Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-28
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRITISH AIR RAID
ON GERMAN PORTS.

ON h"HN FSn
ASSOCIATED Press bv Fed. Wireless
LONDON, Eng, December 2s-The
first battle between warships and
zeppeIins has been fought, the result
being that the mueh.taiked Of dread
nouehts Of the air have signaIIy failed
to prove their worth. being driven off
by the guns of the floating fighters.
As aids to the ZeppeIins, submarines
below and seapianes above were used
against a British SQUADRON with no
damage to the British and no Ger,
tain knowledge Of damage to the Ger
mans.
This first engagement in which eV-
cry type Of the modern fighting craft
for sea battles was employed, follow
ed a sea and air raid against the Ger
man naval base at CuxhaFen,. at the
mouth of the EIbe. on Christmas day.
That morning a squadron Of British
light cruisers, including the irethusa
and the Undaunted, which have figur-
ed prominently in previous North Sea
exploits, and a number Of destroyers,
with submarines assisting, approached
the German coast, conveying seven
hydropIanes.
When within striking distance Of
cruxhaven the seap!anes took to the
air and circled over the port, throwing
bombs at the gas plant and at num-
Der of German warships at anchor
The British flying squadron was made
the target Of scores of guns ashore,
while a number of Zeppelins were
launched and seaplanes started out in
counter attack. ..--~E .,
ONE BRITISH .AERoPLANE
REPORTED LOST. .....
The British planes exhausted their
bombs and returned to the waiting
ships, with lone exception, that being
the plane driven by Commander Oliver
Hewlett, who; it is feared, is lost. His
plane, wrecked, was picked up off
HeIaoIand. Three Of. the aViators
were taken aboard the cruisers with
their planes. The other three were
picked up. by the submarines and their
planes sunk to prevent them becoming
prizes Of the Germans. 49,. ...
zEPPLINs WORTHLESS c.
AGAINST NAVAL GUNS. =.
The following zeppeIins and sea-
planes then began bombardment Of
the British ships, while number Of
German submarines attacked from be.
low. The British cruisers and de-
stroyers outmaneuvered the subma-
rines, lodging their torpedo blows.
while maintaining a steady fire
against the zeppeIins. The shells from
the British guns kept the great air.
ships out Of bomb range, finally driV-
ing them back without blow to their
credit.
The German seapIanes threw mum.
Der Of bombs, but these failed in every
instance to inflict any damage upon
the British, although the reports Of
the air and sea battle sent out from
destroyers were nit and one other
conveying vessel was set on fire.
The British squadron remained for
three hours off the German coast in a
known position, but no surface war
ships put to sea to engage them.
The British aviators were unable to
give any estimate Of what damage
their bombs inflicted at cuxhaven, but
the German reports say that the raid
was fruitIess one. no damage being
done. ~ 49,,
AVIATOR DROPS BOMBS
ON BRUSSELS AiRSHIP SHED.
On Christmas eve another British
aviator, with the Royal Flying Corps
in France, raided Brussels and drop
ped II bombs upon the airship sheds
there. No report Of the damage in
fIieted has been received.
Reports from the various battle
fronts last night indicate that the mil
itary aviators have been active, as
we'll as the naval airmen. Yesterday
German Taubes dropped bombs at
Nancy, while French aeropIanes SUBJ
jeeted ladtz to a bombardment. Brus-
sells and other Belgium towns held by
the Germans received similar atten.
tons from British aeroplanes. On the
eastern front the German machines
were active over the Polish cities in
the field Of operations. Most Of the
aerial activity was confined to recon-
noitering. but the dropping Of bombs
was resorted to. in a number Of cases.
GERMAN AIRMEN DROP
BOMBS IN ENGLISH TOWNS.
1t was announced yesterday that in
addition to the German aviator who
flew over Dover on Christmas day and
dropped harmless bomb, another
flew over Rochester and sent bomb
earthward. This did no damage.
FRENCH CLAIM GAINS
IN ALSACE
LONDON, Eng, Dec. 2S.-only in
the Argonne district and in Aisace mas
there been any marked progress in
the past two days, according to the
reports received last night. The
French report successes in their Of
fensive movements in AIsace and sew
eraI substantial gains in the Argonne
region, where the fiJHsin9 amounts to
SIEGE operations,