The Wilmington morning star., 1944-04-30

United Nations Southeast Asia
Command under Admiral Lord
Mountbatten, is a base Of opera
tons significant not alone for its
relationship to the fighting fronts.
It is also a source of valuable
agricultural and mineral products.
The big island is separated from
the southeast coast of India by
channel only 20 miles wide. On
the map, it seems to hang from
the neighboring Indian territory
like a giant 'teardrop" pearl-an
appearance, some say, that &C
counts for one of its old travel
folder titles, pearl of the Orient.
Other romantic names given this
luxuriant tropical isle, which now
echoes to the sound of planes roar
ing overhead and antiaircraft and
rifle-squad practice, are Land of
the Dusky Leaves" Island of
Jewels" Land Without Sorrow"
and the Dwelling Place of Lions"
Watchdog on the doorstep Of
southern India, Ceylon lies about
76O miles west of the Japanese
captured Andaman and Nicobar
Islands on the enemy-held side of
the Bay of Bengal, says the Ma
tional Geographic Society. 1t is L.
| $50 miles from the crowded indus
trial city of Calcutta, at the head
of the Bay, and 1875 miles south
west of the nearest point on the
Burma Indian front.
Ceylon's key position along
peacetime's busy trade and travel
routes between the Near and Far
East makes it now vital control
point for military supply lines, as
well as a defense bastion, and a
potential springboard for future Of
fensives. AS an island close to a
great mainland objective Of the
enemy, Ceylon occupies a geo.
graphic position similar to that
of fallen Singapore. The difference
is that the conquered Malayan
mainland was an available pass
ageway for japanese reinforce
ments, while vast India is feser-
voir for Allied support of Ceylon.
Ceylon came under heavy bomb
ing attack in the spring of 1912,
when the japanese were pushing
westward, Hit by raids was the
British naval base at Trincomalee,
on the northeast coast, which has
one of the worlds best natural
harbors. The islands capital and
big port, Colombo, also a target
for Japanese bombers, has around
100000 inhabitants and is situated
on the southwest coast.
Chief among Ceylon's contribu-
lions to Allied stocks are such
tropical products as rubber, tea,
coconuts, citronella, cacao, CHINA
mon. The island is one of the few
remaining sources of rubber avail
able to the Allies in the East.
Prewar annual output, limited by
quota agreement, had reached 2OO,-
900 tons, and amount believed con-
siderably increased lately by i'm
proved efficiency and incentive bo-
nus payments. Odorous citronella
oil is useful as soldier protection
against insects, chiefly mosquitoe.
From coconut oil come glycerin,
for making explosives. From the
coconut shell is made charcoal
for gas masks, still used to some
extent, although in the United
States a new synthetic material
has been developed.
Ceylon's number one war-valu-
able mineral is graphite for cru
cibles employed in smelting), for
dry lubricants, carbon for dry bat
teries, and for carbon brushes for
small motors in airplanes, tanks,
and trucks. Graphite found there
is the worlds leader in high car
on content. Sheet mica is an
other contribution, for such use as
spark plugs, radio condensers and
other electrical parts.
Rice is an important crop of
Ceylon and chief staple of diet.
The island does not produce
enough for its own needs, however.
because of space given big plan
tatlons OF tea and rubber, and has
to import much of its foodstuffs.
Wartime loss of outside sources,
Plus shipping demands for mill
lStratlOn, from which thev oo,+l