Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1916-09-27
LONDON ATTACKED BY zEPPELINS.
How They Were Met With Some Success and
the Damage Done.

London, Sept. 24.-Of the Il
big Zeppelins which invaded the
British Isles last night to deal
death and destruction from the
skies, two today lay stark and
black masses of steel and alum
inum in the little village of Man
gold, Essex County. They fell
victims of the anti-aircraft de-
fenses of London and outlying
districts.
One came down a flaming
torch, as did the Zeppelin L 81,
destroyed three weeks ago,
while the second, disabled by
gun fire, effected landing which
saved the lives of the crew who
tonight are prisoners in Eng
land. The crew of the first raid
.er died in the consuming flames
of their own ship, but they we're
not so terribly charred as their
predecessors.
This latest raider to light her
own funeral way on English soil
collapsed and was consumed
much more quickly than the
l. 21. 1t is possible, though,
that some of the men we're still
living when the great vessel
struck the ground. The cap,
tain's body was found some dis
tance from the wreck.
The death and burning Of the
first Zeppelin Was witnessed by
tens Of thousands of London's
residents but the wounding and
descent of the second raider was
a matter of. doubt until todAy's
official statements we're given
out. Few details are available
Of this second raiders condition.
but it is reported that the crew
surrendered TO special consta
bles.
Many who saw the shrapnel
bursting like skyrockets about
the invader, which subsequently,
caught fire, think there must
have been several direct hits
Many aeroplanes were a|"It and
attacked the Zeppelins from all
sides.
The raiders took IL heavy to|l
of lives before their Gestruc ion,
% persons being killed and 80
wounded in the metropolitan
district of London. Two per
sons were killed, and probably
four and II were wounded in the
provinces.
The property damage, while
widely distributed, is confined
for the most part to small subur-
ban dwellings, and shops, al
though one railway station was
damaged, some empty carts be-
ing destroyed and part Of the
tracks torn up.
The roar of dropping bombs
was heard in many districts
where the raiders were invisible
1t is not believed that more
than two5or three invading Zep
pelins which crossed the east
coast succeeded in reaching the
environs of London and that two
of these paid the death penalty
gives the greatest satisfaction
to the military authorities. A
part from the loss of material
the casualties of the last two
raids, it is believed will have a
depressing effect on the moral of
the Zeppelin crews in the future.
Londoners were jubilant friday
but there was not the same ex
ultant enthusiasm as three weeks
ago, indicating that the destruc-
ton of giant sky-raiders is al
ready taken as an ordinary Incl
dent in this unusual world war.
The fact that the airships we're
brought down we'll outside of
London, both last night and
September 3, shows the care
with which the defenses have
been developed. The efficiency
in dealing with the raiders was
further evidenced by the speed
with which the searchlghts
picked up the first raider thai
appeared above the suburbs
about midnight. Suddenly :;
searchlight beam shot into thu
starlit sky. Three more dazzling
shafts followed and within /;
seconds the whirring airship:
were caught in the tolls, and tn,