the Humber, with the result, slight in
its military importance, of some twenty-eight casualties and a number
of fires due to incendiary bombs. This attack encountered resistance
and counterattacks from the British aerial services, not without
effect, but lacking in positive achievement. One Zeppelin was damaged
by the gunfire of the land defenses, and upon her return an Ally
aeroplane squadron from Dunkirk attacked the disabled airship and
finally blew her up after she had fallen into the sea off Ostend.

It was realized, particularly by the British, that the best way to
meet the Zeppelins was by aeroplane attack, yet on the raid just
described, the great airships entirely escaped the British aviators.
This Zeppelin raid was followed by a second on the night of August
12-13, 1915, which was directed against the military establishment at
Harwich. Six people were killed and seventeen wounded by the bombs,
and the post office was set on fire by an incendiary bomb. Aside from
this, damage was limited. On August 17 and 18, 1915, a squadron of
four Zeppelins again attacked the English east coast, and their bombs
killed ten persons and wounded thirty-six. Once again the airships
were able to escape the British air patrols and made their escape
apparently without damage, though one, the _L-10_, while flying over
Vlieland, Holland, was fired upon by Dutch troops.

An important effect of the Zeppelin raids was to bring the war
directly to the experience of the British public, and the effect on
recruiting as well as in arousing an increased national spirit for
defense was marked. On the other hand, in Germany the Zeppelin raids
produced great elation, and the German populace anticipated that the
aerial invasion of Great Britain would contribute materially toward
the conclusion of the war.

In the early summer of 1915 there had been rather less activity on the
war front in eastern France and Flanders, especially on the part of
the Germans, and as later developments proved, they apparently were
engaged in experiments with new types of machines and engines. There
was also in this time a manifestation of increased skill on the part
of the German air pilots, so that when the new machines were brought
out they were handled with skill and ease, especially when climbing to
the upper air and dodging the shells from antiaircraft guns of the
Allies.

In the meantime, and especially during August, 1915, the French began
to develop bombi