New-York tribune., 1915-03-22

Paris, March 21-Zeppelin sirships
raided Paris early this morning and
dropped probably as many as fifty
bombs on the city and surrounding
districts, but the damage done was
Lnlmportant Seven or eight persons
were injured, but only one seriously.
-Four Of the aircraft started for the
capital. following the valley of the
Disc, -. vl:y tv5 reached their goal.
Missiles also were dropped at Com
piegnc, Rbecourt and Dreslincourt, but
without serious result
Paris remained calm while the aerial
invasion was in progress and resi-
dents Of the city exhibited more curl
osity than fear as 10 the results:
Trumpets gave the signal that all
lights must be eXtinguished as soon
as the warning was received OF the
Zeppelins' approach. Searchhghts were
turned upon the clouds, anti-alrcratt
guns opened fire and aeroplanes rose
10 attack the Germans, but their Oper-
ations were hampered by heavy
mist.
Government Optimistic.
An official communication regarding
the raid declares IL served only 10 show
how well the defensive arrangements
would work out when put TO the tes..
The statement follows:
Between i:l5 and O'Clock this
morning four Zeppelins started toward
Paris from the direction of COmpiegne,
following the valley of the Disc. Two
we're compelled to return before reach
ing Paris, one at EcOuen, ten miles
north of Paris, the other al Nantes, on
the Seine, thirty-slX miles from Paris.
The other two were attacked by acti-
craft guns and only passed over outly-
ing districts of the northwestern part
of Paris and neignbOring suburbs.
They withdrew after having dropped
dozen bombs, some of which did not
explode. The damage was unimpOr-
tant Seven or eight persons were in
jured, but only one seriously.
The different stations for anti
aircraft defence opened fire upon the
\ Zeppelins, which were constantly kept
IN illumned by searchlights. One ap-
VI Vpeared to have been hit. The aerOplane
squadron took part in the action, but
mist hampered pursuit.
Summing up, the Zeppelin raid on
Paris was a complete failure. II only
served to demonstrate how we'll the de-
fensive arrangements work. The popu-
latiOn was calm. On their way back
the Zeppelins dropped dozen incen-
diary or explosive bombs on Com
piegn6. doing only unimpOrtant dam
age. Three bombs were dropped on
Ribecourt and Dreslincourt, 10 the
north OF COmpiegne, without result"
The lights Of the city flickered and
then disappeared as city fremen
hastened through the streets blowing
on trumpets the notes which It had
been announced would signal the ap-
proach Of hostile aircraft
City Awakened at Night.
Buzzing motors of the aeroplane
guards, which were the first to be notl-
fed. and searchlghts flashing from the
vicinity Of the Eifel Tower to the
heights Of Montmartre caused the
keenest interest and excitement among
the population Of the awakened city,
but there was no panic
One bomb, which fell at Neuilly, set
fire 20 an unoccupied house near the
American hospital. DR.. Hunter Scar
lett. Of Erie, Penn, who was on duty
al the time, says that the hospital was
shaken by the violence of the eXplo-
sion. A horse IL nearby stable was
killed
A bomb, which fell in garden at
Colombes, six miles from Paris, made
hole 10 feet wide by feet deep, and
the garden wall was overthrown for
distance Of Is feet In contrast to this,
another bomb, which fell on house in
the Rue des Danes, in the Batignolles
quarter OF Paris, merely dented the
zine roof.
Ten persons living in a little one
story house in the Place Courcelles,
in Paris, near Levallois- -Perret, had
narrow escapes when bomb, appar-
emily heavier than the others, wrecked
the building Two youths who fell
into the cellar were covered with de
bris, but they were merely bruised
and choked with dust when dug out.
No one else in the house was hurt