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ascertaining everything; for, to my surprise, and without any solicitation on my part, persons of all parties pressed themselves on my notice by accosting me in the street, and all of them, without preface, speaking to me with the most familiar unreserve and confidence, for which I was wholly unprepared, and for which I am at a loss to account, otherwise than in their own plain-spoken words :--
'Oh, we know very well who you are; some of us have seen you in England. You can understand us, and we must make the best of our opportunity of having our say.”
I soon discovered, however, that the very facilities which were showered upon me for learning every- thing relating to the internal economy of the island, placed me in the embarrassing position of having to listen to statements and complaints which I had neither commission nor authority to entertain. It was in vain that I pleaded the want of either; and, before a week was over, I felt myself compelled to terminate abruptly my visit to the place.
Such must be my apology for the incompleteness `of many of my statements, and for the suppression of some matters which, important though I may deen them, I should not consider myself justified in recording, even in this unofficial form, upon mere hearsay.
Colonial Office,
Believe me, &c.
September 25, 1858.
P. SMITH.
P.S.-It may be desirable that I should add a few words respecting a vague impression which prevails among the Heligolanders, to the effect that their island was surrendered under a solemn guarantec that their Constitution and their laws should remain unchanged.
That impression is founded upon Article IV of the Capitulation, as they have it,
From some cause, however, which I have been unable to ascertain, that agreement was never made public, and has remained in the records of the Admiralty.
All the knowledge which the Heligolanders can
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have obtained on the subject must, therefore, have been derived from a version of the Capitulation as furnished by Mr. Ingwersen, a former clergyman, who seems to have been employed as interpreter between its negotiators.
That version I read in the Council-books; but abstained from asking for a copy of it, in order to avoid creating surmises on a point upon which every Heligolander is known to be peculiarly sensitive.
I have no hesitation, however, in saying (although writing from memory) that the Ingwersen Capitula- tion is incorrect. Article IV provides that the inhabitants shall be "protected in their duties, ' laws,' occupations, and established religion;" whereas the same Article of the genuine Capitulation, of which I subjoin a copy, has nothing about laws, but grants that the inhabitants "shall not be molested in their religious offices, occupations, and privileges."
P. S.
The following Articles of Capitulation are agreed upon between Lord Viscount Falkland and Lieu- tenant C. J. d'Auvergne, deputed by Vice-Admiral Russell, Commander-in-chief, &c., &c., on the part of the British Government, to arrange the terms of the surrender of the Island of Heligoland, on the one part; and Major Zeska (in the service of his Danish Majesty), Commandant of the Island, upon the other.
ARTICLE I.
The Island shall be delivered up to His Britannic Majesty's arms, with all military stores.
Agreed.
ARTICLE II.
All military and public stores delivered up with
the Island are to be returned at the peace in the same state as now delivered up.
Not granted.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference-
C.O. 885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO