DUTCH EAST INDIES

Evening Star, Issue 23697, 3 October 1940, Page 10

DUTCH EAST INDIES

READY FOR EMERGENCIES STRONG DEFENSE SYSTEM Tbo amazing preparedness of tlio Netherlands Indies to resist invasion was the greatest surprise of the 30,000 miles rouud-thc-Pacific air tour by American journalists, which started from San Francisco on August 10 aud ended, at Hongkong on September 5 (writes the aviation correspondent of the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald ’). While people in other parts of the world have conjectured on the late of the Netherlands Indies, the thorough Dutchmen, bitter at the circumstances which caused the early collapse of Holland, have quietly and effectively prepared the defences of the spice and oil islands. Tho Dutch have built up a powerful air force in the Netherlands Indies. It is equipped with modern fighters to shoot down attacking bombers, longrange flying-boats to work in co-opera-tion with the navy, and powerful twinengined bombers to patrol from central points to the most outlying islands. The Netherlands Indies navy has been strengthened by tho addition of many submarines, ships of various types, and motor torpedo-boats. The white and native army has been brought up to emergency strength, and is still growing. It is supplied with modern automatic weapons, Bren gun carriers, armoured cars, aud effective artillery, MINED APPROACHES. The approaches to the main islands and the straits between them have been heavily mined. Tho precautions against air raids arc well organised. There are batteries of anti-aircraft artillery of all calibres. Air raid shelters are a familiar sight in private gardens anti yards, outside hotels and public buildings, and close to street intersections. All aerodromes have been covered with obstructions to prevent the landing of troop carriers and parachutists, and machine-guns and anti-tank guns follow down even landing K.N.I.L.M. air liners. It was at Kocpang, only about 500 miles from Darwin and first island step-ping-stone of oversea landplape services from Australia, that the touring journalists got the first inkling of what to expect. Tho aerodrome, previously small, and often boggy in the wet season, has been greatly enlarged. It is now capable of accommodating the largest bombers. Its surface has been covered with obstacles. A landing strip was prepared for tho K.N.I.L.M. Douglas, and after departure is was immediately closed over again. Many white-officered native troops were in evidence, and we were shown the guncmplaccmntfi. Tho war threat lias even come to Bali, “ Tho Last Paradise,” and the passengers were courteously put through formalities by the aerodrome commanding officer after our Douglas had landed at 70 miles an hour down a lane through the barricades. From the cabin window this lane appealed precariously narrow, and it made me gulp when I thought what might happen if a wingtip touched a barricade at the speed necessary for the thin air landing. Before approaching the new Sourabaya aerodrome, we were informed that arrangement had been made for ns to see “everything ” at the naval base. As tho air liner made its approach to the Sonrahaya aerodrome, we saw many German Dernier flying-boats, bought before hostilities began. When we arrived ft the naval base, we were told that wo could write about anything we saw, tho only restrictions being numbers of ships, submarines, motor torpedo boats, and types of gnus. At Sonrabnva, the Netherlands Indies Navy is building its own motor torpedo boats, equipped with aeroplane engines. They are fitted with torpedo tubes and anti-aircraft gnus. As we tore across the hay on one, a Dornicr flying-boat “ attacked ” it. BAMBOO STAKES. We were taken to the submarine drydocks, each housing one of those black, steel monsters, on which the defence of tho Indies, wo were told, greatly depends. There have been various conjectures about the number of submarines in the Netherlands Indies, and the total is surprising. The wharves and waterways around the base were animated with the work of refitting cruisers, destroyers, aud mine-layers. In the naval technical department, many men were assembling gas masks, higli altitude flying apparatus, and other involved gear. A smoke maze room has been built, so that seamen can practise operating a ship which has been subjected to a battering of heavy fire. The surface of the naval flying-boat base is covered with floating barricades, and flat land in its vicinity is covered with thousands of razor-edged bamboo stakes to impale parachutists.

But it was at Bandoeng, headquarters of the Royal Netherlands Indies Air Force, that tho real surprise note was introduced. Nobody expected to see such imposing lines of the latest Curtiss Hawk fighters, Glenn Martin bombers, sleek and fast Lockheed ISA’s, and other useful types. Wo wore informed that many more Curtiss Hawks were soon expected, and that large orders have been placed for Consolidated PBY flying-boats, Brewster fighters, and Ryan monoplane trainers. The Air Force repair and overhaul shops must bo the best equipped in tho Southern Hemisphere. An amazing assortment of tbo latest machines has been gathered together from Britain, tho United States, and Europe. Aircraft, apparently hopelessly smashed up, can be completely repaired. The metal propeller works and the instrument shop were eye-openers.

At tho Government munition works, bombs from 25 kilogrammes to 500 kilogrammes were being turned out like cans for milk. The bomb cases came white hot from tho furnaces, and the heated air from them seared our faces as they moved on chains to a great drop hammer which shaped and trimmed thorn. Tho officer in charge of tho munition works was proud of what had been achieved in a few months, and freely he discussed the extensive plans for the near future. PROTECTION OF OIL WELLS. We were then flown on to see the oil wells and refineries of Sumatra and Borneo, which have attracted covetous eyes. Much United States capital is invested in tho refineries. Although very thorough plans have been made for their defence, and the last card will not be played until tho position is hopeless, arrangements have been made to fire tho wells and refineries. An oil refinery is a devil’s playground of hissing pipes, blazing furnaces, and an underground maze. Tho careless lighting of a match in some scctiqns could cause a million pound conflagration. Tho sea approaches to the oil centres at Palemhang (Sumatra) and Balikpapau and Tarakan (Borneo) have been heavily mined, and all tankers and merchantmen, have to be carefully piloted to and from tho open sea. Occasionally mines break away from their anchorages and drift to the shore to blast great holes in the coast and cause landslides. The defences of the Borneo oil fields have been intensely strengthened. There are gun emplacements all around the coast, and strong forces of soldiery. To withstand a siege. large supplies of food have been laid down. Secret aerodromes have been built in the jungle. Glenn Martin bombers and Dornicr flying-boats are continuously roaring overhead. Tho Netherlands Indies authorities openly state that tho big problem has been to supply , adequate protection against air raids for the large native population of Java. Gradually tho natives have been educated about what to expect and what to do. Tho Chinese population may stiffen them up greatly in such an attack. The majority of tho natives are happy under Dutch rule, and realise that they may ho exploited under any other.