SINGAPORE BASE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1924, Page 4

SINGAPORE BASE

LATH ADMIRAL SCOTT’S VIEWS,

In a letler written shortly before his death to .Mr E. George .Maries, of Sydney, Sir Percy Scolt lias some interesting tilings to say on the subject of Singapore.

He places the strength of the Japanese fleet (built and building) at 211 ships, based oil the Inland -Sea—the finest base in the world. The letter proceeds : “ Cor any yhaitee of success we should have to take out a fleet oD per cent stronger than the Japanese fleet —say, JtiO ships of war—and, in addition, we should require mine-layers, mine-sweepers, ammunition ships, repair ships—the total armada of over |()() vessels. This fleet in line ahead at our ordinary cruising distance apart would occupy 100 miles, and no port on route would take one-eight of them. The figures .1. mention were ipioted in Parliament last March, when the House was convinced that we could not send to the blast a fleet strong enough to cope with the Japanese fleet, and the idea of building docks for battleships at Singapore was therefore abandoned.

I am not opposed to the establishment of a base at Singapore. 1 am vei'v much in favour of the project, but 1 am against building there docks foi battleships. As for Japanese opposition of the base surely they could prefer us to spend our money on brickand mortar at Singapore than on fast cruisers!

“ It is wrong to say that the base has been abandoned. I agree wtili what Sir James Allen 'New Zealand s High Commissioner) said to the Eondon representative ot ‘1 he Sun that 10,000 ton cruisers, not capital ships, were (he greatesl danger to the Australasian trade routes; that Australians got nothing from the Washington Conference, because it made no stipulations regarding the construction of I lie smaller types ot war vessels. Ihe hegemony of the Pacific has passed to Japan because liritain is spending money on battleships instead of crui-

I’EST MEANS HE HEEKNCE. “M v opinions on the deli nee ol Australia are as follows: •• .a) That Australia cannot pro vide and maintain it licet stiiiiciently strong to cope with that of her potential enemy, Japan. " (b) That Great liritain cannot send out to the East a fleet suflieicntly strong to cope with the Japanese fleet.

“(c) That Australia can protect herself against, invasion or bombardment if she has sufficient aeroplanes submarines and desliovers.

“ (d) That she could not will her own cruisers protect her seaborne commerce ; she would require assist am e from Great liritain.

“(e) The C.S.A. are developing i strong cruiser and submarine base a Honolulu.

“(f) Australia should provide a similar base, possibly at Port Darwin. “As regards the defence of Australia against an enemy fleet, we may take it that, if Australia, New /.calami, Hongkong, Singapore, ami Pearl Harbour are adequately armed with modern weapons, any hostile fleet will keep as far away from them as our licet kept away from (human polls durin ; the late war. "If the foregoing fact i-, allowed, then it onlv remains to protect seaborne commerce.

"With properly armed bases capabk oc aci omimalat ing cruisers, torpedo boat destroyers, and submarines established at Singapore. Hongkong Honolulu, and Port Darwin, and tie countries owning these bases co-op crating together, peace might be eu ,-urcd for a very long period, but m line should lie lost. Cruisers slioiib be built and the bases ppiteeted. " Australia nearly got trapped inti spending a million ol money on bi irk: am! nmi tar at Singapore, instead n on the two cruisers she is now goini lo build. " She bad a mil row eseaue. and Impe she has learned to la-ware o British polities."

DOMINIONS .WEST BE HEARD, ny Tr.i.nmi.vrii —muss asbn., coevuiunr. 'fiacoived this day at. 8 a.i11.) LONDON. November HI. The “Observer,” editorially, says tliiil Australian and New Zealand mils! lie heard concerning the question of tin- Singapore Base. Whitehall cannot settle the matter of an Imperial policy by itself. The voice of the Dominions chiefly concerned must, lie given at leasl equal weight with the arguments advanced for the delay or the abandonment of the naval base project for the East.