The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JULY 8,1909. GERMAN DIPLOMACY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2548, 8 July 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JULY 8,1909. GERMAN DIPLOMACY.

would be decided by the predominant navy. Tho first obstacle in the way of his groat idea was Heligoland flying the British flag; 36 miles from Cux-haven-on-the-Elbe, 100 miles from Hamburg, and facing tho mouth of the Elbe. In the “Life of Lord Granville,” by Lord Fitzmaurice, some of his early manoeuvres to obtain possession of this impediment to his project are related by Lord Granville, although Bismarck’s purpose was not detected by him. In 1883, whilst colonial disputes were being carried on between Germany and Great Britain, with some bitterness on the. part of Bismarck, who was at tho same time impeding in every way the progress of Great Britain in Egypt, Count Munster, the German ambassador in London, called on Lord Granville, at Carlton-house terrace. Lord Granville writes : “Munster said he wished to have a little quiet talk on some future occasion; I asked him on what subject. After a little, hesitation, he said it was one which would startle me a little at first, but would not do so after a little reflection. It was Heligoland. It was a place of no importance to us in its present state, whereas it would be of immense importance to Germany, to us, and to the world, if it was made into a good harbor of refuge. Bismarck wished to cut a canal into the Baltic, which would also be. a great advantage to us as the most powerful maritime nation of the world; but Heligoland, which would, of coarse, be always open to our ships, would be a necessary key to such a plan. Munster said:—‘lt was as-good as impossible that Germany and England should ever be at war, but tlie cession of Heligoland would strengthen the good feeling of Germany towards this country in an extraordinary degree.’ I said I suppose the cession of Gibraltar would strengthen cur good re-, lations with Spain, but tlie Count denied there was any similarity in the two cases.” Several other interviews are described as having taken place oetween 1883 and 1885, but Lord Granville report? that after consultation with Gladstone, -who was then Prime Minister, a dilatory course was agreed upon. The subject of Heligoland does not seem to have been discussed again whilst Lord Granville was Foreign Minister, but it was'no doubt revived by Count Munster during Lord Salisbury’s Administration (1886-1892), as tne Rock was ceded to Germany in 1890.

In view of the, Anglo-German naval rivalry which has suddenly assumed so formidable a shape, there is special interest in a review made by the “Pall Mall Gazette” of the several plausible attempts by Bismarck to obtain the cession of Heligoland from Britain, and their ultimate success. The reproach for this false, step, it has to be admitted, lies with the late Lord Salisbury. In an innocent-looking treaty dated 1890, .purporting to fix the boundaries between the respective spheres of influence of Germany and Great Britain in West Africa, a clause was adroitly slipped in through the astuteness of Bismarck, having as much relation to the subject matter of the treaty as to the moon, by which the sea-power of Great Britain as the,future antagonist of Germany was given a crushing blow, the' effect of which may now be estimated. By this clause the island of Heligoland was ceded to Germany. It was treated by Great Britain as a mere pourboire for concluding the treaty. It was in reality the very essence of the treaty, for which Bismarck had intrigued for seven years, and which enabled him to conceive the possibility of an immense German navy, the rival of Great Britain on the sea, the necessity of which he had foreseen, in order to carry out his great political objects. His great scheme, was to cut a canal connecting the Baltic with the Elbe and the North Sea, through which the largest warships could pass, but the scheme could only be realised by first securing possession of Heligoland, which, in the hands of ' Great Britain, lay off the German coast threatening the mouth of tho Elbe.

It is only necessary to look at the map of the North Sea to perceive the dominating position Heligoland occupies in case of war between Germany a'nd Great Britain, whether it be in the possession of Germany as a strategic base for her navy , or in 'the hands of Great Britain as a point commanding the Elbe and the German coast. It is safe to say that if England had retained it the navy estimates would now be reduced, and the contest .ini ship-build-ing between the two countries - would not exist. It was ceded to Germany because it was considered of no commercial value to Great Britain, and because it was believed that its cession would propitiate the Germans, and improve the. relations between the two countries. It was not imagined that' Germany, had any naval ambitions; she was regarded as a purely land power, .possessing tho finest army in.the world, Ais a sea power she. was ignored. Bismarck, 'however, had different views; he looked to the future. He that his country must have colonies to receive its surplus population, that all the countries most fitted for the ■ijur- ; pose were already in the possession of Great Britain, and lie foresaw the possibility—nay, the certainty—of a colonial conflict with Great Britain, which