SINGAPORE BASE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17990, 6 February 1924, Page 13

SINGAPORE BASE.

ESSENTIAL FOR SECURITY. AX ADMIRAL'S PROTEST. £7 CAEI.E-i'IIESS ASSOCIATION - COFTSIGHT.) ("IHE TIMES.") LONDON, February 4. '•The Times" publishes a letter from Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson ein-ph.-uising ihc vital importance of the Singapore Base to New Zealand and Australia. Aiimirai Henderson says:— "Tho i ;<i-.eminent lias been urged to a hand on Sb:L':i->orr and spend the money fc.-ived to increase home defence and the air A.rcn. This increase is based on >.];<■ strength of the " French Air force, wliieh. in the event of emergency. ■>;ii;!i; ;;.r.-ife!i our security, but similar a.--:;::,cuts apply to the Singapore lu:--.e. w cereby a licet would be capable ..f ..p.Tatinj; in thy Pacific, and Indian Oe;'i!-> should an emergency arise, thus s.-curing (lie "afet.y of Australia, Xcw Zealand, aiid India and protecting the \ast .Mas-tern trade, the .stoppage of v.-hk-h would bring disaster to O'reat Bri f: ii n. : ' Admiral Henderson declares tha" ; ; under the conditions left by the war tin; construction of the Singapore base is (■.-..■ntial to the security of New Zealand and Australia.

MAINLY DEFENSIVE. NO MENACE TO JAPAN. (.■.L'inEALi.u; amj :;.s. caele associatio:;.) LUXUOX, February 4. .Mr Hector T!ywafer, i;i an article in the '•Observer" ou the baao, states that .it is futile to pretend that the scheme is prompted by any motive other than defence against Japau. tieferriug to tin: statement that Japanese opinion regards the base as proof that Great Britain distrusts Japan, and regards warns a prcbablo contingency, Mr By water points "'out tho value of Singapore is mainly defensive, it is too distant from Japan to constitute a menace to her coasts.

Replying to the criticism that tho carthquako weakened Japan's navy, rendering Singapore unnecessary, Mr Bywatcr states that none of Japan's national institutions suffered less than the navy. Only two modern ahips woro damaged, Amagai and Naka, and these are to be replaced immediately. Moreover, Japan's shipbuilding programme, including eight large cruisers and i! 4 submarines, has not been curtailed. .