Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-06-29

land had only twelve hours notice in
which to prepare for my new commits
sion. 1 had very slight intimatiOn in
what capacity I would be employed
while at Heligoland.
About three hours before the time set
for my departure to our island base l
heard that a certain American who was
not of German blood was visiting the
outer harbor works. Naturally Il was
curious to inquire in the mess room
about this Herr Pastor from America.
was very curious indeed to meet him
as l had heard so much about him and
his great zeal for our cause. had o
great esteem for this man although ]
had never seen him.
1t was difficult to obtain a short in
terview with him. On meeting him, how
evof, I felt ashamed that our high civil,
military, and naval officials had wasted
energy in paying this mean absurdity
such homage. My only purpose in meet
ing him was to ask him personally how
the Americans really felt about this
war. Notwithstanding the fact that I
had pledged my honor as an officer to
hear from an American IS lips the real
feeling of his people towards us and
especially towards this war. was very
disappointed to hear from him such
cheap talk as he had been in the habit
OF unloading to our gutter elements
both III the fatherland and America.
The reason of the authorities in bringing
su'h grOtesque imposter to Cuxhaven
to ADDRESS our naval men was to be-
little America IS war possibilities in the
eyes Of our men and crew. F'Here is
an American without drop of German
blood in him! Listen to what he has to
say about America as war-making
power. know that the effort of the
renegade American. Herr Pastor was
wasted. Every one who heard him speak
resented the insult thus flung on their
faces by the authorities in thinking
that our German naval men were such
idiots as to take the Herr Pastor serious
lly.
7 boarded the destroyer No. 81, and
within one hour and fifteen minutes
reached Heligoland, traversing dis
tance Of 38 or 40 miles.
At our island base I found our pre-
parations for the coming North sea bat.
tic more intensive. Down to the COM
mencement of the war We had spent
nearly 100000, 900 marks on this island
which is hardly one mile long from tip
to tip and much less than half mile
at its widest portion On the southeast
ern slant of the island we have built
a marine wall 40 feet wide and half
a mile long, which runs straight from
north to south. To the east Of this
great wall we built a mole which is
two-fifths Of mile long and one-third
of mile wide, and at the southwestern
tip of this mole we have enclosed an
expanse Of water protected by sea-walls
40 feet wide and with an entrance about
300 feet wide. In this artificial harbor
which is heavily fortified and mined
we have four submarine stations, while
in the inner harbor that is bounded by
the mole in the northeast and west, we
naev one Of the mos complete undersea
have one Of the most complete undersea
! experimental stations, I mean, expert
ments in cruising. A double-tracked mar
row gage railroad circles the sea-walls
from end to end. From end to end tun.
mel also runs though the sea walls. AT
about fifty yard intervals along the wall
there are openings to the tunnel, thru
) which openings any one Of our heavy
calibre guns may be elevated. Of course
it must be understood that the railroad
, that runs under the seawalls runs also
through connecting series Of tunnels
that encircle the island proper. Besides
the island encircled with tunnels and
railroads, there are four staight un'
derground passages that run from the
, northern rip Of the island to the south
! ern, and there are sixteen other tun
nels that run across the width Of the
island. ANY number Of the heaviest
guns can be shifted within a short time
: to any given point. The Zeppelin shed
which is situated on the northern shore
is protected by about 200 anti-aircraft
guns that would spell death to any un
! invited guest.
: But the islandl The life there! T. il
| horriblel
y ITO Be Continued)