NAVAL DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18389, 3 May 1923, Page 7

NAVAL DEFENCE.

BASE IN THE EAST. SELECTION OF SINGAPORE. 'APPROVAL ,BY COMMONS. '£9,500,000 \ TO BE SPENT. LAN ESSENTIAL PROVISION. By Telegraph— Association—Copyright. (Received 4.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. May 1. The- House of , Commons, by 274 votes to 51, carried the Singapore naval base vote. . In Committee on the Naval Estimates, Commander Eyres Monsell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, said that the Government was asking for means to develop the naval ' base at Singapore to cater for the needs of modern capital ships. The estimate for the work had been • cut down by £1,500,000 to £9.500,000, which would "be spread over ten years. Mr. G. Lambert (Liberal) moved a nominal reduction of the vote. He said he was opposed to the construction of a naval base at Singapore, for whioh no case had been made out. The question ought ■to" be considered in its i elation to the League of Nations, otherwise they w«ro treating the League covenant as a scrap of paper. , / He asked how it would be possible to . maintain communications between the Home Country 'and a naval base 10,000 miles away. Mr. Asquith's Criticism. Mr. H. H. Asquith (Liberal) said he viewed the proposal with grave apprehension, both pn strategic and financial grounds. Ho would like to know tne fuller genesis of the scheme and the naval advice upon which it had been put forward. Quite apart from the expense in establishing the base, what would be the nature of. the garrison necessary for its defence? What strategic advice had the Admiralty, acted upon ? The sole justification must be that the base would put the Navy in a better position, not for aggression, but for the protection of seaborne trade and possibly to defend the Dominions against a possible attack. The proposal might to deferred till the Imperial Conference. Rear-Admiral Sir Guy Gaunt (Consor. vative)' said that Britain could not afford to stay her hand till the League of Nations functioned.

' Captain J. P. Hay' (Labour) opposed the base, and asked if Britain were fortifying against the United States or Japan. Mr. F. .G. Penny (Conservative) considered that it would be suicidal not to prepare for the eventuality of war. The decision to establish a base at Singapore was' extremely , wise. Mr.. C. W. Darbishire (Liberal) urged Britain to take, a lead in the League of Nations instead : of; continually talking about insuring against war. From his experience of building operations in Singapore he thought the Government would be jolly lucky if it got out of the scheme under £20,000,000. Viscount Curzon (Conservative) said that Britain must prepare against WW, being weak would invite attack. The Government would be acting wisely in providing, a \ base at the gateway of the East.". -•.-'....... i No Menace to Japan. : Colonel' L. C. M. S. Amery, First Lord of the Admiralty, replying, pointed out that Britain had disarmed more completely than. any-Great Power which participated in the Great War. The strength of the British Empire was an essential factor in the League of Nations. The Singapore base was part of the essential equipment of the Navy, which must be' mobile and have a chain of fuel and repairing stations. It was no more a menace to Japan / than Portsmouth was to France. ■'.-.. The Imperial Conference had approved the scheme in 1921. The subject had been closely investigated and reinvestigated over three years. The present Government had confirmed its predecessors' views. The scheme wis not contrary either to the League of Nations or the Washington Treaty. It was because the Navy was so largely reduced that the fuel and repairing stations were' needed. The Empire's fate might be decided, in the neighbourhood. Mr. Lambert's amendment was defeated by.253 to 94, and the vote was carried by 274 to 51.

NORTH SEA TO PACIFIC. GUARDING THE GATEWAY. SECURITY FOR AUSTRALIA. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 6.40 p.m.) LONDON. May 2. The Daily Express states that the naval strength of the British Empire is to bo moved from the North Sea. to the Far East. Singapore ■ will become the great naval base of the future. There is no question of preparing for a new war. It ip merely a form of insurance. The transcendant importance of a naval base at Singapore from the political and strategic point of view is obvious. If Gibraltar is the 'door of the Mediterranean, assuredly Singapore is the gateway of ocean traffic to the Pacific. A strong fleet at "'Singapore could practically sever commercial communication between Europe and the Far East. Moreover Singapore is one base from which the defence of Australia can be assured. DUTCH APPREHENSION. DEFENCE OF THE COLONIES. FLEET FOR EAST INDIES. LONDON, April 23The Netherlands Government contemplates building a fleet to protect its possessions in the East Indies because of the "radical change in the balance of power taking place in Eastern Asia." A Royal Commission has been considering a Bill which provides for the construction of &' fleet to guarantee the neutrality of the Dutch East Indies. The commission rejected a suggestion to suspend the passing of the Bill, pending the re-establishment of financial equilibrium in the Indies, and says that Holland cannot contemplate leaving its extensive archipelago undefended navally without abdicating its position as a colonial Power.

Holland cannot' close her eyes to the radical change in the balance of power now going on in Eastern Asia, or to the problems the . peaceful solution of which cannot be assured for years. The duty of providing a fleet cannot bo delayed, and the Government, it is recommended, should do its utmost to assure the immediate passage of the Bill.