EIRE'S DEFENCES—AND BRITAIN'S.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 6

EIRE'S DEFENCES—AND BRITAIN'S.

Under the recent agreement between Britain and Eire it is provided that before the end of this year the Admiralty property and rights at Berehaven, and the harbour defences at Berehaven, Cobh and Lough Swilly, shall be transferred to Eire. The defences of Cobh (formerly known ns Queenstown), according to a report this week, are to be transferred on July 11. It is strange that this change, so long desired by Mr. de Valera and his Government, should now be responsible for a political attack upon him, for it removes one of the last vestiges of British control. The new agreement does not require the Eire Government to maintain the defence of the harbours, but it is being done. Only for the purposes of an election fight could this be regarded ns "making Eire a British outpost." tlndottbtedry the confident expectation exists that in an emergency British warships would be allowed the use of these harbours, and the protection of their defences, but the hope and promise <>!' the recent agreement is that this will.be granted freely find in ii friendly spirit, and not, as before, grudgingly and as a legal rjjchL