ather was favourable the two airships sailed from
Farnborough; the _Gamma_ for Kneesworth camp, on the defending side, the
_Delta_ for Thetford, on the attacking side. The _Delta_ broke down over
North London, but so successful was the wireless installation that her
messages reporting the break-down were received near Thetford and at
Portsmouth by H.M.S. _Vernon_; the _Beta_ took her place, but was too
small to carry the wireless installation. The _Gamma_ was thus the only
craft fitted with wireless, and the efforts of the attacking side were
devoted to intercepting her messages at a ground station. The _Gamma_
was an unqualified success. Her signals came in strong and loud from a
distance of thirty-five miles to a station at Whittlesford fitted with
naval service receiving apparatus. Speaking of the work of aircraft,
General Grierson, who commanded the defending force, says: 'The
impression left on my mind is that their use has revolutionized the art
of war. So long as hostile aircraft are hovering over one's troops all
movements are liable to be seen and reported, and therefore the first
step in war will be to get rid of the hostile aircraft. He who does this
first or who keeps the last aeroplane afloat will win, other things
being approximately equal.... The airship, as long as she remained
afloat, was of more use to me for strategical reconnaissance than the
aeroplanes, as, being fitted with wireless telegraphy, I received her
messages in a continuous stream and immediately after the observations
had been made.... It is a pity that the airship cannot _receive_
messages by wireless, but doubtless modern science will soon remedy this
defect.'

This was the first triumph of aerial reconnaissance in England. Every
morning the _Gamma_ went out at daybreak and scouted over the enemy;
within half an hour the general in command was in receipt of very full
information which enabled him to make out his dispositions and movements
for the day. Some attempts were made to conceal troops at the halt from
the view of aircraft; but, as General Grierson remarks, for troops on
the move there is only one certain cover--the shades of night. So
complete was the information supplied from the air that the commander of
the defending force was enabled to organize his attack and end the
manoeuvres a day sooner than was expected. After the manoeuvres the
_Gamma_ flew by night over Cambridge and bombarded that seat of learning
with Very lights.