Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-03-26
THE ALAN ISLANDS
Significance Of their Occupation by
the Germans.


Alan islands pronounced "Olan")
now occupies a position OF the great
est strategic importance. commanding
as it does both the entrance TO the
port OF stockholm, the capital OF
Sweden, and the approach to the gulf
of Bothnia. through which the great
er part Of the Baltic trade to Sweden
is carried on.
The cable dispatches say that Ger
many's occupation of the Aland is
lands is only preliminary to the total
especially protested against the Aland
islands being placed in the war zone.
Occupation OF these islands, the dis
patches say, Is to make them base
for supplying the German occupa-
ton OF Finland. Sweden has also
protested against the German occupa-
ton of Finland, but official dispatches
to the Swedish. legation at Washing
ton say that Germany has announced
to the stockholm foreign office her in
tention TO occupy Finland tcmporari-
ly, as il was necessary to restore or
der" and gave assurances that she
had no intention to take permanent
possession Of the territory.
There are only five hundred Swedish
troops on the Aland islands for po-
lice purposes. They have been nou-
fled by the German commander OF his
intentions, and the people are very
much inccnsed.
The Aland archipelago, 1T the
north end Of the Baltic sea, and at
the entrance of the gulf OF Bothnia,
and not far from the entrance to the
gulf OF Finland, has been football OF
for more than two centuries
Aland, the largest island, signifies
LAND of streams" and has all area Of
241 square miles. There are nearly
are inhabited. the remainder being
desolate rocks. The area Of the whole
archipelago is less than 1000 square
miles. The group, which forms u
part of the Finnish province of Abo-
Bporneborg, lies about % miles from
the coast Of Sweden and Is from that
of Finland. These islands form Il
continuation of Il dangerous granite
reef extending along the south coast
OF Finland.
Formerly Held by Sweden.
They formerly belonged to Sweden.
and in this neighborhood the first VIC
tory of the Russian fleet over the
Swcdrs was gained by ueter the Great
i'm 1714. In the long wars between
Russia and Sweden these rocky isles
were frequently q battle ground. They
changed hands several times between
the two powers. In 1903 the Russians
seized the islands during the reign Of
Alexander /, and Sweden lost them,
together with Finland, which they
had controlled more than five CEN
turies.
BY this treaty Of 1903, made at
Friedrichshamm, the Swedes were
unable to secure q provision that the
Aland islands should not be fortified.
The question was vital one not only
for Sweden. but for Great Britain,
whose trade in the Baltic was threat
ened. Russia, in the reign Of En-
IL. r ngtrn tfl dfrnn
fortifications at Bomersund, on these
islands. Lord Palmerston of England
protested without avail. While the
Crimean war was going or iaD Anglo
French force; coTma22G hy=- Sir
Charles Napier and paraguay d'Hil-
liers, destroyed the fortificatiCns In
1854. Sir Charles Napier is the same
vainglorious English admirals who
took an active part in the operations
against Baltimore in 1914 during the
second war between America and Eng
land.
BY the "Aland convention" Of 1856,
between Great Britain. France and
Russia, it was stipulated that the
Aland islands shall not be fortified,
and that no military or naval estab-
lishments shall be maintained or
created on them" Lord Palmerston
was so gratificd that he declared in
the house Of commons, May 6, 1856,
that this convention had placed n
barrier between Russia and the north
of Europe" With Russia broken and
partly under the German yoke, and
the Germans preparing to make the
Aland isLlnds Il naval base, Lloyd
George today sees u barrier, in dam
ger or arising, as formidable as that
which disappeared in the days Of
Palmerston.
Majority of People Swedes.
The population Of the Aland islands
is about 10000. The majority
these occupy the island of Aland, upon
which Is the town of Marielamm, with
a population of about 1900. This
town is a popular summer resort for
the fashionable society Of Stockholm,
and through the white summer nights
there Is music and sounds of revelry.
The inhabitants Of the islands are
mostly of Swedish origin, and. toeeth-
er with the Firms, they are skillful
sailors, fishermen and seal hunters.
The surface of the islands is thin,
sandy soil, and the climate is keen
and cold in winter, and many Of the
excellent harbors are frozen over dur
ing the winter months. Yet Scotch
fir, spruce and birch grow here, and
the hardy natives raise rye. oats. bar
ley and vegetables, and dairy cattle.
the native herds being improved by
the dairy cattle from Denmark.
Cheese. butter. hides. salted meats and
fish are exported.
The Finnish republic was set up
in the land known as the Grand
Duchy Of Finland in 1917-18. and de-
clared its independence Of Russia.
January Z, 1918. Germany recognized
the Finnish republic. Women have
for a number OF years had the right