PORTUGAL'S ASSISTANCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 54, 20 October 1914, Page 4

PORTUGAL'S ASSISTANCE.

Even if Portugal, in the event of war, does not send a single soldier to assist the Allies in Europe, she can render valuable service to Great Britain elsewhere, a writer in the Christchurch Press remarks. The Azores, Madiera and the Cape Verde Islands in the Atlantic are Portuguese possessions, and are of great strategic value as conling bases. So far they have been neutral ports, but in the event of Portugal joining issue with Great Britain against

Germany, they will be extremely useful to our patrolling cruisers in the Atlantic, and will be enemy ports to the fugitive German cruisers, whose capture should thereby be materially hastened. But it is on the African Continent that the assistance of Portugal will be most useful. Portuguese West, Africa, or Angola, with a coast line of 1000 miles,is contiguous to German South-West Africa for a distance of GOO miles, along the northern boundary of tho latter territory, across which troops could bo moved. In the same way Mozambique, or Portuguese East Africa, adjoins German East Africa, the boundary extending 400 miles from the sea coast to Lake! Nyassa. British Central and South! Africa is contiguous to Mozambique from the south side of Delagoa Bay to Lake Nyassa. Tho co-operation of Portugal in the operations against German African possessions shouid bo of great assistance to Great Britain.