Evening star., 1921-01-23
HE[|C0LAND NOW
!. A SEASIDE RESORT
Germans lndustriously De-
stroying the Fortifica-
tions. 49,.

Z ross-Atlautle Cable Service to The STAR,
LONDON, January 22.-Heligolan'
The namesq6 the little island brings
back ito. che maj nation the descriptions
Of gfgafitics German Notifications OF
which we used to read in the early days
of the war, and that famous thirty-mlle
halo of mtnefelds. which certainly Kept
the enemy fleet from the island.
but which also rendered useless the for
tifications Of. the island itself.
Yet when the boat from Cuxhaven ap-
proaches the island one gets. not the
impression of entering fortress. but
simply that, Of approaching a summer
resort very much out of season.
The wind was blowing fiercely, and
the crossing Of the Heligoland Blight Tor
the six passengers on board was but
moderately pleasing affair. In whiri-
wind of dust and scraps of paper We
went ashore. The mighty military mar
Dor is still there. So are the mighty
sheds. the great cranes. the elevated
cabins, the elaborate appliances OF the
"adyanced nest Of the German fleet;
but the harbor Is empty.
Like a German Seaside Resort.
At the other side the Unterland. the
sandy platform on which stand the for
titled rocks Of Heligoland, has very
tame aspect. Big hotels of stucco and
brick summer restaurants. and cinema
nalaces give It the look Of the normal
German seaside resort. l am told tnat
this first after-war season. in spite OF the
unfayorable conditions. has been great
gvyI~:~ :~-k, Ax,A
have been there. ''enjoying' the demoli-
tion Of their fortress almost as mucn
as they used to enjoy the construction
Of it a few years ago.
Patented System Of Destruction.
A firm from Hamburg is carrying
out the job with Teutonic thorough
ness. The chief engineer who show
ed me around impressed. on me that
the system employed Is the exclusive
property Of his firm. patented all
round the world. He seemed SO
anxious to spstem ms ena' in exist
ence that l could but offer my sym
pathy for the limited amount OF work
Of the kind that there Is to be carried
ont.
have to tackle the concrete still
harder job. There are cubic miles or
it Then the harbor will have to be
destroyed: one arm OF 1t only Will
probably be left as q promenade for
summer visitors. 1t will be great at
traction. Heligoland is designed to
become the most colossal summer
resort of the North sea.
Those Germans are absolutely in
curable! They could no longer have
the colossal fortress: so now they
want the colossal bathing resort!
Utilizing the sPlinters.
The higher part of the island is al
most covered with small splinters
from the exploded guns and plates.
The debris, carted to a collecting
point, is shoveled down a toboggan
which makes 1t roll like
. trickling stream of iron down to
the shore. Hence 1t finds its way to
and Hamburg, suspect. to
invade the world in the shape Of
cheap goods.
The island will assuredly never be
with hardly a hotel open and with only
. few dfngy theater posters and
announcements or
bathing regulations rattltng In
wind to suggest the glortes
Of the summer season: Heiigoiand 10
!. when q sharp siren whfsdo an:
nuUncSd the impending departure OF
tH6 sat which was to take us back
to the continent I left my umpteenth
rum-grog and rushed down to the em-
A red-nosed. mufded po-
licen,an asked me IL I had taken any %
splinters rs q souvenir.
ssYes, thank your I said.
ssWould you mind leaving them be-
hind. Splinters are the property Of
Herr So-and-So. You can buy them
into dainty and useful
articles" and he handed me an adj
afess.
I turned over to him my modest
booty. and want hack to Germany,
he, country which undoubtedly 10 .
past master In making the BEST -
everything!