HELIGOLAND, or Helgoland, a group of small islands in the North Sea, formerly belonging to Denmark, now to Great Britain, and situated about twenty-eight miles from the mouths of the Weser, the Elbe, and the Eyder. It consists of the principal island, subdivided into the Cliff and the Low Land; the smaller island called the Down; and several sand-banks and rocks, of which that called the Monk is the most conspicuous. The Cliff is a continued rock of sandstone (red breccia), almost perpendicular, varying from ninety to a hundred and sixty-six feet in height; the ascent to it is by a long flight of steps; its circumference is above 4000 paces. Whilst the Cliff is said to suffer progressive diminution from the action of the waves, the Low Land is asserted to be on the increase. It is joined to the former by a bottom of rock, about 500 paces long. Its circumference is much smaller than that of the high ground; and the circuit of the whole island does not exceed two miles and a half. The Down, or Downs, is not quite half this size; but its extent is continually varying. On the High Land is a light-house, whose geographical position is 7° 53' 13" east longitude, and 54° 11' 34" north latitude. It is of great use to guide ships, not only amidst the surrounding rocks and shoals, but being visible at a distance of more than twenty-seven miles, it serves as a mark for directing vessels to the mouths of the nearest rivers on the continent.

Heligoland has two good harbours; and to the east of the Down is a road where vessels may anchor in forty-eighty feet of water. The inhabitants, in number about 2000, subsist chiefly by fishing and acting as pilots; the women cultivate the little grain (barley and oats) that is raised here, and attend to a few hundred sheep, for which there is pasture on the upper ground. It is on this part of the island that the public and other buildings are placed; on the low grounds there are only fishermen’s huts. There are two wells of fresh water, but scarcely a tree or shrub of any kind on the island. Turf, wood, fuel, and garden vegetables, are brought from Cuxhaven and Hamburg in exchange for fish.

Heligoland was, in former ages, of much greater extent; having been, it is said, the residence of a chief of the Sicambri, or North Frieslanders, and the seat of worship of the Saxon deity Phoseta. The latter is confirmed by the name, which signifies in German “sacred land.” The diminution of the island has taken place at different times; in the years 800 and 1300, if tradition may be believed, but with certainty in 1649, and even in 1720. The ravage of 1649 seems to have been very considerable. During the war with the Danes, it was taken by a small squadron in September 1807, and rendered a depot for merchandise which was afterwards smuggled into the ports of the Continent, from which our commerce was excluded by Bonaparte. At that time Heligoland was much crowded with mercantile adventurers. At the peace of 1814, though exclusion was no longer to be dreaded, our government judged it fit to retain the island, doubtless in consideration of the value of its double harbour, and of the ease with which the high ground may be defended.