rman
squadron and brought down one of the German machines in the sea off
Westende-Bains, between Nieuport and Ostend. On the same day ten
French aeroplanes set fire to the German hangars in Habsheim in
southern Alsace, and also damaged an aeroplane that was on the ground.
Two German machines that attempted a pursuit of the French were
repulsed, one being damaged by machine gunfire, and the other being
capsized. On the same day, near Nancy, French aeroplanes shot down a
German machine and put another to flight.

The Allies continued vigorously their attacks on various munition
plants and aero stations of the Germans. How much damage can be done
by aeroplane attacks was indicated in an item in the annual financial
statement of the Krupps, which was published during the year 1915 in a
German paper. This item reads: "Claims and damages due to the war, ten
million marks ($2,375,000)," and deals with the effect of the raid
over Essen by the airmen of the Allies.

The German aerodrome at Gits, containing fourteen machines, was
attacked, and at La Chapelette the ammunition factory with nineteen
machines was also the object of an attempt by the Allies. Some sixteen
British aeroplanes bombarded a stores depot at Miramont in the Somme
district, and the aerodrome at Hervilly. All of the machines returned
safely, and considerable damage was believed to have been done at the
above points.

The aeroplane as a commerce destroyer had a test on October 30, 1915,
when three German machines attacked the steamship _Avocet_ of the Cork
Steamship Company. One of these, a large battle plane, discharged some
thirty-six bombs, but none hit. With the supply of projectiles
exhausted, the battle plane, handled with great skill, opened gunfire
on the vessel, while the small planes crossed and recrossed, dropping
their bombs, but without effect. The aviators and their observers also
opened rifle fire on the steamer, but in the space of thirty-five
minutes they were unable to do any serious damage, and none of the
crew was injured. It was noted that the failure to fly low so as to
get sufficient accuracy for dropping the bombs was responsible for the
miscarriage of this attack.

The use of seaplanes to attack merchantmen and smaller warcraft became
a feature of the Austrian and German campaign, and in November and
December, 1915, several attacks were reported on steamers of the
Allies. Two German aeroplanes dropped bombs on a British patrol ship