Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 19, 1919 HELIGOLAND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14841, 19 February 1919, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 19, 1919 HELIGOLAND.

When the armistice was arranged m November last one of the terms laid down gave the Allies the right of occupation of Heligoland, that strongly fortified rampart, bristling with guns, m the North Sea. It has now been decided, iv granting a renewal of the armistice to Germany, to insist on the destruction of the fortifications at Heligoland and Kiel, and on the neutralisation of the Kiel Canal. The decision is important, for it removes an impregnable outpost of the . t German Republic, and not only allows the Allies easy access to Germany by sea but gives them a short cut into the Baltic. Heligoland has been described as thetrouser button of Germany, andy by encompassing the destruction of its fortifications the Allies are putting the Huns m much the same state of helplessness so far as their ability to fight is concerned, as our boys did when they performed a slight sartorial operation on the undergarments of their German prisoners. To every Britisher there will come a great satisfaction when it is learned that Heligoland as a fighting factor is to be de-; molished.' Less than thirty years ago Heligoland was ours. Deliberately we gave to Germany what seemed a barren piece of earth set m the sea, and she lost no time m converting it into a stronglreld against lis. For the best part of a century it belonged to England, and England acquired, it m 1807 because had it remained m the hands of- Denmark, or been seized by Napoleon it would gravely have endangered our mastery of the sea. Napoleon and Alexander \had resolved to force Denmark into a maritime league against Britain. "If England refuses to accept the Russian mediation," said Napoleon, "Denmark must declare war against her, or I .must declare war against Denmark." Canning lost no time; he would , not risk the starvation of England. He bombarded Copenhagen, after due warning and with excellent reason, and captured Heligoland. Thus he put an iend to the vast smuggling trade which Denmark carried on for tlie profit of France, and gave a. practical answer to Napoleon's demand for freedom of the seas. In 1815 Heligoland' was formerly ceded to Britain, m whose peaceful hands it remained till 1890. For those years it enjoyed the supreme happiness of having no history. It became a summer resort to whicii many English people repaired for its bracing air and sea bathing. For 75 years Heligoland lived a life of idleness and peace. In 1883 the Germans began manoeuvring for it. They were trying to foil England m Africa and suggested the exchange of Heligoland m return for complaisance m regard to Zanzibar. Bismarck announced, furthermore, that Germany intended to construct a canal to the Baltic which, he said, would offer great advantages to England, and that for the protection of this canal (the Kiel canal) Germany was ready to construct a harbor and fortifications on Heligoland, the advantages of both to be given freely to English as well as German vessels. Th© project fell through m 1883, but was revived m 1890. Bismarck offered <9»in- exchange for Heligoland that Germany would not oppose a British protectorate of Zanzibar, < , and Lord Salisbury made a speech, m Parliiiment which has been quoted widely since the war began, and which has caused many to marvel at British simplicity. ' Lord Salisbury had been approached cautiously by 'William H.s Ambassador at London. With true Prussian craft the latter pointed out that the gray rock m the North Sea was useless to Great Britain and that his master desired it only: for sentimental reasons. After all — as his excellency suggested — what was it more than a small German summer resort under a foreign' flag? The Prime Minister saw light through, Prussian eyes, announced his decision to Parliament. In exchange for the worthless: rock, as Bismarck called it, we. were to be allowed to assume a protectorate over Zanzibar, a privilege that has given some trouble and proved of very little value. Lord Salisbury pointed the advantages we would reap m glowing colors. Of what use, he asked, was such a harborless, unfortified rock as Heligoland to Great Britain? If .Britain were at war with Germany, it could easily be captured and Britain exposed thereby to grave humiliation. He wound np by hoping that "the bargain which - gave neither power an advantage over the other would cemfent" the friendship of the two countries and remove all danger of future conflict. " It is interesting, to recall that Lord Rosebej'y m protesting against the transfer raised the ,- Wilsonian principle of self determination, pointing out that Lord Salisbury had not obtained the consent of the inhabitants. Loud) Salisbury brushed the protest aside, saying that Imperial considerations must be paramount. -. The cession of Heligoland to Germany m 1890 created tne wildest enthusiasm m that country. The Kaiser set sail at once, attended by the fleet, to take formal sovereignty. Evejy German ship available was dressed with flags and took part m the procession that went out to take possession. And hardly had the' standard of the new owners been raised' when work was begun on the fortifica-j tions which were to make the island &j thorn m the side of the AlHes from August, 1914, until the other day. What had been a mere friendly watering-place was swifly converted into a stronghold which no strangers might visit; upon which no alien eye might ever look. Heligoland was honeyocmbed with galleries and fortified with long-range guns. It was made both a submarine and an aircraft base, giving the- Huns exceptional opportunity for keeping the British. fleet. at bay. And now this.citadel passes back to a period of bathing machines again. Our naval authorities will see toy it that the destruction of military works is complete. It has been urged that Britain should claim a recession of the island, • but this would perhaps be represented as territorial aggrandisement. . It ip quite sufficient if Heligoland's sting is removed and guarantees are imposed m the peace termsj that it will never again b& fortified. By the removal of this barrier to the British Navy's access to the German coast., something substantial is being done -to ensure the future peace of the world'