THE IMPORTANCE OF DAKAR

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 69, 18 October 1940, Page 3

THE IMPORTANCE OF DAKAR

AKAR, one of the head-line placenames in the news, will be one of the war zones from which further action may be expected. Because of its geographical position it is ‘of vital interest to Britain in her war against enemy raiders. General de Gaulle’s expedition, although it ended unfavourably for us, will perhaps be followed .by others of greatly increased strength. Naval and Air Base There are two reasons for the present importance of Dakar. It is a fortified naval station and an important air base. The town itself lies on the southern side of Cape Verde, on the bay of Goree, and is the jumping off port for ’planes flying from the African coast to South America, the shortest route between the two Continents. All the shipping routes which traverse the Atlantic, especially those going ‘to Europe from South Africa and round the Cape of Good Hope, converge on Cape Verde, passing close to the coast. That is why enemy submarines, operating from Dakar, could prey with ease on British shipping in the Atlantic. A glance at the map of the world reveals that Daker, by air route, is within striking distance of the two air bases, Natal and Pernambuco in Brazil, South America. Jean Batten, the New Zealand airwoman, made this flight in the early days of her amazing career. Dakar is not unknown to many New Zealand soldiers of the last war. When the Division was moved to France several troopships transporting reinforcements to England took refuge there when German submarines became dangerous. There is another reason for Dakar’s importance ‘at the moment. A French air route crosses the Sahara Desert from Algiers and Oran, on the Mediterranean coast, to Garo, in French Sudan, near the Niger River. Garo is a central terminal with air routes branching to Dakar, Liberia, the Gold Coast, Nigeria, and all

the other territories along the Gulf of Guinea. By this air route French troops stationed at Dakar could be easily reinforced by flying men and munitions down from Algiers. Another French air route from Tangier also has its terminal at Dakar, following along the Atlantic coast. British Colonies The tiny British Crown Colony of Gambia lies on the south border of Senegal (of which Dakar is the principal port) and Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast, and Nigera, are all within striking distance and surrounded by French territory. In recent years the French have centralised the administration of their West African possessions, making Dakar the headquarters for the territories of Senegal, French Sudan, French Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Dahomey, Upper Volta, Mauritania, and the Niger, an area of 1,500,000 square miles, extending from the Atlantic coast to the interior of the Sahara. The total population of this area numbers 12,583,111 people, of whom only 11,747 are European, mostly French. Since the outbreak of war, however, the French garrisons have been greatly strengthened. Fertile Coastal Belt | Although vast stretches of French West Africa are almost barren desert, the land along the coastal regions is fertile, producing great quantities of nuts, palm oil, gums, fruit, rubber, cotton, and cocoa. From the forests of Senegal come ebony and other valuable timbers. Dakar itself, has a fine, sheltered harbour, guarded by the island of Goree, which was incorporated in 1929. Apart from its naval base and air port it has spacious commercial docks and is the terminus of railways running north to St. Louis, the old capital of Senegal, and to the Niger River, far inland. All the products of French West Africa are shipped from this port, which is also a port of call for many ships on the HomeAustralian route,