The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-23
THE cEssION OF HELIGoLAND.

The settlement of the disputes between
Germany and Great Britain. respecting
territory in Africa appear to have, afforded
the Governments an opportunity for recti-
flying the status of Helgoland. The little
rock and sand dunes, which are known to
geographers as HeigOland, or Holy Island,
are less than a square mile in area, but
their situaton-thirty-siX miles from the
mouth of the Elbe and 100 miles from Ham
burg-used to give them strategic import
anee in the old days before the era of swift
steamers. A few centuries ago Heligoland
used constantly to be seized and occupied
by rival beligerents. At the beginning of
the century, when Mr.. Pitt feared that Den
mark was going to join the NapOleOnic
League n British expedition seized Helgo-
land, and it has been in British hands ever
since. During the late Franco German war
the Germans were much afraid that France
would seize it and make it basis of opera
tons against the German seaboard, and as
soon as the war ended negotiations were
commenced for its acquisition by Germany.
1t is Of no value to England. 1t has no
trade, no industry. no harbOr Of depth suf-
fieient for war-vessels. So the successive
British Governments have seen no objection
to its surrender, and there is possibility
that it may pass under the German flag,
though the inhabitants are opposed to the
transfer, which would make them liable to
military cOnscriptiOn.
Parties in England divide on the question
whether outlying military posts are or are
not of real value. The Tories have always
held that they were and in obedience to their
policy England summarily seized aud oc-
cupied the Channel Islands close to the coast
of France, Gibraltar, which is the southern
extremity of Spain, Malta, which dominates
Southern Italy. HOng-Kong, which is the
key to Southern China, and other similar
points that might serve as future bases of
military and naval operations. Only few
years ago. in adherence to the same policy,
BeaCOnSf Id acquired from the Porte the
island of Cyprus, from which fleets OF
steamers could be flung upon the coast of
the Ddrdanelles on the one hand or the
banks of the Nile on the other. Heligoland
was occupied in accordance with the same
line Of reasoning.
The British Liberals on the other hand
see no advantage in the possession of
these outlying spots, which consume ma
val and military forces to defend them in
time of war and which cost considerable
money at all times. The strongest Of all
these strongholds is Gibraltar; but it never
served as base for operations against
Spain, though it has more than once drained
England OF men and money TO defend it
against attack. Another strong place was
the Ionan Islands, which were held as
menace to Greece; they proved so expen-
sive to hold and to police that twenty years
ago Mr.. Gladstone surrendered them to
their owners. In their case England's pos
session of foreign territory inhabited by
an alien race merely eyasperated the Greeks
without doing England any good. The Lib
erals have always held that England loses
more by the hatred which her occupation
of Gibraltar and Malta inspires among the
Spaniards and Italians than she can gain
in any event by the retention of those iso-
lated possessions.