The ships and aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 1939.

AIRCRAFT FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE WORK Anti-submarine work by aircraft was already in operation round our coasts by the beginning of 1917, and during the year the increase in numbers and improvement in types of machines rendered possible considerable expansion of the work.

Suppose we have but the vaguest conception of the part played or likely to be played by aircraft in war, commerce, and pleasure.

Andy declared that they almost passed belief, and he expressed his doubts as to their ever having an opportunity to pilot that same aircraft through atmospheric seas as tempestuous as those they had experienced in the tropics while rescuing the prisoner of the cliff bordered valley.

*** The London County Council have decided not to remove the marks of damage done by aircraft to the base of Cleopatra's Needle.

A plane was seen approaching, but the air sentry, whose duty it was to keep a sharp look out through glasses and signal the approach of enemy aircraft by two blasts of a whistle, gave no warning.

" "There probably will be other aircraft with the fleet," said Captain Raleigh.

Included in the anti-submarine operations of aircraft during 1917 were the bombing attacks on Bruges, since the German submarines and the shelters in which they took refuge were part of the objective.

The work carried out by our naval aircraft off the Belgian coast, comprising the duty of keeping the coast under constant observation, of spotting the gunfire of ships, of fighting aircraft and bombing objectives of importance, were also mentioned, as well as the work in the Mediterranean, where there were four bases in the Aegean.