INTERNATIONALIZATION OF CHANNELS CONNECTING THE BALTIC AND NORTH BRAS.
[To TEL Kerma or me " Sracrrroz."1
SIR,—The suggestion of Colonel 'fate about the channels leading into the Baltic would seem to require the sanction of Denmark and Sweden as regards the Sound. Moreover, the naval forts defending Copenhagen would have to be dismantled by a voltintary agreement entered into by the Danish Government. As regards the Little Belt, it is to be hoped that this passage will aeon once more become purely Danish waters, the German naval establish- ments at Sanderborg, Flensborg, Eckernfarde, and Kiel becoming things of the past. The international highway leading to the Baltic is, however, the Great Belt, the only channel suitable for bigger vessels. Here the route followed has to enter the three-mile limit at several points. So to avoid future eomplioations the ,Great Belt should be properly internationalized as regards this passage. In this connexion it may be of interest to mention some remarks of the Danish Foreign Minister in April, 1848, when Prussia was con- templating a move similar to the one against Belgium in 1914. The British Minister in Copenhagen mentions in his despatch that an appeal had been made to England showing how much her interests were at stake if Prussia was allowed to further her maritime projects by annexing Slearig to the projected new German Empire. The complete mastery of the Baltic 'would sooner or later be obtained with the possible acquisition of the Russian provinces where the German language is spoken.—I am,
Previous page
