some
M
even in the CO Memorandum for ministers of 2 June 1890 which originated
the proposal of cession as part of the negotiations with "ermany.
Secondly, though the facts the feelings and loyalty of the lleligo-
landers are now very hard to determine, partly fades POOLNESS
Cambiar
bar because they were not effectively elicited, the expectation
of/opposition seems to have been well-founded, for immediately the proposal was announced (17 June) the British Plenipotentiary (Sir. H. P.
Anderson) suggested to the German Foreign Minister that Germany should
try to forestall Heligoland agitation and conciliate certain influent
ial islanders by sending a "confidential agent" there immediately
(which was accordingly done on 19 or 20 June),
+
A week later when, as the PQs suggest, Heligoland's reactions
began to be expressed, the CO advised the FO that it would "tend to.
disarm opposition to the cession both in Heligoland and in this country
if the German govt would give assurances that there would be no
unnecessary interference with the laws and customs of the Island". (The
British negotiator was accordingly instructed and such assurances were
in due course included in the Agreement). At the same time (28 June)
the CO sent to the Governor of Heligoland a despatch for local public-
ation which explained the cession and its safeguards to the inhabitants
This would not have been published there until about the 30 June and
so, from 17 to 30 June the lslanders were presumably left in the air
and any agitation that went on there was only diminished by what the
German confidential agent could achieve. It was during this period
that most of the Pas here were asked.
Thirdly, HMG were very pressed for time in the negotiations as the
German Govt wanted to get them completed by the 1st July, partly to
avoid intervention (especially on financial grounds) by the Reichstag.
The following is a brief summary of the arguments concerning
consultation in both P2s and the debates and of the principles (or
dicta) enunciated by Salisbury in justification of his refusal of
formal consultation of Heligoland opinion.
4
to Germany on 17
The formal proposal for cession was made
June and published here on the 18th, 3 weeks before the Bill was
submitted to Parliament and numbers of Pas instantly followed. On the
19th a PO in the Lords asked the Foreign Secretary "Whether the
(CH