TOKIO PLANS SIAM CANAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 May 1936, Page 9

TOKIO PLANS SIAM CANAL

SCHEME TO ‘BY-PASS’ SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE. March. 23. Rumours of tl Japanese plan to counter-balance the strategic advantages of the British naval and an base at Singapore were discussed bj the Governor of French Cochin-China, M. P. Pages, to-day. There has iecently been constant talk of Japans desire to construct a canal through the Isthmus of Kra, in South Siam, immediately north of British Malaya. The efforts lately made by 1 okio to establish close relations with the Siamese Government have given colour to the suggestion. If such a canal were made Ihrougn Siam it would enable the Japanese fleet to pass from the China Sea to the Indian Ocean without passing through the Straits of Singapore into the Straits of Malacca, the only route jat present. For 100 years these straits have been the key to Insecurity of European Empires Hi thFar East, being commanded first i the fortress of Malacca and now by I Singapore. ■ The British, French, ami Dutch anI thorities are believed to be *in close touch concerning the problem oi the ! mutual security of their possessions lin the Far East. I M. Pages declared that neither I Great Britain nor France was per- , turbed by reports that Siam would alijo(v Japan to build the canal. Its construction would mean a grave crisis, and he was sure that it would never be built.—Reuter.