GUNS AT CAPETOWN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 196, 4 September 1937, Page 11

GUNS AT CAPETOWN

Alternative Route to the Suez Canal IMPERIAL DEFENCE

"Huge sums of money are being spent in Capetown, not only to make the port one of the finest in the world, but t'o implement South Africa's part in the Imperial "defence programme," said Mr. O. R. Nel, a South African member of Parliament, who arrived at Auckland recently. "The object of this plan is to keep open a channel for mereantile and naval vessele in case the Suez Canal is blocked, and compiementary schemes are being put into operation ashore." He said he thought that both Australia and New Zealand should be very lnterested. "Robben Island, which faces Capetown, is being heavily fortified," said Mr. Nel. "The lessons learned in the war between Italy and Abyssinia made it evident to ihe British Empire that some sea route alternative to the Suez Canal would have to be made." "Already the Willemsen Line, a Norwegian company, with a complement of fast ships, had diverted its vessels from the canal -to the Cape route, and a great deal of Australia 's produce now went that way, as did an appreciable quantity of merehandise from and to tho Butch East Indies. The naval base at Simondstown was similarly heavily fortified, and the air authorities were training 100 pilots and 300 mechanics to bring the air arm iup to strength. "All Government air eraf t in South Africa for the conveyance of passengers are so coustructe.d that should an emergency situation arise the machines niay quiekly'.be converted into war craft. All these are tri-tnotorCd, and so e'ffici'eht is the service; which is conducted by the" Stat'e, 't'hat' these aeroplanes may be coriverte'd' into - bombers within a few hours. ' "A'third" side' of this new development is the constTuction* of a na"tional highway alohg' th'e • coast from Capetown to' Zululand," ' a 1 distance ; of sbmefjung like 1400 iniles,-"' Mr. Nel continued. This /highway wo;uld- not oxily serve as .a means' of -developxug certain . territory. It' would,- if need be serve as a valuable artery for the defence o'f the south-east ' qoast. A complete defensive system was the object and Soath Africa' was . spending freely to acMeve the purpose of Imperial defence.