SINGAPORE BASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1924, Page 2

SINGAPORE BASE.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

VUBTKALIAN AND N.Z. CA-BLE ASSOCIATION. lAN HAMILTON’S VIEWS. LONDON, March 22. Sir lan Hamilton, speaking at Reading, emphasised that the Singapore naval base was essentially a land question, lie said that it might help to calm the public mind, especially Austraia and New Zealand. He reminded them that he was sent in November of 1912 as Inspector-General of Overseas Forces with a full staff, in order to help the Governments to make up their minds regarding the Singapore base. In his reports lie had predicted the very day of the tension in Europe, and related that it would he so great that ihe Powers would turn their attention to the Pacific, and then Singapore would become the key to the position, and it should therefore he strengthened immediately, even if it meant withdrawing troops from China, and raising a force of Malay militia. The garrison there at that time was not strong enough to hold Singapore. Two events however, had changed the political factors, first, there was the termination of the Japanese Alliance ; and .secondly, the Japanese earthquake. The question remained largely a land question. ‘‘Japan,” he said, “cannot embark upon a military expedition to the Antipodes unless she gets hold of a dock for modern battleships at Trineonialoe. The United States cannot move its bnttlelleet into the Yellow Sea unless she holds a dock at Singapore. Why offer so terrible a temptation to the general stall's of any nation as docks for modern battleships at Singapore, without a big land force to when Japan may think, quite erroneously, that she is being squeezed bcpiotect them? Why, anyway, do it cause she happens to have suffered from the earthquake?”

THE “NATION’S” COMMENT. LONDON, March 21 The “Nation” - says: The good relations established hv the Washington Conference were confirmed by the manlier in which Japan carried them out. The issue in connection with Singapore is whether we have sufficient faith in a policy which was inspired by the treaties to risk something on the permanence of this new atmosphere in the Pacific. If we have, it may.prove the first .step to a new and only development which in the long run can save civilisation from destruction. If not, we must demand not merely the construction of a capital ship 'base at Singapore, but ultimately the permanent stationing of a battle licet in those waters and a provision extended in the programme for largo light cruisers suited to the Pacific warfare. In that event our pessimism regarding the continuance of the present relations is likely to he fully justified.