The daring raids by Royal Air Force machines on Heligoland throw into prominence the island of Heligoland, one of Germany's fortified bases, which assumed much more importance in thi days prior to the last world war than in this. Situated about 30 miles from the mainland of Germany and almost equidistant from the borders of Holland and Denmark, Heligoland formerly belonged to Britain and was exchanged with Germany for the island of Zanzibar on the east coast of Africa. Heligoland has always been a dubious strategical factor. When it was under British control it possessed a garrison of police, coastguards and lighthouseman, with nothing larger in artillery than a few salute guns, In such close proximity to the German coast, it could never represent any effective British base any more than Germany could maintain such a base in the Thames estuary. The exchange was a bargain although those people believing in Gibraltars and powerful menacing fortifications, without considering the strategical weakness, exaggerated its value. After it came into German possession, work started on the extension of wharves and the creation of a base for submarines and other small craft, while fortifications were added. In 1914 it was fully fortified and on the outbreak of war its population of 2,000 was evacuated to the mainland—the Heligolanders being given one hour in which they could pack the hand baggage. Actually, the island escaped severe bombardment and a few islanders returned to the homes. Under treaty obligations Germany w: compelled to dismantle the fortifications and restore the island to its former status as a free port, It took three years to raze these fortification and after nine years of peace, Chancellor Hitler ordered extensive refortification and the island once again became a naval base but on much more powerful lines than ever before. Details of Heligoland are lacking because of the extreme restrictions imposed on foreign visitors but one observer recently declared that, although the big guns projecting at all points, indicate the extent of the mechanical effort introduced, the island, with its soft sandstone cliffs, in'spite of protective bastions and underpinning, continues to crumble into the sea in a similar manner to some parts of the English coast. A seventeenth century map of Heligoland showed an island of 1,000 acres, but the present area is less than 200 acres, A Memory Eighty years ago today the man, who was to beat the German Navy in the last war, and to be made Earl Jellicoe for his services, was born, It is as well that his name should be remembered in times such as these for he and his redoubtable aide, who became Earl Beatty, demonstrated a quarter of century ago that the old Nelson spirit still prevailed in the British Navy, just as its officers are proving the same fact today. The Battle of Jutland will go down in history as at one and the same time the most decisive and most undecisive naval battle in history, for while it had the effect of confine ing the German fleet to its own water: from which it did not emerge until on its way to surrender at Scapa Flow, it did not result in its destruction in battle, There are still many of the opinion that to be completely decisive the German fleet should have been almost completely destroyed in that action. Indeed it might have been with just a little more luck than Earl Jellicoe received, but the reduction of the German navy to a state of complete idleness, and the complete unrestricted command of the seas which the Jutland victory gave Great Britain must stand as vindication for the contention that from the point of view of the naval campaign the encounter was completely decisive. That the tradition which Earl Jellicoe personified still pervades the British Navy is evidenced by the manner which the crew of the s. Rawalpindi had no hesitation in engaging the overpowering odds which she encountered in the North Sea.
ere was no thought of fleeing—it would not have been possible—but though resistance meant the deaths of a large number of men, the officers and crew fought their ship to the bitter end, and did so well that it was merely a matter of bad luck that assistance did not arrive in time which might have meant the end of the foe-men's vessels. The German fleet has not yet seen fit to come out after the British fleet. It would be heartily welcomed if it did, for no better opportunity would be offered of refuting the often claimed contention of the Germans that the British are becoming effete. The successors of Earl Jellicoe would seize upon the opportunity of proving it to them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.