ASIATIC BASE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20128, 23 December 1939, Page 12

ASIATIC BASE

SINGAPORE’S MIGHT ALMOST IMPREGNABLE NATURAL BARRICADES GRIMLY EXPENSIVE UNITS “Menacing Sun” is a book of trave) by Miss Mona Gardner. She is an alert, keen woman newspaper correspondent who has travelled" in China, Siam, British Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, Ceylon and India. She is more interested in life and people than in scenery, and her chapter on Singapore is of special interest at this juncture in international affairs. She writes:—

“Singapore was chosen as Britain’s Asia 'base for two reasons. These are: the mild Malayans offer no political menace in the way of nationalistic loggings such as the Indians do, and Singapore, unlike the outmoded strength of Gibraltar, has a good chance of remaining invulnerable to attack toy an invading force. “In the first place this force would have to come a very long way, and secondly Nature has done her best to put up serious barricades. The sea routes leading to Singapore are devious. The coral reefs in them would make submarine attacks futile and siily.

“All the dozen of innocent-looking tropical islands bordering these channels are excellent protection for the big 15in. guns which, with their shooting l’adius of 20 to 25 miles, are all that is necessary to keep enemy warships at a distance.

“Any land force attacking Singapore island (which is joined to the tip of Malaya by a causeway over the narrow blue Straits of Johore) would have first to effect an infantry landing in Siam or Malaya, and complete the operation by a long and arduous overland trek. Without a Single Road “Aside from Siam’s disinclination to be used as an enemy base, there is the insurmountable barrier of hundreds of miles of mountainous jungle without a single road, stretching across the northern province of Malaya. “A landing in southern Malaya is not at all impossible, but it would be a slow unwieldy manoeuvre, for the roads 'by which the infantry could march are narrow chasms in the jungle and therefore a perfect target for plane attack. Three new military aerodromes which the British have just established in various districts of southern Malaya were evidently put there to take care of this contingency. “When it comes to air attack, Singapore’s vulnerability is another matter. Citizens’ committees are pressing the Government for more bomb-proof shelters, for gas-masks and decontamination chambers.

“People don’t just talk about drills, they make a point of attending them. And there are a lot of children that you would expect to be busy playing with their dolls who can tell you right off the proper defence against mustard gas, and what to do about the kind that stays on the street and burns the shoes off your feet if you walk on it.

“But, although an invading air force could create havoc amongst civilians in Singapore, that is still far from making any dent on the military fortifications, which are manned now by more than 6000 troops. The number will be increased when new barracks are completed. Astonishment of Mariners

“The naval base covers some 20 square miles, and is spread out in open view for anyone to look at. Building it was a tremendous engineering feat, which involved moving a river, transporting 14,000,000 cubic feet of earth in the process of excavating hills and filling in mangrove swamps.

“It has two mammoth docks—the famous floating one towed out from England to the astonishment of mariners and landsmen as well—and another stationary one of vast proportions. Both are capable of holding any battleship that has been built, as well as those still in blue-prints. They are there to provide quick repairs for Britain’s Asiatic Squadron if it ever goes into action in the Pacific.

“The air base is less impressive to the eye, probably because it consists of three aerodromes on different parts of the island. The chief military field, though, has been built to accommodate the 40 odd fly'iftg-'bo.'its permanently Stationed there now. In addition, there is a splendid new civil field right in the town of Singapore. “Considerable attention has been given to the ' development of flyingboats here because of their potential effectiveness in the long stretches of smooth water in the Singapore 1

channels. Flyers say there is more than 45 miles of ideal ‘flying-water.’ There are more oE the flying-boat squadrons in India, just as there are troops and bombing planes, all oi whom can be called upon to augment Singapore’s defences any time. “These grimly expensive units are not gestures. They all mean business. They very definitely and’ explicitly say that Great Britain is not retiring from Asia.

‘"lt means that something like (if officers’ and men’s salaries are included) £ 50,000,000 have been spent to make the message forceful: to prove that Britain is ready to back up Hong Kong or Australia, and probably l — this is not openly declared 1 — lend a hand to Holland if there is any threat of occupation of the East Indies.”