GERMANY'S GIBRALTAR SHOOTING AT HELIGOLAND

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 58, 5 September 1914, Page 8

GERMANY'S GIBRALTAR SHOOTING AT HELIGOLAND

"FIRM AS A ROCK." A tiny limesione island, insignificant on .the map, is Helogoland, which stands like a. sentinel off the Elbe estuary. Great Britain gave it to Germany in return for some valuable territory at Zanzibar, and Germany promptly converted it into one of the strongest fortifications in the world. About two years ago experiments were carried out at Heligoland to ascertain the effect of heavy gunfire on the soft rock of which the island is composed. The largest weapons in the batteries were fired with full charges. At the same time a battleship within easy rango tfired several heavy shells at the cliffs. It had been predicted that under the shock of repeated discharges from the big guns mounted on the plateau the rock in the vicinity would split up, and that the foundations of the gun positions would give way. It had also been prophesied that shells bursting against the face of the cliff would bring "down huge masses of limestone, and that if subjected to a prolonged bombardment the whole island would be practically knocked to pieces. Sensational as they seem, these views were taken seriously by the authorities, who accordingly ordered the above experiments to be made. The result was said to be quite satisfactory. No damage whatever was done by the concussion of the island's guns, while the effect of the largest shells bursting against the cliff was insignificant. Surprise was therefore caused by the publication of details of similar experiments made a few months ago. The authorities were apparently unconvinced by the initial tests, for they were repeated on & larger scale. In addition to the firing of the batteries — where presumably heavier „weapons have replaced those that were in position two years ago — quantities of high explosive were detonated against the cliffs. Complete success, according to " Schiffbau," again attended the experiments. It was found that after a large number of rounds had been fired the foundations of the battery were perfectly secure ; also that the explosions against the face of the v ocks had done only trifling damage. In view of these results, it is asserted that Heligoland is virtualy impregnable as regards bombardment, and that the foundation of its own batteries is firm enough to -withstand the stress of repeated firing.