NAVAL POWER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1939, Page 5

NAVAL POWER

BRITAIN’S PROBLEMS IN FAR EAST NEED FOR BATTLE FLEET AT SINGAPORE. EARL BEATTY'S SURVEY. (Independent Cable Service.) LONDON. June 26. I Earl Beatty, writing in the "Daily Telegraph." says: "The basis of British defence in the Far East, the Western Pacific. Australia and New Zealand rests on Singapore. We must, however, face the unpleasant fact that Singapore is of little value unless a strong battle squadron is based on it. Such a squad • ron would form the only real safeguard agaihst an invasion of North Borneo, New Guinea, Fiji and even Australia. “The threat from this squadron, based on the strongly fortified port of Singapore, would surely be sufficient to prevent any large force leaving Japan, because it would lie on the flank along] the Japanese line of communication — but, unfortunately that battle fleet is at present lacking and if a squadron were sent to Singapore at present it would leave us with a very narrow margin of superiority in Home and Mediterranean waters.

‘‘lt is perhaps not as well known in Britain as in Australia that the British Government has given an assurance that the battle squadron will go to Singapore in the event of trouble in the Far East. That promise will be far easier to fulfil by the beginning of 1941 when five new King George type battleships will be commissioned. The danger period lies between now and then.

"Much depends' on the attitude of the United States, but Pearl Harbour and Honolulu, .3,300 miles from Japan and the Guam fortifications, cannot be completed for some months. It is hardly likely that the United States is anxious to send a large proportion of her navy to Singapore when it is realised the distance from Singapore to San Francisco is 7,350 miles and that; Japan and her outer defences lie between. It is also obvious that Japan will do all in her power to avoid the Philippines and will not be in conflict with the United States’ interests. "Thus, once again, the supreme importance of seapower comes to the fore. It is useless to be strong without being strong enough.” BLOCKADE OF JAPAN DISCUSSION IN UNITED STATES. SUGGESTED CO -OPERATION WITH BRITAIN. NEW YORK, June 26. Official circles, according to the New York "Daily News,” are seriously discussing ■ a British-American longrange naval blockade as “a means of filing down the Japanese military caste to its proper proportions.” The newspaper adds that the United States and Britain may be forced into such action soon. I : In an editorial it advocates a blockade outside the line of maximum Japanese effectiveness, with the United States fleet based at Hawaii, the Philippines being too close to the Japanese bases.

“We note the comment that we are proposing that this country do work for Britain that Britain cannot do alone, but we are thinking first and last of the United States,” the newspaper says. “In this instance the interests of America and England, pos • sessing the world's largest navies, run pretty much together.” The Press is giving prominence to detailed dispatches from China. The indignities by the Japanese are warmly resented, and there is speculation as to the effect the Eastern developments will have on the Bloom Neutrality Bill. The Administration leaders are coil' fident that it will be passed when introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The opposition group, however, expects to secure re • insertion of the automatic arms cm • bargo clause.