SINGAPORE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18416, 24 June 1925, Page 9

SINGAPORE.

GEOGRAPHER'S VIEW. ESSENTIAL TO EMPIRE. (BT CABLE—FHES3 ASSOC!.- T10.'." COi-YSIOTIT.) iAustralian a.vd cable association.; i.deceived Juao 23rd. 0.0 p.m.) LONDON, .Juno 23. Dr. \ aughan Cornish, in a paper on Singapore and Naval Geography." presented to the Itnval Colonial Invt'-tut-e. points out that it is in North America and Australia that iia ! status is a praetir-rl question for •Japan, and it is mainly in the ni->n--5,0011 region of A?ia, iuciuditm inuia. ( hina. and Japan, that the problem of zchieving harmony of "colour" confronts t:!c British Empire. After teohnicallv .surveying the Empire's strategical sea routes, Dr. C-irnisli sovs the one gre.'it romcdiable gap is at the passages to the Indinn Ocean. between the East Indian Islands, and he therefore claims that Singapore is of paramount importance. " 'lt is," ho says, "the British Navy's lew eastern capital. It i.s the meeting place of the maritimo ways from the north-worst, north-east and south-west. It is also a haven on the airways and a really necessary aerodrome between India and Australia. The word 'Singapore' has come to have associations with the White Australia policy, which has been descri!>ed, not in a critical spirit, as an effort to prevent the congested Asiatic populations from colonising empty lands. Actually it doeo not do so, bocauso the Asiatic coolie has empty lands at his own country's doors. The naval base at Singapore will ensure Britain's voice being heard in tho settlement of affairs in China. The view that tho project is provocar tive ignores tho essential fact that unless communications across the Indian Ocean are secured tho British Empire can continue only by sufferance of foreign Powers.'' [Dr. Vauglian Cornish, F.R.G.S., has spent 30 years in geographical research and travel, and is the author or several liavaTand military geographies. Ho was in Kingston (Jamaica) during tho great eartliquako of 1907 and was engaged to investigate its cause. During the war ho lectured on strategic geography to naval and military officers at Homo stations, with the Grand Fleet, and on tho "Western Front.]