HELIGOLAND

Bruce Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 2177, 24 June 1890, Page 3

HELIGOLAND

The island of Heligoland, which a recent cable informed us has been ceded by Great

Britain to Germany, is a'small islaud in tbe North Sea, situated opposite to, aud about 25 miles from th« mouth of tbe E be, theEid«r, the Weser, and the Jahde. It was cipture<l from Denmark in 1807, and in 1814 was fornaa'ly ceded to England. lie nsistaiian npper and 1 >wer quaiter, the farmer called •'Tne O >erland," and the latter *' Siudy Itliind," and ;»Uhoui<h the whole area is not more than three-fourths of a fquare miie, the p -pulation in 1881 was over 2UOO. T'.esurg ing of tue sea is constantly diminishing its area, and it ib probable that before many generations are past it will be reduced to a mere sandbank. It has always been considered a most important strategic position, commanding as it does the entrance to the Baltic and the mouths of the great German rivers, and it may be assumed that the African concessions made by Germany must be very substantial to recompense England for its loss. The population Biibsist principally upon the lobster and haddock fisheries and the harvest they reap from the annual influx of visitors from Gormany, who flock to the island for its splendid climate and txjellent sea bithing. The vital statistics of Heligoland are marvellous, the avei ago life of the inhabitants being stated Bo be over 63 years, There is a coastguard station and rocket station attached to the itlind, aud four bat* teries manned by a garrison of British soldiers are mounted on the oliff. The internal affairs of the residents are managed by a council of the islanders,