The Detroit times., 1914-08-14

cret does the little Island OF Heligo
land hold. what menace, what threat !!
WILL II send down q feet OF flying
Zeppelins, dropping its bombs OF an
nih1lation, bringing destruction to
+ the greatest city In the worldf
= there q chance of an aerial In.
vasion, war from the clouds against
, defenseless city?
Military ofnctals scoR at such q
possibility. Few Of the people have
any fears. But the memory OF flying
I. ships over England few years back
has turned speculation towards the
okias. ---
London 10 the most vulnerable oi
MI European cities to an attack from
the sky and II II the richest prize In
:, the world.
"A ransom OF billions as q guaran
tee against attack would be cheap.
The Bank Of England alone has
millions OF pounds In gold reserve
Il Ia III vaults. The money guarantees
the English bank note issue and In
suros the credit OF the nation. In
addition, there are 400 lesser banks
IN the city. all carrying large reserves
s ~ gold and silver.
ost city In the world. Outside OF
values which can be measured in
3 money. London IL the home Of price
less treasures OF art. archaeology and
science. The British museum Is the
+ greatest In the, world. The famous
E B3gfn marbles were stripped from
Greek temples. The Rosetta stone.
which enabled savants to decipher
a. hA NM AM IN
o ancient Egypt was taken from the
khedive.
Ths British crown jewels, valued
q e10.000.000 and priceless from q
historical standpoint, are inadequate
" guarded In the Tower Of London.
The Kohinor, the largest diamond
. n the world. 10 part OF the treasure
within the tower.
Most important Of all. to an Eng
ushman's eyes, are the historic land
B marks Of the. city, ST. Paurs cathe-
dral, the houses Of parliament, the
4 1,oJO-year-old Tower OF London and
the equally ancient Westminster ABB
HslInoland, the German Gibraltar.
N II m attack from the sky comes.
n the base Of German operations will
* ~ the little island Of Heligoland, in
& TIE North ssa, lying six miles east of
Z The mouths Of the Elbe and Weser
and less than fve houis distant from
London BY the big German dirigibles.
Holieoland IL the German Gibral-
tar. Shaped like b battleship, Il Is
nearly mile long and not half that
broad ct it, widest point On three
Sides cliffs rise perpendicularly from
tho water to . height of $50 feet, and
ore, therefore, impregnable to an at
Il tack from the sea. On the fourth side
nye 3 few fishing villages with pop
ulation Of $500. On this side the
uovornment has spent millions In
& complcting . fortified harbor.
The Germans have always jealous
~ guarded the secrets Of the place,
hut the iEnglish know that the island
z a a airship station and that Il was
nom this point that the German air
4 hips secretly secuted over England
& - night several years ago.
n making an attack. the Germans
i would give notice Of their intention
&hrough Q neutral power. They would
demand ransom be paid within "a
hours. Non-combatants would be
warned to leave the city and city
dWellers given plenty OF time to es-
& CAPE into the suburbs.
Menace from the Clouds.
Then q fieet Of Zeppelins, painted
oly color TO make detection dificult
and with muffied motors, would leave
& the Island ut dusk and before 10
oic1ock the same evening be above
London. The huge sky cruisers, 485
foot long and 46 feet In diameter, are
4 Undated with 671,000 feet Of hydrogen
g ~ carried In Is reservoirs within q
aluminium frame. Their en-.
&1nos develop 61O-horsepower and can
1f1vo ne ships It the rate Of 70 miles
1ne NnsIish have never prepared
~ "A attack on the city. believing
.1>1r navy capable Of preventing all
+ 1ef9mpts at tnvaa1On. There are no
losto around London a. there are
shout other European capitals. Paris
lately thwarfed d 0ernaxn attack from
Y the air by blazing searchlights from
4 The Eifel tower and other points Of
lnA1Age, by getting aerial cannon in
oo1inees In its forts and by sending
eUcxms Of aeroplane scouts buzzing
0yor the city.
~ 9ut England IL unprepared. At
A1dershot 20 miles out Of London,
& Ne two dirigtbles. There are a few
neroplanss At Ndershot and 3 few
private machines 1t Hendon. OF all
European nations England has been
\ the most backward In developing the
fourth arm Of the service which. In
z comparison to Germany and France,
q negligible.
With few searchlights hastily
+ mounted on the towers of the city
sweeping the sky and with all other
lights out, London would await its
Tsmptlns Targets for Bomb Throw.
The huge Woolwich arsenal. which
supplies England with arms and am
S nunition. II In direct line OF attack.
he houses OF parliament and the ad-
f (1oont Westminster Abbey and Buck.
lnsham palace. the residence Of the
f King. half q mile away. are tempting
+ 1ortets and BY their size impossible
uven IN sweeping attack the Ger
0oe would not destroy all the build.
~ their power In one night, but
u oive the Londoners an object.
80 Il l.. "A