AN OUTPOST IN THE ATLANTIC

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 221, 6 June 1918, Page 5

AN OUTPOST IN THE ATLANTIC

NAVAL BASE AT THE AZOKES. For the protection' of the. Atlantic trade routes to southern Europe, the United States, with the consent , of Portugal, has established a naval teo at ■ Funchal, on the Azores Island. Guns have been landed to begin fortification- of the station, which, in addition to being used as a , naval base for American submarines, destroyers, and other small craft, also will servo as an important homing station for American aeroplanes; a number of which already have been assembled ilherp. ..., .... ..,,. ...., .. Negotiations now are in. progress be- , tween tho Stato Department and the Portugueso Government to insure full co-operation between United States naval forces and the local authorities of Portugal on the island for the adequate defence of the station. This action will not only simplify the task of protecting the great trade routes to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, but also afford protection to returning traffic to South American gulf ports in the Unite! States. • ' • .

Portugal was eager to enlcr into tlio arrangement so Unit her own linos of communication to her colonial possessions would lie covered. The value of tho new station as a base for the replenishment of supplies for American submarines, submarine chasers and destroyers on the voyago lo Europe already has been demonstrated. • .

It is permissible (o disclose these facts now because it is known to the Government that they aro known in Germany. The Azores, a constituent part of Portugal, lie in'tho Atlantic, about 50 miles vest of Gibraltar am! UOO miles east of New York. Many of the islands are uninhabited, since the German unrestricted submarine warfare began thero have been reports that one of the islands ■ lias been used as a submarine base. Numbers .of vessels havs been sunk bj submarines in the vicinity. The chief ports on ; tho islands aro Horta, on Fayal Island, and Pontu Delgada on San Miguel Island. Ponta is frequently used by vessels running short of coal and supplies, and is the stopping place of 6ome vessels trading between the Mediterranean and the United States, ns well as steamers trading between Europe and South American ports. T-he Azores are the landing place of tho only cable line which connected Germany directly with the United States before the war. .Shortly after hostilities began this cable was cut, presumably in tho English .Channel, through which it runs, thereby stopping messages between Now York and Emden, Germany. There aro four wireless stations on tho islands.