IS HELIGOLAND WORTH TAKING?

Taihape Daily Times, 16 February 1918, Page 6

IS HELIGOLAND WORTH TAKING?

What is the value of Heligoland to Germany? It is clear that she regards the island as of tremendous importance, for otherwise she wouHd not have spent sufficient upon it to build a fleet of eight or ten powerful battleships. Mr. Percival C. Hislam, referring in an interesting article In the "London Magazine" to the claim that Heligoland commands the approaches to the German coast, says it does not do so any more than Margate commands the entrance to the Thames, and no ordinary ship desir-

ing to approach Hamburg, Wilhelmshaven, or Emden need pass within sight of it. He admits the merits of the island as an advanced observation post facing the open sea, and as a base for torpedo and air craft, but he thinks it is easy to overrate its value even as an advanced post. It remains to be seen whether the responsible authorities regard Heligoland as being of sufficient importance to Germany to warrant an attempt to reduce it. Long before the war the German coast defence system was regarded as being as near perfection and impregnability as anything could be, and we may be perfectly certain that it has not deteriorated under the ever-present menace of naval attack.

With the exception of a few open channls known only to the Germans themselves, it is probable that tne whole of the Bight of Heligoland is little more than one vast minefield, with watchful submarines on the outskirts^ Minefields can be removed or destroyed—at a price; and submarines under certain conditions, can be outmanoeuvred and checkmated. But when we look back to the abortive assault on the Dardanelles, attempted in face of the feeblest of naval Powers, supported by a few German submarines, it is difficult to imagine the vast account we should probably have to settle for any attempt to force our way into a thoroughly-mined area, no

more than 120 miles wide at the entrance, behind which lies the concentrated force of the greatest military Power end the serond strongest naval Power in the world.

Mr. Hislam concludes that the transference of Heligoland to the British flag would be a greater misfortune for us than for our enemies. If we should determine to take it, It Avould give the Germans the opportunity for which they have been waiting, to meet the British fleet on ground and under conditions of Germany's own choosing. 'And having taken the place, the task of holding it in these days of mines, submarines, and minelaying submarines might well prove too much even for the British Navjy.