TNAG-0714-FCO40-910-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 40

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to send a Special Commissioner to Heligoland to elicit the opinions of

the inhabitants" and the reply was that HMG did not think it necessary

as "they are well informed of the sentiments of the Islanders". A

was put similar plea/in a PQ of 26 June but on the new ground that the German

press was reporting that the German Govt intended to fortify Heligoland

and that, on so small an island, this must "involve the removal and

dispossession of practically all the inhabitants". The Minister's

reply was that HMG "could not control. the measures which Germany thought necessary for the defence of her coasts"l.

Pressed again on what steps the Govt "are taking to ascertain the

Heligolanders opinions" the First ord replied that the Anglo-German

Agreement could not be made "dependent on a popular vote"; we had

acquired our possession of the Island without the consent of its

inhabitants and HMG were now fulfilling their duties by securing to

them the exceptional privileges which the Agreement provided by which

"they will in no way suffer from the change of sovereignty". To a

further question which quoted British press reports that one visitor

to Heligoland had been unable to find a single inhabitant in favour of

the transfer, there was no answer.

On 30 June the leader of the Opposition, Lord Rosebery, took the

question up fully with the PM in a long statement in the Lords. He

emphasized the gravity of handing over a population hitherto loyal to

the Crown and urged HIIG carefully to consider their wishes which were

said to be almost wholly against cession, and he further urged HMG to

provide facilities, for such Heligolanders as wished to remain British

subjects, to settle in other parts of the Empire at public expense.

Salisbury gave a similarly full reply that i) there were no funds

available for such a purpose; ii) he had received no information that

they were discontented with the proposed cession & was satisfied that

the German Govt would make every effort to protect their interests as :

we were doing in the negotiations; iii) he had no reason to suppose

that any leligolanders wanted such resettlement; and iv) that HMG had

done its best to ascertain their wishes but not by plebiscite which

"might well be an awkward precedent in relation to other parts of the

Empire" (hc evidently had Ireland in mind). Rosebery (rightly) replie

1. Germany did in fact fortify the island shortly after its cession.