HELIGOLAND.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 March 1925, Page 9

HELIGOLAND.

ISLAND FAST DISAPPEARING

LONDON, March 7

Messages from .Hamburg indjeate that the island of Heligoland is rapidly disappearing. The erosion, which goes on unceasingly through the action of the waves, is being assisted by the explosions of numerous mines, relics of the world'war, which the tide has cast up on the coast from time to time. Situated about -44 miles from the mouths of. the Rivers Elbe and Weser, Heligoland (“Holy Land”) is a rocky island with an elevation of about 190 feet and a circumference of about three miles. In A.D. 1300 it had a circumference of 45 miles, and in A.D. 800 of 120 miles. The island was taken from Holstein by Britain in 1807, hut was ceded to Germany by Britain in 1890 in exchange for certain rights on the east coast of Africa. Thereafter it became an important strategic point in Connection with German naval defence. The civilian population was transferred to .the mainland, and the' island was strongly' fortified. Artificial cliffs were constructed, enormous gun emplacements erected, harbours made for war craft, and a lighthouse built with the most powerful light in the world — 40,000,000 candle-power. The Treaty of Versailles compelled Germany to dismantle the whole of the fortress, including the removal of all guns and gun emplacements, harbour works and aircraft stations.