SINGAPORE BASE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1930, Page 7

SINGAPORE BASE

EFFECTS OF NAVAL HOLIDAY

DOCKS MOKE NECESSARY

THAN EVeR

LONDON, May 8

ft is difficult to follow the argument prevalent in Government quarters (writes the Naval correspondent of the ‘/Morning Post”) that because a capital city ship holiday has been arranged until 19.‘5(j, therefore, there is r.o reason to go on steadily with the Singapore base. In the first place Singapore i,s not being developed, primarily, as a battlesnip base,' but as one for cruisers, alibough a graving dock that will take a battleship or battle cruiser is included in the plans. This is a wise policy that is dictated by history. There have been many cases—for example, Malta and Gibralar—where parsimony, or lack of foresight have allowed clocks to he built that have eventually proved to be too small, and large and expensive nlteratioss have had to be made later.

Therefore, as a dry dock is being built ,it should he of sufficient capacity to take the 1 largest vessels, either warships or merchant ships, that can be foreseen.

On account of the capital ship holiday any squadron of heavy ships that we might find it necessary to maintain in the Far East, must, until 1940 at the earliest, be composed of old ships. It is only fair to assume that old ships would require more repairs and clocking than new ones. Therefore the capital ship holiday renders the steady completion of Singapore more necessary than ever. The same argument applies to our cruiser squadrons. Owing to the interference with the replacement programme these squadrons must be composed for the next ten years of ships that are past their prime.

SAFEGUARDING OF VAST WEALTH.

Now on any day of 'year (the same authority goes on to say) the value of British merchant ships and cargoes in Far Eastern and Australian waters 'and in the Indian Ocean is over £150,000,000.

Surely £3,500,000, spread over a number of year’s, is not too high an insurance to pay for the safeguarding of this vast wealth.

Singapore is the focal point of all the Far Eastern trade routes. From its geographical position it is the natural place for the concentration of those British and Dominion squadrons upon which devolves the duty of protecting our vital commerce. That this is necessary, even in peace time, is shown ./from Mr Alexander’s remark about -China in his explanatory statement on the current i\aval Estimates. “Piracy,” ho says, “is still prevalent, both on the high seas and in in-

land waters., and the responsibility of dealing, with this menace to peaceful commerce falls upon the Navy.”

Consternation was caused in the Dominions when, the Labour Government stopped work at Singapore in 1924; uneasiness and dismay have now become evident even at hints at another delay in the completion of the work.

Tliis is more especially the case since, except for a fraction, the money spent up to date has been supplied by the Dominions.

Singapore is a necessity; it threatens no one. Students of the Pacific problem have not far to see three, if not four, powerful nations, who consider that British naval strength, based upon Singapore, will be found for maintaining the peace in the Far East.