JAPAN'S NEW NAVAL BASE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1194, 1 August 1911, Page 2

JAPAN'S NEW NAVAL BASE.

THE BONIN ISLANDS. 1' ' ': ■■ ■) >; ■-: . . . ; r ',>, The following cable message- from Toklo appeared in the Sydney "Sun" on July 23: "When in April Admiral Saito and Admiral Uriu visited a number of the islands round Japan they were most favourably impressed by tho. advantages of tjie Bouin Islands as a base for tuturo operations in tho Pacific; As a result plana were formed for the establishment of fortifications there. "The Navy Department has issued a formal denial of any such intention, declaring that the naval policy of the Government is to increase the movable armament?, rather than to devote sums for fixed defences. In spito of this official statement, however, tho rumour is generally accented as authentic. "The Boniu Islands, known also as the Parry group of tho Arzobispo Islands, lie south and cast from the southern point of Japan, almost directly west of the Hawaiian Islands, and north and cast of the Philippines, Hong-kong-Honolulu vessels and Yokohama-Sydney ships touch there." Endorsement of the above, comes to tho same source in tho following cablegram from Vancouver:—"The statement that Japan intcuds to establish a naval base at the Bonin Islands has caused some uneasiness here. This move is regarded as another stop iu the direction in which a clashing of Japanese and American interests he, while tho menace to Australia is generally commented upon." '