HELIGOLAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 14, 15 August 1916, Page 7

HELIGOLAND.

'To The Editor •rttATrnnn i‘o?r.) •Sir, —Would you object to deciding a wager, through tin. columns of your vahiaoJe p iper. We all, of course, recognise a, as a fatal mistake, but who was it Unit initiated and ultimately ceded to the Germans Heligoland, in exchange .or some c-outh African soil P Yours, in doubt, “inquisitive.'’ Stratford, August 11, 191(1.

Heligoland is a rock about 180 lect nigh and 130 acres in extent, w.tli .a population of about 1000. it was reded in 1890, at the lime of the Salisbury Goverument, to Germany, in exchange for a portion of the Gold Coast, Africa. It was then considered co be of no strategic value to Lritain ; u fact, the erosion of the sea threaten'd to utterly destroy it in time. Ger-

uany, however, set to work to preserve this natural fortification of her orincipal ports, and to-day it is the Jcrmau Gibraltar. Heligoland is almost exactly eqni-distant from the mouth of the Elbe with Hamburg and the entrance to the Baltic and tin; North Sea. Canal, from the mouth of the Weser with Bremen, and from Wilhelmshaven. Therefore Heligolanu ! provides a most excellent advanced point of observation. It is amply pro- } vided with signal stations and with ap pliauccs for wireless telegraphy, and is connected hy cable with Cuxliavcn and Ydlhelmshaven. lies id ns, lllidigoland serves as a base for torpedo boats, which can lie in its shallow harbour whilst larger ships arc able to anchor dose to Heligoland sheltered by th" “Dune,” and there to take in ammunition and coal. Heligoland is so strongly fortified that it is not only -,ccnre again a coup do main, but is a very awkward antagonist to all ships within reach of its heavy guns and howitzers. Heligoland lion about forty miles in front of the Herman coasts, but, owing to the extensive ' diallow; already referred to. it lies only about fifteen miles in front of the ipen sea. zone of Germany. Consequently its guns are able to cut very effectively into the manoeuvring field if the hostile fleet, whilst they would give an invaluable support to a German fleet issuing from the mouth ol die Kibe or from Wilhelmshnven. 'tiring to one of these points. Lastly, .ill merchantmen going to or coming , from Hamburg must pass dose to Hd- j 'golarul. Consequently Heligoland makes, the blockade of Hamiiirg difficult, and 'meditates the pro- ; tection of merchant shipping going to, • or issuing from, that point. Tims : Heligoland serves at the same time as an advanced point of observation, and ns a powerful floating battery which | admirably covers the nlost vcllferabblJf • *5 pots of Germany in the North fcsoq. j