HELIGOLAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9540, 12 July 1909, Page 7

HELIGOLAND.

The island of Heligoland, where the German fleet gathered recently for manoeuvres, and which was ceded by Lord Salisbury to Germany under a Treaty dated 1890, is stated by Mr Frank Bullen in a Home paper as being one of the possessions which Germany regards with most complancency as having been obtained from England for the asking. Lying as it does over the mouth ofjthe Elbe, the island has immense strategical potentialities as the sentinel of the North Sea and the German coast-line, and also as a naval base in the case of hostilities against Great Britain. Germany has always recognized this, and that is why the "Man of Iron," Bismarck, hoodwinked the English Cabinet into ceding the rocky post to Germany. This Power has fortified it to such an extent that its re-cap-ture Dy England would be almost an impossibility. What strikes an impartial observer most forcibly, Mr Bullen tells us, is the marvellous way in which the island has become completelynGeramniefcd in the comparatively short space of that Power's \ occupancy. Like the Maltese, the islanders still preserve their individuality, but in most important respects they imitate the customs and civilisation of their over-lords. As to language, English is now practically unknown; the better classes speak German, and the bulk of the populaJ tion a patois of their own, which is akin to the ancient Frisian. Contrary to what might be expected, Heligoland has prospered greatly under German rule, the people having been made to feel that their circumstances would not fail to be bettered by their inclusion in the mighty German Empire; and although the conditions of individual labour are certainly far less easy that they were, there are no signs that the people resent the change. The sea supplies the means of existence for these islanders. In fishing consists the means of livelihood of the tiny population of 4,000 souls. It is rather a blow to our national vanity, however, to be toid that there is hardly a trace of the English rule there. There is indeed a slight sentimental regret manifested for the British flag by those torn under it. but this feeling is ent rely overweighed by the pride they take in the position occum'ed by Germany among the nations ot' today, and woe be to the artless Englishman who, unaware of the notices which abound is found carrying a camera or making notes of however innocent a nature. He will find it difficult to extricate himself Irom a serious position, evtn with such loss of time, money, and temper. It is interesting to quote on the loss of this island, that authority on naval strategy, the late Admiral Colomb : "I cannot for the life of me understand the giving up of Heliogland, as we took it at the point of the sword. However, it does not much matter, as if a war ever broke out between Germany and ourselves, the first thing we should do would be to take it back again." This was possibly an easy task when the words were spoken, certainly not now.