Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-22
NEW STRATEGIC BASE
Great Britain Plans Second ar at
the Straits Of Sir y
y
WILL ERECT MANY : JRTlFlcATloNS
Plan oOntemp, laval and Commercial
Base at lie Oriental Port,
COMMANDS DIRECT ROUTE TO CHINA
Eastern Sea Will Be at the Mercy of Great
Britain,
JAPAN APPROVES ALPS UNDERTAKING
British Commissioners visit MikndO
and Discuss Matters Before Going
20 singapore to Investigate
the situation.

LONDON, Oct. H.-(special Cablegram to
The Bee THE Observer. one Of the oldest
Sunday newspapers and one Of the best in
! formed, attracted the attention of the en-
| tire world by announcing that new naval
| base is to be established at Singapore, at
! the foot Of the Malay peninsula.
! Were it merely the fact that within few
weeks time the great commercial docks at
! Singapore will pass by compulsory pur-
! chase under the authority of Parliament,
the matter might not be regarded as of so
much Importance and significance. But
says the Observer:
1--WE understand that this step forms only
part Of new scheme of imperial defence
of the most far-reaching nature and conse-
! quence."
In fact it is explained the British gov
erument has decided to take this step as
the result of recent events in the far east.
From the military and naval point Of view
as to the wisdom OF his majesty's govern
ment IN coming to such a decision there
are not two opinions. Continental experts
have long been aware of the value of such
a position, and nothing could be more
friendly satisfactory than some of the
remarks which such high authority as
the French vice admiral, Fournier, has just
LAHtuG hpOl llle SuDJtCls ne BdlldHL OlllGSl
expressed no surprise at this resolution and
pointed out that the very reasons which
had rendered Singapore a great commercial
center were in favor Of it's transformation
into a naval arsenal. Its strategic and COM
mercial position is in fact unique 1t lies
at the very turning point of the route from
Europe to the Chinese sea- Every other
way considerably Increases the voyage, nor
does any of these bring ships into the
vicinity of center where they can con-
veniently take in coal and caTgoes. The
Singapore roadstead can very easily be de-
Tended, and even the Straits OF Malacca
which give access to it, lend themselves ad-
mirably to the evolution of torpedo boats
and submarines
VIII Control Commerce.
t 1t may, therefore, be said that squad
I ron which rests on such base, which has
: been properly fortified, could absolutely
prevent the passage Of any naval Pcr3e mi
rendsr traefaR cemndnications between
i the Chinese seas and Europe so difficult
: that It would be virtually suppressed. But
8 the execution OF this plan. which has long
been considered and prepared, cannot be re-
: garded as menace to any particular
power though, as matter of fact it
' threatens them all The creation of a
= naval port at Singapore is, indeed the first
step taken by England on a path which it
e must be impatient to enter. 1t is that of
Y the restoration of the supremacy OF it's
v maritime trade in seas which formerly
t knew its flag and which, il they have not
forgotten IT, have at least beheld It weaken
- before that OF Germany, which is a for
Il midable competitor Admiral Fournier con-
= cludes these very appreciatve observations
by saying: Singapore is a key placed by
England at the very door of the Chinese"
Z According to the naval officers of Great
Britain who, of course. will not allow their
names to be used for publication, the reso-
luton at which the British government
has arrived could find no better justifica.
tion than these statements of Admiral
Fournier.
The United States is interested chiefly
. on account of the proximity OF Singa pore
= TO the American possessions in the Philip,
e pines. OF course, so long as the friendly
a feeling between the United States ant
, Great Britain which now exists continue.
y the slightest objections would not be raised
> by the great American power. II Is only
in the event of war between the two grea
=. branches of the English speaking race tina
~ Singapore could he used and probably woulC
" be used with telling effect against tn,
Philippines.
al strategic Value IL High.
In But the transcendant Importance Of
'e British naval base at Singapore from tn,
political and strategic point OF view mus
ID be obvious to all. A glance at map o
ID the world will convince the most sceptica
'e OF the significance of the purchase whicl
rebounds to the credit of the British AID
Is miralty from whom the scheme emanates
'h II will be remembered that all of th
a. larger vessels of Admiral Roiestvensky'
- al
rs pore straits; nor need it be pointed ou
K that n Gibraltar is the door to the Mediter
ranean. most assuredly Singapore is tn
gateway of ocean traffic westward to tn
Pacific Though Singapore has for man
years been a port of the greatest com
4 mercial importance the imperial govern
ment has had no oficial status there
while from the moment the docks at Singa
pore became governmental property a
entirely new political situation which car
to not fail to exercise an important inhuenc
he on the naval position Of Great Britain /
on the far east, and on the far eastern prot
en- lem generally. will have been created
The docks to be purchased are known a
sh the 'Tanjong Pagar" docks, covering man
Ise miles in area and are in fact among th
10 largest in the world. At present they al
ed owned by a private company, one of II
th largest shareholders OF which is reported
be be Lord Goschen. The price TO be paid fC
M the docks is TO be determined by two arb
I'D traitors chosen by the government and II
lc- company IN question, respectively, and fai
ith ing agreement the price Is 10 be fixed by. a
umpire appointed Jointly by them. tt
vendors accordingly selected Sir Edwai
A Boyle. X, c., as their arbitrator, while Il
~" Colonial once, in whose jurisdiction IL
NJ, purchase OF land at Singapore natural
lies, has appointed Robert Inglis, manag
OF the Great Western railway. Sir u
ward Boyle. X. C. and Mr.. Inglis agre,
10 appoint Sir Michael Hicks-Beach. NJ. I
lie as umpire
ner Japan Approves Plan.
vs. All these gentlemen are now in Sing
'rt- pore going over the property. They visit
tor Japan and were accorded an audience
'er' the Japanese emperor The visit 70 Jap
ION had nothing 20 do with the matter OF [
rhe -