New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-14

London, June 1.-The long expected
Zeppelin raid on London occurred last
night probably. in the light Of the re,
cent history Of the east coast, 1t would
be more correct 20 say the first Of the
series of Zeppelin raids on London
But the Zeppelins have been here and,
desDite a rather formidable list OF
casualties and places struck by bombs
the net result is distinctly tlasco from
the viewpoint of "trighttulness'
though the airships were guided part
of the time b. an automobile.
The casualties are more plutu! than
tragic. while the material damages are
singularly small and the people re-
main characters tically unmoved. Four
persons-a middle-aged couple, a boy
of twelve wears and a baby OF three
and one-half years kliIed ana
tyyeD+v-eigbt we're injured. Bombs were
dropped in twenty-seven places ali ii
the poorer districts. q,
In one instance, where fire and
manic that might have cost hundreds
Of lives might have been started. three
ircendiarv bombs bounded harmlessly
off the roof Of a crowded theatre inc
Shoreditch Empire and exploded IN
the street without doing any damage.
In another case a blazing incendlary
bomb fell in the midst Of a crowd OF
men. women and children IN HoXtoh
street. but before it could explode Cor
moral y. Philips, of the 7th London
Regiment. grabbed the sputterlng fuse
and threw the bomb, with its gasolene
alreadv.burning into a bucket OF water
Philips WAS badly burned on the lett
arm. but the crowd was saved.
Couple Trapped in Flames.
The most tragic affair was the death
&C Wr and Mrs. Good, Of Ball Pond
Road. Stoke Newington. They lived IN
a house occupied by three families IN
Guiding that of the landlord, Mr.. Sharp
ling. Nearly all in the house were IN
he'd when a bomb struck the ROOT OF
the house and passed clear through 70
the cellar. The whole place was al
most instantly afame. The Sharplng
family. of father, mother, three daugh-
ters and one son, escaped by Jumping
from the second story window: MI
and Mrs. Good were trapped by the
flames, and fremen found their oodles
kneeling beside the bed IN an anu
tude of prayer, with the husband arm
around his wife's waist.
Fires were frequent, and the Lohaoh
Fire Brigade was hard at Work the
night through, but only two nres ana
serious damage. lhese des'Ioy'HG :"
boot and shoe factory and toy FAC
torv and thereby threw considerable
number of poor persons out OF work.
With these exceptions the fires were
reariv ali nut out before they had
Jone more than trihing damage. AS
for the bombs. fully two-thirds OF
those thrown in the London area Tell
barmlesslv in the streets, where they
aid not even make fair sized dents or
failed 70 explode.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature
Of the raid. when one considers thaI
after 60 many months Of threats the
Zenpelins al last reached London, is the
orea attacked. This was confined en-
tiroiv to the poorer districts OF the
East End, and il seems 10 show the
wisdom Of the precautionary measures
adopted by the authorities, particular
Iv in regard 20 the street lighting,
y,bicb evidently baffled the invaders.
II is felt that If they had been able
IN distinguish their whereabouts they
would not have come WITHIN three-
quarters of a mile of the Bank or Eng
land and the wealthiest and most popu-
Ions financial centre in the world ana
then have sheered off without seeking
that target for their bombs, but that Is
lust what they did.
The raiders followed the course OF
the Thames for thirty miles 70 arrive
over London, and, having reached their
goal. they could not tell where they
Were and discharged on the tenements
Of the East End the bombs intended
for the palaces Of the West.
No Searchlights as Guides.
The sky of London has been illum,,
mated nearly every night by score OF
their WIDE streamers oI
light criss-crossing in the zenith Many
persons have remarked that tncy "OuIu
make excellent guides for Ieppelns'
Sunday night the searchllghts were
busv last night there we're none. The
warning Of the Zeppelins came from
Dover AZ $50 o'clock, and those eXoel-
lent guides at Hyde Park Corner Char-
INC Cross Station and a dozen other
places were not turned on for niger
POSTS for the Ncrial navigators.
Where the failure seemed TO be was
that the street lights were not turned
off until after the raid
The air raiders had timed their visit
10 a nicely. They arrived over London
lust as the moon was showing above
the eastern horizon, so that IN their
Journey across country and Their
VOYAGE over the city they had all the
advantage of such darkness as there Is
on starlight night. They arrived too'
inst al the hour when the theatres,
music halls and cinemas were letting
out, and they could thus hope TO ma