Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-08
Pacific Bases

NSsssS SSSSS
With adequate protection of the
approaches to the Panama Canal
and the East Coast brought far
closer to realization by the acquisi-
ton from Great Britain of seven
island and one mainland bases, only
the acquisition of similar Pacific
bases is necessary to make the Pam
anna Canal, lifeline of American de-
tense, as impregnable as geographic
cal limitations will permit.
The tremendous Notifications on
the Island of Oahu in the Hawaiian
Island group, are intended primarily
for the defense of the Panama Canal
against attacks from across the
Pacific. Nature has provided only
two other possible Pacific bases for
protection of the canal These are
the Galapagos Islands, long famous
for their unique fauna, including
the tortoises from which they de-
rive their name, and Cocos Island.
Acquisition of bases in the Gala
pages and on CocoS is advocated by
a congressional group, of which
Representative lac, Democrat, of
California, is spokesman. Construc-
ton Of such bases would be possible
only with the cooperation of Ecua-
dor, which owns the Galapagos, and
Costa RIGA, owner of CocoS
Costa RIGA has indicated its will
ingness to cooperate with the United
States in arranging a base on Cocos
Island.
Discussions have been held with
Ecuador over period of many years
regarding the Galapagos, without
favorable results. The most en-
couraging event along this line was
a recent visit of Ecuadorean and
United States naval and military
experts to the islands in United
States warship. The results of their
trip have not been announced.
Establishment of naval or air
bases in the Galapagos would be diff
ficult. The islands have no harbors
and are inhoSpitable and unShel-
tered. Five hundred miles due west
of the coast of Ecuador, these strange
islands have been known for 400
years, since their discovery by the
Spaniards. There are twelve large
and several hundred small islands
in the group. Except for the largest,
Albemarle, which is seventy-fve
miles long and irregular in shape,
practically all of the others are cir
cular, with high craters in the CEN
ter. There are some low, sandy
shores, but in many places mangrove
swamps or crags form the shoreline.
There are peaks rising to 5000 feet
Only three of the islands ever have
been used regularly, chiefly as con-
vict stations. The group has been
visited through the centuries by
warships, whalers, pirates and buc-
cancers and scientific expeditions A
member of one such expedition,
Charles Darwin, recorded his expe-
riences in his book, THE Voyage of
the Beagle" and his scientific find
ings form an important basis for his
theories of the origin of species.
There was a volcanic eruption on
Albemarle in 1925 and since then
craters or Marlborough also have
been active.
Cocos Island, for defense purposes,
is little too close to the canal, lying
to the northwest of the Pacific en-
trance, off the Costa Rican coast.
1t has a fairly good harbor but is
the center of tropical storms of
great violence and torrential rains
through much of the year, some
what limiting its value for regular
patrol operations by sea and, more
particularly, by air.
1t is obvious to military experts
and probably to many laymen, how
ever, that, despite their natural
limitations, these islands are of
great value as bases for defense of
the canal and it is unthinkable that
they should be permitted to fall into
the hands of a potential enemy, at
any cost.