Arizona republican., 1916-09-04

The text of the official statement said
 Last nights raid was carried out by thirteen airshipS, and thus was the most formidable attack that has been made on this country. The principal theater of operations was the eastern counties and the objectives seem to have been London and certain indus trial centers in the midlands.
 Reduction or obscuration of lights proved most efficacious, for the raiding squadrons instead of steering steady course as in the raids of the spring and of last autumn, groped about in darkness looking for a safe avenue to approach their objectives.
 Three airships only were able to approach the outskirts of London. One of them appeared over the northern district about 2:15 in the morning. where she was picked up by search lights and engaged by anti aircraft guns and aeroplanes. Soon the air ship was seen to burst into flames and fall to earth.
 ''The ship was destroyed, the wreck age, engines and half-burned bodies of the crew being found at Cufley, | near Enfield
 The large amount of wood em- ployed in the framework of the Zep- pelin is startling and would seem to point to shortage of aluminium in Germany.
 "The other two ships which ap- l preached London were driven off with out being able to approach the center of the city.
 !, "A great number of bombs were dropped promiscuously over the east l anglian and southern counties. Re ports in hand indicate that the damage and loss of life will not be heavy, great number of the bombs having 1 fallen either into the sea or in re- mote country districts.
 Tt is hoped that any persons who picked up fragments of the wrecked | airship will submit them to general
 headquarters without delay. It should be remembered that the retention of such articles is a contravention of the defense of the realm regulations. "A statement of casualties will be is- sued tomorrow"
 The Zeppelin raid lasted from late
 last night until the early hours of this
 morning. News of the raid circulated
 during the evening and people waited I up in expectation of seeing sights
 which became familiar last year. They
 had almost given up hope when the firing of guns told them that Zeppelins , were making an effort to reach the
 city. Only a few rounds were fired however, as the defenses of London proved too strong for the raiders, the
 most daring of which had been struck and brought down in flames Ob- servers say the death agony of the
 Zeppelin lasted minute and a half
 The night was a perfect one for Zep.
 pelins. It was very dark with few
 stars visible and with no wind or rair
 to interfere with their maneuvers
 A correspondent of the Associated
 Press watched the bombardment of tn,
 Zeppelin which was destroyed. Wher first seen it was sailing with shrapne ] bursting all around and searchlight
 centered on it. Suddenly the Zep
 pelin disappeared in a cloud of smok,
 emitted by itself.
 The sky was clear at the time, bu 1l the searchlights lost trace of thei . quarry A minute afterward a brillian U light appeared in the sky which in
 creased in intensity as it descended e Then the light spread out into flame IT falling gradually. An altitude of abou l. 1000 feet was reached when it burs d into an enormous sheet of fam, lighting up the surrounding countr for miles. Apparently the gasolin
 had caught fire and the airship dashe K rapidly to the earth. From village