ANGLO-DUTCH AMITY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 36, 5 November 1937, Page 10

ANGLO-DUTCH AMITY

Co-operation in Far East USE OF DEFENCE , BASES SINGAPORE, Oet. li. With the Far East situation growing more complex, there are increasing signs of Anglo-Du'tch amity. Not only aTe land, sea and air defences in the Duteh East Indies, just louth of tho Singapore Naval Base, being greatly strengthened, but Holland has taken steps to protec't her oil wells in Dutch Borneo and has established & seaplane base and patrols between Su* inatra and New Guinea. ' British and Dutch co-operation in the !Far East became prominent when 21 defence craft visited Singapore from 'tTavil at the end of last year. " i Commodore's Comment. ' In an interview which was quoted extensively in the world 's Press, the commodore o£ the visiting naval squadron, Commodore C. E. L. Helfrich, said;. "If in time of war Holland foundj Singapore useful, so wonld Britain findi Sourabaya useful." The interview created a atir in Europe and was disavowed by the Dutch East Indies iiaval Commander-in-Chief.. But since then there have been repeated indications of Anglo-Dutch co-opera-tion. At the beginning of thia year Jonk-. heer de Jonge, former Governor-General of the Netherlands Indies, said in an influential Amsterdam newspaper; "If Japan went to the Netherlands Indies with a big force, the Dutch Colony would have to capitulate." Ships and Aircraft. However, he added: "Let us not think of such a possibility, because Great. Britain and America would not ullow it. I expect no war between Japan and Netherlands India." After the Singapore manoeuvres last February Dutch sympathy with Great Britain 'a task of defending Singapore against all attackers was revealed in the Netherlands Indian Press.; Tn the meantime Holland is greatly strengthening her own defences in her eastern island empire. She is embarking on a new sea and air fleet programme, which will add three new cruisers, 12 destroyers, 18 submarinesand 7*2 naval aeroplanes to her Far East ' f orces. The Army and land air defences are also being greatly increased.