Cyprus As Military Base Being Urged On British

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 31, 20 February 1937, Page 15

Cyprus As Military Base Being Urged On British

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Cyprus is anx iously awaiting signs of a realignmeni of Britain's Mediterranean policy Recent changes and events have led hei to expect a growth in the importanet of the island as a factor in Empire defence. It is believed here that Cyprus will gradually supersede Malta, despite the fact that the British Government haa declared it has* no intention of abandiug Malta and is actually engaged in strengthening its defenses as fast as possible. Both Britain and France in recent years, but especially since the ItaloEthiopian war, have realized that the rise of Italy as a Mediterranean Power may menace both. It is argued that, in the event of a war, Italy, although possibly unable herself to get her fleets out of the Mediterranean, could sever Britain's Mediterranean line to India and France 's line to her Afriean colon ies and her reservoirs'of blaek troops. Distances in the Mediterranean are so short that the whole balance of power in this sea has been altered by the riso of the air arm and by the development of the single-minded nationa'l policy that has come to be associated with the name of the Duce. It is true that, so far as Britain is concerned, sjich loss of the Mediterranean line would mean that shipping to and from the East would have to be sent around the Cape, thus adding thou&ands of miles to the tiiAe and the expense of transport. On the other hand ships are faster to-day and if Britain still controls the main oceans, the world would still be open to thc British Isles. Moreover, it is argued here iu the event of a war in which Italy and Britain were to find themselves on opposite sides, Britain's hold on Gibraltar and pa the Eed Sea would not merely keep Etaly effpetively bottled up in the Mediterranean but would also cut off Italy 's East Afriean eolonies with scareely a blow being struck. During the Ethiopian eampaigii Virginia Gayda, M a long series of articles in the Mussolini-controlled Italian press, referred in unequivoe'al terms to the bombing of Malta by the Etalians. Thereupon the B-ritish fleet soncentrated 1000 miles farther east, in Ihe waters of the Levant. The view here is that Malta- to-dav not be held against the v.i.-h !" V • I'n'v C'u- both) a- ! !'

is seen as desiriug to aequire Malta as an armed base on the sea-way to the Italian eolonies in North Africa. A foeal point of Britain's military strength, it is felt here, must be the eastern end of tho Mediterranean, with air and naval bases at Cyprus, and ti great sea base at Haifa, which, apart from having a good harbour, destinetl perhaps to rival the greatest port3 oi i'.u ?I.?'Uterranean, is also a terminai Jrac] oil pipe line.