, and it began to dawn upon the
authorities that the system of regarding London and the south-east coast
as part of "the front" was no excuse for not taking protective measures.

It was the raid into the Midlands on the night of 31st January,
1916, that finally shelved the old policy of do nothing. Further
justification, if any were needed, for active measures was supplied by
a still more audacious raid upon the east coast of Scotland, upon
which occasion Zeppelins soared over England--at their will. Then the
authorities woke up, and an extensive scheme of anti-aircraft guns and
squadrons of aeroplanes was devised. About March of the year 1916 the
Germans began to break the monotony of the Zeppelin raids by using
sea-planes as variants. So there was plenty of work for our new
defensive air force. Indeed, people began to ask themselves why we
should not hit back by making raids into Germany. The subject was well
aired in the public press, and distinguished advocates came forward
for and against the policy of reprisals. At a considerably later date
reprisals carried the day, and, as we write, air raids by the British
into Germany are of frequent occurrence.

In March, 1916, the fruits of the new policy began to appear, and people
found them very refreshing. A fleet of Zeppelins found, on approaching
the mouth of the Thames, a very warm reception. Powerful searchlights,
and shells from new anti-aircraft guns, played all round them. At length
a shot got home. One of the Zeppelins, "winged" by a shell, began
a wobbly retreat which ended in the waters of the estuary. The navy
finished the business. The wrecked air-ship was quickly surrounded by a
little fleet of destroyers and patrol-boats, and the crew were brought
ashore, prisoners. That same night yet another Zeppelin was hit and
damaged in another part of the country.

Raids followed in such quick succession as to be almost of nightly
occurrence during the favouring moonless nights. Later, the conditions
were reversed, and the attacks by aeroplane were all made in bright
moonlight. But ever the defence became more strenuous. Then aeroplanes
began to play the role of "hornets", as Mr. Winston Churchill, speaking
rather too previously, designated them.

Lieutenant B