Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-18
Night of Raid on Midland
Counties Found the Me-
tropoIis Prepared.
BRITISH NERVES SHAKEN
BY BOMBING OF PARIS
Destroyed Confidence There Could
Be an Effective Defense
Against Raiders.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 3.--The night of
the great Zeppelin raid OH the Midland
counties found London ready and wait
ing never before. Every one knew
Zeppelins were expected. This time 1t
was no mere rumor. Shortly after
dark the street car and bus service
In the outlying districts of the eastern
part of the city was suspended, and
incoming trains were held up on GER
tain lines. People in the coast towns
telephoned to friends that the raiders
had been seen.
In London itself precautions as to
the darkening of streets and buildings
were strictly enforced. Motor trucks
bearing anti-air craft guns clattered
through the streets. with the unmis-
taxable racket of their type.
People Stood in Streets.
The result was the theaters opened to
smaller audiences, and people stood
in the streets with their eyes open for
the flash of lights. and ears tuned for
the boom of guns or the sharper note
of bombs.
Before the first great raid on the
city, searchlights used to sweep the
sky were on the lookout. But 1t was
decided that these shafts of light
touching up the distant clouds, acted
as guideposts to the raiders. So now
the searchlights are not employed
until it is known the zeppelins are at
hand.
There were two reasons for expecting
raid. In the first place the weather
had been what is known locally as
aTov,r al
lower currents were nearly still. with
drift from the northeast. The usual
mist of fog and smoke collected in the
Thames valley. which grew rather thick
Second. the bombing of Paris, followed
by an attempt the succeeding night
made authorities and populace feel that
London would not escape.
Heard Guns on Coast.
On the evening of the great raid the
sound Of guns was heard distinctly in
London from eastward. This went to
support the story that invaders had
been beaten of. The mass of London
believed the raid had resulted in a
hasco until they read a brief state
ment in the morning papers about GER
tain eastern and nothern counties be-
ing visited by six or seven Zeppelins
without any considerable damage
From then on until o'clock that even
ised further communication. Then the
names of the counties visited and the
totals Of killed and wounded were an
nounced without waste of words. With
this report the papers had to content
themselves for another twenty-four
hours.
While waiting for the casualty state
ment the newspapers of the more SEN
lind "a
ernoon paper. following the English
method of announcing the feature of
each edition with a placard in circus
bill type. printed the word "Ofiviar'
with blank space underneath. Most
OF the papers attacked the reticence of
the war Office. while a great many dis
torted rumors were passed about
among the people. But these rumors
soon cleared up.
Got Clues From Friends.
People in the raided towns tele-
graphed to friends and relatives such
messages as. Safe. don't worry" and
the like. which afforded clews. News
also was received from travellers from
the northern counties. When the off,
ciaI German report was received. every
one drew the conclusion that the Ger
mans had guessed wildly. 1t is said
that low land fog prevented direct
reckoning. AS an airship. unlike sea
craft. has nothing stable like water to
measure its progress against, being
unable to estimate the air currents
while running, it would be easy to mis-
take one town for another one a con-
siderable distance away. 1t was be-
cause of the belief that exact data
would be of use in case of another i'm
mediate raid that the war office con-
hned its account of the movements of
the hostile fleet to counties.
The recent ZeDpeJ{p raid m D,ry.
shortly preceding the attack on London,
shook public confidence, as the long
immunity of the French capital caused
the people to believe there could be
such a thing as absolute defense
against air raiders. 1t was known that
London's defenses had been greatly
improved, as the mounting of addition
a. protective guns and the appearance
of scouting dirigible balloons obvi-
ously suggested.
Zeppelin Bombs Effective.
The last two air raids made good. to
limited extent, fanciful pictures of
death and destruction which have ap-
peared in German illustrated maya
zines.
The results when seen in broad day
light showed what wreckage a Ger
man bomb is capable of, and were not
reassuring. Still London's routine has
not varied 1t is only during Zeppelin
weather" which is the result of un-
usual climatic conditions, that appre-
hension is felt.
Stories that seemed based on good
authority have it that Zeppelins were
driven back by British airmen during
the time of the attacks on Paris and
even the night of the raid on the
midlands. but or the latter occasion
the Zeppelins escaped in a fog and
eluded their pursuers, which presuma-
bly, is the reason for their detour to
the north.