‘As I stood on a hill,’ the writer of the article continues, ‘I noticed a tiny spot in the sky far above the German lines, around which small white clouds exploded. I asked my officer-companion if this was a fight between aeroplanes in the air. “No,” he said, “it’s our man photographing the German positions, and the Germans are firing at him from their trenches....” ‘All day long the British aviators rushed through the air. At certain moments, when they closed together, I could count up to thirty aeroplanes. From below they appeared like a flight of some mighty birds. Several of them evidently formed an aerial patrol. They circled round the kite balloons. The others flew away, singly or in groups, to the line of the German trenches. During the whole day only one single German aeroplane flew over the British lines and tried to attack a kite balloon. But it was driven off by the aerial patrol.’ As regards the praiseworthy work done by Russian aviators, it is noteworthy that on September 14, 1916, a squadron of four Russian giant aeroplanes of the Slyr-Murometz type bombarded the German seaplane station on Lake Angern, in the Gulf of Riga. Seventeen seaplanes of various sizes and models were discerned. The Russians dropped seventy-three bombs, of a total weight of sixty-two poods (about one ton). The sheds were soon concealed in smoke and flames. Eight enemy seaplanes attacked the Russian machines, but were speedily put to flight by machine-gun fire. As the result of the bombing and the air fight not fewer than eight enemy machines were destroyed or put out of action. The Russians returned safely, notwithstanding a hail of incendiary shells from anti-aircraft guns. On a previous occasion one Slyr-Murometz and one Ilya-Murometz, with a crew of five, routed seven attacking German seaplanes. On the twenty-ninth of the same month Russian aviators carried out a raid on the rear of the enemy’s cantonments in the Bourgunt Krevo district (about forty-five miles south-east of Vilna). The bombs dropped caused explosions and fires in the enemy’s depots at various points. Bombs were also dropped on convoys, a narrow-gauge railway, and on wagons. In the course of the raid there was an air fight in which four German machines were brought down. Russian airmen who call for special mention are Sub-Lieutenant Orloff, Lieutenant Gorkovenko, Captain Kayakoff, Captain Schifkoff, and Midshipman Safonoff. Captain Schifkoff in particular has many aerial victories to his credit. CHAPTER XXXI ITALY’S PART Italy has fought many air battles. Her sons are men of the right mettle. Her beautiful cities have suffered from raids, but the enemy has been made to pay the price. Italian airmen have not only put up a strong defence, but have made their power felt far beyond Italian territory.