I also learned of some marvellous performances of the coast-battery personnel. I noticed, at various points along the coast, fairly high observation towers, and managed to pay a visit to one of them. In each of them are stationed two naval officers, who, armed with powerful telescopes and with numerous charts and maps, watch day after day for any enemy vessels that may have eluded the three-fold line of guard-ships. As soon as an enemy ship is discovered, the observing officer, by means of his chart, ruled into many squares and angles, immediately calculates its position and the angle of fire for the respective batteries he serves. The result of the calculation is at once telephoned to the different commanders in charge; and, although the men at the guns are unable to see their target, they open fire. Gunpractices held with this system of indirect fire showed that a target nine miles out at sea was struck seven times out of ten. Now we know-as they do in Germany -why the British fleet keeps at a safe distance from these gunnery experts!

(3) HELIGOLAND.

The subject of Heligoland is one that to-day is very near to the heart of every German, but especially of those who in any way are connected with the Navy. The mere mention of the name will bring delight to his face. More likely than not, he'll slap you on the back and, with a grin of satisfaction and a confidential, knowing air—as if he were personally responsible for the fact that the island is German now-will assure you that 'We certainly scored a point on old England that time.'

The transaction (1890) between the British and German Governments, through which the latter obtained Heligoland-in exchange for Zanzibar, was by no means always as popular with the Germans as it is to-day. Heligoland appeared but a small compensation for what they abandoned in East Africa. But times and sentiments have changed very much since those early days. Heligoland has become the very apple of their eye, and I am certain the Germans would sooner return Alsace and Lorraine to-morrow, than give up that mile-long piece of rock. 'Heligoland must and shall always remain

German soil'-so everybody in Germany will assure you. All the money in the world, I believe, could not buy back Heligoland. As a prominent German naval authority expressed himself: If Heligoland belonged to England to-day, we should be like rats in a trap.'

Heligoland forms, with Wilhelmshaven and Kiel, the nucleus of the German coast-defence system. It is situated about forty miles from the main-land and equidistant from the Weser and Elbe mouths. It consists of two islands, the larger about a mile in length, with an upper and lower (Ober- ' and 'Unterland '), and the unimportant and much smaller one (half a mile east), named Sand Island. At the beginning of hostilities, every inhabitant, man, woman and child, not in some way connected with the Navy and the defence of the Island, was packed off. Most of them were sent to Hamburg, where I met several of them. It is interesting to note that several native Heligolanders are interned as British aliens, yet none of them have ever set foot in England. They are the men who, after the cession in 1890, chose to retain their British nationality. Among the two thousand odd inhabitants were a large number of women who had never left the Island since they were born. There were many sad scenes on that Monday, Aug. 3, the day before England declared war. Very few of them-so several Heligolanders told me personally -ever expected to see their homes again. They doubt not, for one moment, that sooner or later the British will blow up the whole island.

It is futile to try to get anywhere near Heligoland. None but accredited German naval ships are allowed nearer than about ten miles. The nearest I got to Heligoland (in 1915) was about two miles-by air, about the only way, I think, to get that far. From the high altitude we were at, the little triangular piece of land seemed hardly more than a large rock. It was a clear day. The rays of the sun, thrown against the steep reddish cliffs, were reflected in the water and seemed to form a kind of halo along the south-western side of the island. It was a most fascinating sight.

It is curious that the only two occasions when I have set eyes on Heligoland are recorded in my mind as colourschemes of a harmonious and picturesque kind. The

first occurred some sixteen years ago, shortly after the opening of the Kiel Canal. During the summer months, excursion steamers, making the round trip to Heligoland in one day, sail several times a week from different points on the coast. On approaching the island, especially from the south-eastern coast, the effect of the steep red cliffs, hollowed by the sea into all kinds of fantastic figures and columns, is very striking. The Oberland is mostly covered with meadows. The colour-scheme of three distinct hues is, I think, one of the strangest natural formations I have ever seen. The red cliffs are fringed above by the grassy slopes of the Oberland,' and below, by the white sand of the beaches of the Unterland.' On the boat, a native Heligolander, who was standing near and evidently read the admiration in my eyes, explained to me that those three colours represent the flag of the island. He cited and wrote down for me the following Frisian verse:

'Grön is dat Land,

Rood is de Kant,

Witt is de Sand

Dat is de Flag vun't Hallige Land.'

Immediately after taking possession of the island, the Germans proceeded to make it the Gibraltar of the North Sea. Its armaments, its defences, positions, etc., are secrets which have been most jealously and, I am convinced, most successfully guarded. Although, as I said above, I was unable to satisfy my thirst for knowledge by a personal visit, I managed to obtain some interesting and first-hand descriptions of the place, which is more than most travellers' and 'students' have gained; and, although I was unable to obtain a photographic copy of the official large-scale map of Heligoland, I have had plenty of opportunities of studying the lay of the land.

While the importance of Heligoland as a protective harbour or refuge for German warships is of course slight as compared to the safety of the Kiel Canal, its value as a coaling station and a submarine and torpedo-boat base is incalculable. During the last four or five years, over 30,000,000 marks (1,500,000l.) have been expended on the construction of large moles, harbours, sea-walls, etc., in

first occurred some sixteen years ago, shortly after the opening of the Kiel Canal. During the summer months, excursion steamers, making the round trip to Heligoland in one day, sail several times a week from different points on the coast. On approaching the island, especially from the south-eastern coast, the effect of the steep red cliffs, hollowed by the sea into all kinds of fantastic figures and columns, is very striking. The Oberland is mostly covered with meadows. The colour-scheme of three distinct hues is, I think, one of the strangest natural formations I have ever seen. The red cliffs are fringed above by the grassy slopes of the 'Oberland,' and below, by the white sand of the beaches of the Unterland.' On the boat, a native Heligolander, who was standing near and evidently read the admiration in my eyes, explained to me that those three colours represent the flag of the island. He cited and wrote down for me the following Frisian verse:

'Grön is dat Land,

Rood is de Kant,

Witt is de Sand

Dat is de Flag vun't Hallige Land.'

Immediately after taking possession of the island, the Germans proceeded to make it the Gibraltar of the North Sea. Its armaments, its defences, positions, etc., are secrets which have been most jealously and, I am convinced, most successfully guarded. Although, as I said above, I was unable to satisfy my thirst for knowledge by a personal visit, I managed to obtain some interesting and first-hand descriptions of the place, which is more than most travellers' and 'students' have gained; and, although I was unable to obtain a photographic copy of the official large-scale map of Heligoland, I have had plenty of opportunities of studying the lay of the land.

While the importance of Heligoland as a protective harbour or refuge for German warships is of course slight as compared to the safety of the Kiel Canal, its value as a coaling station and a submarine and torpedo-boat base is incalculable. During the last four or five years, over 30,000,000 marks (1,500,000l.) have been expended on the construction of large moles, harbours, sea-walls, etc., in