Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-08

London. March S.-A popular pas
time nowadays with continental avia-
tors would seem to be flying trips by
night over England. Daring air pilots
IN Germany or France leave their
moorings al dusk, speed over the chan
mel, and then circle over British
cities and forts, flashing their lights
20 mystify cSd alarm the people below
them. With the first indications Of
dawn the adventure comes to an end.
The proving birdman heads for home.
houses his machine before the sun is
vel, up. and leaves the officials OF Eng
land 10 report his incursion TO the
war Office m London.
Reports Of these night visit became
20 general. and were al the same
time so disconcerting. that the gov
eminent alally took official action and
passed a bill prohibiting the passage
OF aircraft over certain specified areas.
Aircraft violating this regulation Will
be fired on and otherwise warned
away. The bill was introduced into
the house OF commons by Colonel
Seeley, secretary Of war. and II passed
through al its stages at one sitting.
without discussion. II went 10 the
lords the day before recess, and pass
ed that house just as hurriedly. How
the measure Is TO be enforced has
aroused considerable interested spec
ulation. The bill authorizes the proper
officers, after fiiving a prescribed warn
ing, 20 fire at any aircraft infringing
this law, and 70 use any and every
other means 70 prevent infrActions.
The government Is providing sky
guns" 70 repel these aerial trespassers,
and IL will also have the services of
the naval aeroplanes and hydroplanes
and the flying feet OF the army. which
consists OF about a dozen aeroplanes
ana three small airships.
Experts have very grave doubts
whether these precautions will be suf-
fcIcn' 10 prevent the midnight visits.
Colonel Seeley. in introducing the bill,
said h was not aircraft belonging 10
foreign governments that were aimed
at. but mischievOus private persons.
possibly from overseas, who might
hover over places where there are
com5ustible stores 10 the great incon-
venience OF the people OF the coun.
try"
What gave rise 20 the action OF the
government were reliable reports. in
some cases from army officers. that
aircraft had been seen over Dover,
Sheerness. Portsmouth and Liverpool,
ana on at least two occasions as far
west as Cardiff. always ar night. The
FIRST visits were paid in October and
they have continued up TO the pres.
eut time. At first there was an in
clination to make light OF them. or TO
ascribe the moving lights and the
noise OF the propeller 10 some airship
privately owned in England. But in.
ynstigation showed that this could
not be. and now the government places
the blame on privately owned foreign
a'rships
Some people. however. discard this
assumption, and declare that AZ least
one OF the aerial visitors came from
B9rkum. the German fortress nearest
The English coast From Borkum il
would be very simple matter 70,
a modern airship TO pass over the
North sea and even RICH; across Eng
land, as in the case Of the ship thai
few over Cardiff. aud be back at heI
base before morning Those who
claim TO have evidence that this high
was made from Borkum 20 further anC
say that the German government has
several airships at Emden, and tba
when flight over England Is pro
tectcd one OF these crafts is taker
20 Borkum aud the start made from
there.
According 90 official returns Ger
many had r. gIrsh.ps OF large dimen
sIous az the end OF 1912. and II is be
lI.ryI cha. she has added To- this NUN
Dor since. There are also 10 private
j. owned .irfhlps in Germany Agaius
these ENGLAND das ,rrer airsh:ps T..
very small Dimensions. and ono larg
uirship now uudgr construction in Ger
me- NY England has a greater numbe