e battlefield of Europe have
demonstrated more or less convincingly. An attack in force is likely to
cause the defenders upon the ground beneath to lose their heads and to
fire wildly and at random, with the result that the airmen may achieve
their object with but little damage to themselves. This method of
attacking in force was essayed for the first time by the British aerial
fleet, which perhaps is not surprising, seeing that the machines are
manned and the operations supervised by officers who have excelled in
naval training, and who are skilled in such movements.

No doubt this practice, combined with the daring of the British
aviators, contributed very materially to the utter demoralisation of the
German aerial forces, and was responsible for that hesitancy to attack
a position in the vicinity of the British craft which became so manifest
in the course of a few weeks after the outbreak of hostilities.

One of the foremost military experts of the United States, who passed
some time in the fighting zone, expressed his opinion that the
British aerial force is the most efficient among the belligerents when
considered as a unit, the French flier being described by the same
authority as most effective when acting individually, owing to personal
intrepidity. As a scout the French aviator is probably unequalled,
because he is quick to perceive and to collect the data required, and
when provided with a fast machine is remarkably nimble and venturesome
in the air. The British aviators, however, work as a whole, and in the
particular phases where such tactics are profitable have established
incontestable superiority. At first the German aerial force appeared
to possess no settled system of operation. Individual effort was
pronounced, but it lacked method. The Germans have, however, profited
from the lessons taught by their antagonists, and now are emulating
their tactics, but owing to their imperfect training and knowledge the
results they achieve appear to be negligible.

The dirigible still remains an unknown quantity in these activities,
although strange to relate, in the early days of the war, the work
accomplished by the British craft, despite their comparatively low speed
and small dimensions, excelled in value that achieved by the
warplanes. This was particularly noticeable in matters pertaining to
reconnaissance, more especially at night, when the British vessels often
remained for hours together in the air, manoeu