NAVAL DEFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 18281, 22 May 1923, Page 7

NAVAL DEFENCE

THE SINGAPORE PROPOSAL.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

TOKIO, May 8. The 1 Yomiuri,’ the Japanese army organ, expresses regret at the British decision to construct a naval base at Singapore. “Britain,” states the paper, “initiated the disarmament treaties, which are the main support of the League of Nations. Therefore it should lead in international trust and confidence, despite the abrogation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. It will be regretted if Britain’s action provides the I'ronch with an excuse for fortifying Loaman Bay. The Singapore base flouts Japanese goodwill, and encourages advocates of Japanese naval expansion, to secure still further naval extensions. Wo regret,” concludes tho ‘Yomiuri,’ “that British Conservatives axe still obsessed with groundless conceptions regarding Japanese ambitions and designs on India and Australia.” AMERICAN VIEWS. "LONDON. May 7. The Washington correspondent of the ‘ Sunday Times ’ states that some circles in the United States believe that the British plan for Singapore amounts primarily to a substitute for the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. It is designed for tho protection of Imperial interests in tho Pacific and Indian Ocean s, as well as for the defence of Australia and New Zealand against possible Japanese attack. As Americans think that the Philippine Islands are possibly similarly menaced, th'e erection of another Gibraltar in the vicinity of the most eastern American outpost is viewed with equanimity. AUSTRALIA’S NEED. LOCAL NAVY ADVOCATED. SYDNEY, May 21. (Received May 22, at 9 a.m.) The ‘Sydney Morning Herald,’ in_ a leading article, while strongly supporting Singapore as against tho suggested Sydney naval base, says that is it up to Australia to build a naval base for its own navy, and urges the need for maintaining a local navy. The ‘ Herald ’ adds : “ Submarines alone cannot defend) Australia or any island people who are dependent upon maritime trade. Such a defence would only invite a hostile fleet into our waters. Tho value of the present Australian fleet is that in a crisis a fleet of four cruisers could provide a convoy fern njerchant shipping on the Australian coast or across the Tasman Sea. A fixed local naval policy, with an arrangement between the British, and Australian Governments for an interchange of ships for foreign service is a paramount duty, and is the only clear way out of the present local difficulty.”