The Coolidge examiner., 1938-03-24


Washington. d. C.-WEU Service.
THREE cruisers of the
United States navy re-
Gently steamed into the
Orient, bound for a friendly
harbor which is famous as
being enemy-proof - Singa-
pore. They represented the
United States as the only for
eign power which took part
in Great Britain's naval dis
play when new docks were
opened in the port already so
well fortified as to be called
the Gibraltar of the East.
New docks in Singapore are like
new skyscrapers in New York
structures that are symbols as well.
For Singapore is a city. an island.
a tradition, and a threat. The
oval island is the southern tip Of
the Malay peninsula.
The white-walled red-roofed city
spreads along the islands southern
shore. 1t is the city's SO square
miles of harbor that bred the tradi-
ton: the biggest port between the
China sea and the Mediterranean,
surely among the worlds leading
ten. This importance is shown by
crowded docks, with anchored YES
sells banding the harbor in zones Of
increasing size and diminishing
number Of craft.
Its Threat Is Concealed.
The threat Of Singapore, meant
for whoever yearns to fight the Brit
ish navy. is yelled from sight in
mangrove swamps, but reputed to
be on the island of Seleter, in the
shallow strait cutting Singapore is
land from the mainland of Johore.
Its docks. among the largest of their
kind ever built, can receive and re-
pair battleships. Its air and naval
force nourished the legend that the
end Of the Malay peninsula, nosing
down into the Netherlands Indies.
is a dragons head, and Singapore
furnished the fangs.
Unlike rocky Gibraltar or eau
tiously aloof Malta with a big chip
of fortress on its shoulder, Singa-
pore sheathes its strength in green
cloak of palm. banana and rubber
trees, naturally luxuriant just 89
miles above the Equator.
The low island faunts no military
insignia to distinguish it at dis
lance from the balmy emerald isle
set in sapphire southern seas so
popular in travel literature. Yet its
PIT square miles contain the most
progressive urban area within a
1000 mile radius, enough naval
strength to dynamite Far Eastern
diplomacy. and remnant Of jungle
heart in which monkeys swing and
chatter.
Most important of the four British
possessions comprising the Crown
colony of the Straits Settlements,
Singapore is their capital. Because
of its strategic location at the I'M
avoidable gateway Of all oriental
traffic east Of India, it is capital
also of nearly half the worlds trade
routes.
Because il is a free port, ships
from every continent except South
America discharge cargoes into the
shadowy and odorous warehouses
for storage until transshipped, then
drain other warehouses for cargoes
to take home.
Much Trade and Manufacturing
Exotic wares cross the docks: In
dian shark fms destined for Chinese
palates, Egyptian pickles for Su-
matra, coriander seeds from Mo-
rocco to Java. Australia ships meat
anu WOOA anu Sd1dQd d11Q Tic
United States send automobiles, ma
chinery, and canned goods. Cloves
and coffee from Africa, rice and
silk from China, matches and cot
ton goods from Japan, hemp and
hardwoods from the Philippines,
rubber and oil and spices from the
Netherlands Indies, and from Eu-
rope supplies for trransplanting
home civilization into the Eastern
tropics-these are unloaded on the
docks Of Singapore. Emporium of
the Orient
In addition to playing landlord for
international trade, Singapore
minds its own businesses. Pineap-
Piles are canned, soap is made from
coconut oil. rubber is smoked and
graded for shipping. An island in
the harbor is headquarters for the
worlds largest tin smelling plant.
In a recent year, AZ per cent of the
worlds output Of rubber and 20 per
cent Of the tin were dispatched for