BRITISH NAVAL BASES

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 December 1937, Page 5

BRITISH NAVAL BASES

INCREASE OE FLEET’S MOBILITY Hector C. Bywater, “Daily Telegraph and Morning Post" Naval Correspondent, writes:- — The new graving dock at the Singapore naval base will soon be completed. Built to accommodate battleships larger than any which have yet been constructed, its size far exceeds that of any other dock in the world. Not far away is moored the huge floating dock, capable of lifting a 50,000-ton vessel, which teas built in England and towed out to Singapore some years ago. From now on, two, if not three, of the largest ships of the Navy could be simultaneously docked and repaired at the Singapore base. The entire base, with its fortifications and aerodrome is due for completion in 193!). It will then cover an area of 3.200 acres and will have cost at least £20,000,000. Of this sum £10,601,000 is accounted for by-the dockyard itself, A large sum is absorbed by the defences, which are the strongest ever provided in British territory. It is also intended to make Singapore one of the principal air bases of the Commonwealth. Whether and when, a complete bat- • tie fleet is to be stationed at Singai por© depends on many circumstances,

Inot all of which can yet be foreseen. ’ It is clear, however, that the new base will greatly increase the mobility of the British Navy and enable it to operate freely in the south-west Pacific, where the Commonwealth has extensive and vital interests. But Singapore is only one link in the reinforced chain of Imperial defence. At Penang, overlooking the Strait of Malacca, powerful fortifications are about to be built to guard against a flank attack on Singapore. At Hong Kong, Britain’s stronghold in China, new defence works are understood to be in progress, though it should be recognised that the security of this valuable possession depends ultimately on sea power. Australia is co-operating in the task of safeguarding Imperial communications by developing the defences and fleet base facilities at Port Darwin, and rearming the coast defence of all her great ports. The question of providing a 50,000-ton dock at Sydney is again under discussion. Nearer home the task of consolidating our position in the Mediterranean goes steadily forward. Recent activities at Cyprus lend colour to the reports that the valuable strategic position of this island may be turned to advantage, and there is always the possibility that it might become an important base. GIBRALTAR’S KEY POSITION Malta is already in a much stronger

. state of ,• defence than it was two years ago, and when the full scheme of development is completed it should be a hard nut to crack. Despite the threat of long-range bombardment, Gibraltar is still regarded as a key position, which it is intended to hold at all costs. Work has now started on the Prince of Wales Dock, which is to be rebuilt to take warships larger than any now afloat. The defences of the Rock, already, of great strength, are being modernised in important respects. Nor is the Cape route being neglected. Although the far-reaching scheme of harbour works at Cape Town is intended primarily for commercial purposes, the value of these facilities to the Navy in an emergency is obvious. Durban already possesses a large dock, and there are ports and fuelling stations ar the Navy’s disposal on the east and west coasts of Africa.