Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-16

seems to shake for an instant They
suddenly stop in their headlong flight
turn sharply in different directions and
are thrown into disorder for the mo-
ment.
To go through the cloud of fire and
steel would be almost instant destruc-
ton to many So thsY.~break up and
glide here and there. just outside the
barrier marking the range of the
French guns If they try to skirt
around the ends of the barrier they
will meet the fire of other batteries
along the line, also warned to be on
the lookout A. they glide around the
craft mount higher into the sky. 1t is
their intention probably 10 pass a bove
the range of the guns.
Meanwhile. the French planes from
the grounds in the rear have mounted
into the air and are making their way
toward the smoke cloud. It is also a
fleet and the machines are more numer-
Gus than those on the opposing side.
Seen from the hill, the German craft
seem to be faster and quicker.
Some distance before they reach the
smoke barrier the French planes check
IN their rush. They turn out this way
and that and run about il different di-
rections- They are waiting apparently
Tor the planes of the enemy to pass
over. Orders are being passed around
III the air through signal
From over the barrier. high in the
SKY, three planes suddenly appear.
heS are Almost abreast. They are
high that il is difficult to distinguish
them as Germans. Suddenly in their
wake follow others, and soon half the
fleet buzz down over the clusters of lit
tie smoke balls. The others follow in
twos and threes AS one watches them
ther seem to dart forward in Jerks 1t
is an illusion of the eye, but the speed
at which they travel is terrific
lheF are too near the French ma
chimes for the guns to change their
be-
the shells continue to break as before
10 make passage difficult for the craft
sun ma king their way over from the
other side.
They nave spread out in a grea, space
now 1t Is necessary to avoid collision.
As they fly around they pass each
other. often seeming to collide. 90 un-
der each other and, above run parallel
turn out in opposite direct 0ns describe
vast circles in the air and come to-
geiher again. Here and there two craft
follow one, and then in behind the
pursuers come other craft-they in
turn pursuing.
Above the faint drawn-out buzz of
the motors, resembling the droning of
bees, and the dull detonations as the
little smoke balls continue to burst
comes now and then a faint pop, pop.
pop, pop. II is the noise of the machine
gins as the men in the planes fire at
each other. The fleets have come to-
gether and the battle in the air is on.
4
Suddenly machine is seen to WAIVER
i'll the air. II falls a short distance in
jerks. 1t stops and glides along a short
space. Instantly, without warning. it
dives headlong through the air. Some
distance down ii turns over, then
dashes madly to earth.
Half way down the propeller seems
TO have been twisted off. for the motor
suddenly runs wild. With the tremen-
dous force and speed of its horse
plane falls, drowning all other noises
in its volume. AS the craft thumps
into cluster of woods in the dis
lance the crash of the timber and the
breaking of material can be heard
Meanwhile, the battle goes on. The
others seem to have taken no notice
OF the fallen plane. and craft dart here
and there across each others paths as
before. Suddenly, as before, another
of the machines dashes downward 1t
falls quickly and unexpectedly and
darts down somewhat like a fash out
of the sky. for it suddenly bursts into
fame. Everywhere seems to be a great
silence. 1t is only broken by the noise
of the engine, which runs in Jerks II
is spectacle hardly human. There are
those in the trenches and far back in
the rear who cross themselves, salute
or lift their caps. Before IT strikes the
earth one of the wings bends breaks
and falls separately. A little later the
crash of its breaking can be heard
Ihen the thing, now an oblong mass,
dashes TO destruction and its human
freight with it.
The batteries below have now ceased
TO maintain the barrier of flying shell
pieces, for 1t is useless. The planes of
both sides are interspersed and their
identity is distinguishable only at in
teryals.
Still comes the faint but sharp pop. pop.
pop OF the machine guns. but it seems
less frequent The planes have now ex-
tended over a large area Of sky. Then
from the side Of the scattering Of bird