Evening star., 1936-07-12
SINGAPORE BASE
SEEN AGGRESSIVE
But Britain's Huge New
Fortress Is Aimed at
Japan's Interests.
N the Associated Press.

- the Associated Press.
SINGAPORE, STRAITS SETTLE
MENTS.-Within eight years England
has converted vast waste area OF
Jungle and swamp into the most pow
erful naval base in the world, the cost
of which is put at 75,000,0 600. Japan,
ever suspicious, says this naval base is
aggressive and is directed at Japan's
interests In the Far East and in the
Pacific.
While the general opinion Is that
the Singapore naval base is intended
primarily to protect Australia and New
Zealand against possible Japanese de-
signs. the British authorities reply to
Japalsss fears Of British aggression
by say'ns that the great new fortness
ut Sinsapore, which is the crossroads
of the Oriental and Occidental worlds,
Is purely defensive. and that it will
never be used as an instrument of Of
fensive warfare against any nation.
British naval oficials have more
than once pointed out that Singapore
Is as far from Toxic or Yokohama as
Gibraltar is from the United States
coast, a distance of approximately
5000 miles, which they declare is well
outside the generally accepted naval
fighting range.
Statement of Commodore.
would anybody say. therefore"
said Commodore w. P. Mark Ward
law, naval commander of the Singa-
pore base, that our base at Gibraltar
Is a menace to the United States?
That. it seems to me. disposes Of
Japan's argument that our naval base
at Singapore might threaten Japanese
interests in the Far East"
At the same time, Commodore
Wardlaw failed to mention that the
British feet would be in a position
from Singapore to steam through the
Dutch East Indian seas to the East,
toward Arafura Sea, north of Aus
tralia, and block any possible jap
aneSe fleet with designs on Australia
and New Zealand. That indeed, neu-
trail naval experts say, is the main OBJ
ject Of basing England's Far Eastern
feet upon Singapore, which, besides
being powerfully fortified. has docking
and refitting facilities for the largest
battleships in the world.
Previously, the largest refitting
naval base of the British was at Malta,
which is so far from Japan (7,000
miles, as to be useless. The distance
Of the present base at Singapore from
Japan is less than half that. At the
same time the British admit that the
average range Of the modern battle
ship, without fueling. repairs, or re-
munitioning, is not much more than
1000 miles
Use of Plane Carriers.
However, at the end of the 1000
mile cruising range, experts point
out. airplane carriers with the feet
could send up long distance bombing
planes to meet and lombard an ap-
preaching enemy. That might hap
pen, they say, In case of a conflict
between Japan and England, in. the
event Japan sought to ytend her
colonial possessions in IL. Far East
at the expense of England.
In that eventuality, observers here
believe the British feet would have
the assistance Of the Dutch naval
forces in East Indian waters, where
the Netherlands government owns
Sumatra, Java, Borneo and other
Islands. In return for Hollands as
slstance In this respect, England, 1t
Is believed. would give the Dutch
Navy the free use of the great British
naval base at Singapore, in the event
Dutch interests were menaced.
There is strong belief here that
secret understanding exists between
the Netherlands government and the
British government covering this
point. Dutch naval, military and air
experts are frequently seen coming
and going in Singapore.
Acquire Elevated Land.
BY an odd coincidence, the British
authorities at Singapore acquired
from japanese rubber company.
Tor defensive purposes, large area of
elevated land on one side of Sinpa.
pore Straits and overlooking the
great new naval base. The japanese
company apparently thought the new
land was being acquired by private
British business interests for COM
mercial development, and not by the
British government. This area was
formerly japanese rubber estate. but
the Japanese owners were far too close
70 the new naval base for the comfort
0f the Rrificb ofHn;al~