ITALY IN MEDITERRANEAN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume V, Issue 457, 26 June 1937, Page 7

ITALY IN MEDITERRANEAN

MULTIPLYING SEA AND AIR BASES New Military Colonial Policy I . . Italy, flushed with the pride of empire, is consolidating her gains in i Ethiopia and strengthening her position in the Central end Eas'ern Mediterranean and’ in the Red Sea, wrote Hanson W. Baldwin from Rome to the “New York Times” last month. Officially and unofficially the people 'and the government disavow any territorial ambitions in Spain, in the Balearic Islands and elswhere, anti they say thsy are caber to reach an understanding with Britain. They stress that all their war pre-pat'-tions are for defensive purposes only and declare that Italy is now a “satisfied” nation. Tilt d'espi'te the army’s dramobilisation after the conquest of Ethiopia, it is clear that Italy is steadily increasing her military power in the Mediterranean area and that the days when that inland sea was an “English 1. ke” are over. The recent opening of a 1200-mile stii.tegic highway along the sea-coast of Libya, Italy’s North African colony, and the .declaration by Mussolini that Italy was “the protector of Islam” are indications of the trend. Holds Strategic Islands. In the Central Mediterranean Italy’s geographical position and her possession of Sicily, of Fvntelloria, and Pelagiscbe Islands and of Libya, would enable her sea and air fleets to operate with great effectiveness -against enemy commerce or enemy men-of-war passing through the Mediterranean bottle-neck between Cape Bon and Sicily.

Since the end of the Ethiopian conflict and the lifting of sanctions, Mussolini ha-s been able to devote more of the energies of the nation to permanent military expansion. As a result, formidable naval and air loses are growing up in all Italian possessions. In addition to fortifying many mainland naval and air bases, I >_ly has fortified and mined little Pantelleria Island, midway, between Africa an-d Sicily, and is developing an air base and a naval base there. In Sicily there rare naval or air bases at Trapani, Palermo, Augusta, and Catania, -and another rair field is being built. Cagliari in Sardinia is both an air rand naval base, with Madalena also available for a surface fleet. The harbour of Tripoli in Northern Africa, while not mechnically ra naval base, is available for such use if necessary. i a Libya, hand in hand with the building of the coastal strategic highway has gone the development of numerous, air bases. At present Tobruk, near the Egyptian border, is the only naval base, but it is likeJy, because of the scarcity of fresh water at Tobruk rand because of its proximity to Egypt, that a large permnent base wil be developed at Bengasi. Tobruk and Bengasi rare also air bases, and other Libyan air bases include Tripoli, sirte, Agedabia, Barce, and Appoilonia. Badoglio Directs Policy. But perhaps even more significant than the development of these bases Is the new military colonial policy now being developed in Libya under the close supervision of Marshal Pietro Badoglio. the hero- of Ethiopia, who has just returned from Libya. Marshal Badoglio has studied the

Proposed military organisation of Libya, ramj j g understood the colony is to fO rm an additional army corps, the Fourteenth, which will contest of about two divisions. What proportion of these troops " ill be Italian and what proportion native soldiers is not. ascertainable, but it is learned that conscription IS planned for the colony. At present it is. believed—though no accurate are available— Italy ha-s rabout 200 planes and some 16,000 troops stationed in Libya uner the direct- command of Marshal Italo Balbo. It is believed the permanent garrison will probably approximate 25,000 to 30,000 when the reorganisation -has been completed. Italy’s position in the Eastern Mediterranean, in the Red Sea, und in Africa is much strengthened’ by ■e pnxim.ty of Libya to Egypt and he -uez Canal. The Dodecanese Islands are also important in the Italian strategic scheme, particularly since the recent development of the Itland of Leros as a naval and ra.ir base. ‘ In the Red Sea plans have been ™ade to develop Ass ,. alieady well equippcd wjih an ajr base as a naval base rat a cost of about 100,000,000 lire. n| Et oi JPla ' S Stlll 3 battl eground too unsettled for one to determine with accuiLcy just what -the Italian military strength there win be It is thought that in the distant future, after the consolidation of the terntory, conscription may be extend

ed to Ethiopia also, since it is apparent Italy is determined to exploit the military as well as the economic mssibilitics. of all her territories ■ound the Mediterranean, which for .'-enturies has been a sea of eonluest.