Show THE SPITZ spitzbergen BERGEN COAL MINES agitation has been started in england to prevent germanys germanas Germ anys war lords and steel magnates from getting control of spitzberg gen the el dorado of the arctic ocean should germany be forced to give up alsace lorraine with its coal and iron deposits a far richer prize although more distant would be won should her get possession of spitzbergen Spitz bergen a group of islands lying about 1000 miles north of norway and 1000 miles east of greenland the territory of square miles has 2000 aqua squa square re miles of known coal and iron deposits if germanys germanas Germ anys influence in russia prevails the acquisition of spitzbergen Spitz bergen would be the next logical step toward further economic domination of russia and scandinavia germany contends that spitzbergen Spitz bergen is a no mans land its status having been so fixed by an international conference at in 1914 however before the war norway and russia informally were discussing the future of this territory historically an and d financially the islands are british by order of king james I 1 never annulled spitzbergen Spitz bergen was annexed for the company from 1614 to 1670 the british occupied the southern half of the ma main in island but twenty three square miles are controlled by G german erman interests while square miles are claimed by british enterprise five months a year the and the land is but sixty to seas are open seventy two hours by steam vessel to scottish ports the group is looked upon as the future fuel supplying center for scandinavian countries and north russia there are huge accumulations of loose ore broken off by erosion from the main deposits less than one and a halt half miles from the sea the is lands islands are habitable the year round should germany get control of the land which already has been dubbed Fritz bergen she would have a great ore building control of the territory supply for ship also would mean domination of the trade rou route te to archangel however the british fleet may have so something bething to sa say y about the matter |