NAVAL BASES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25301, 7 September 1945, Page 7

NAVAL BASES

PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC UNITED STATES PLANS NUMEROUS ISLANDS NAMED (Reed. 8.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 The assistant-Secretary of the Navy, Mr H. S. Hensel, told a press conference that the Navy Department intended recommending to Congress the establishment of major bases at the following places in the Pacific:—Kodiak and Adak (in the Aleutians), Hawaii, Balboa (in the Panama Canal zone), Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Two Jima, Okinawa, Manus Island and the Philippines (all in the Western and Central Pacific). "These bases include only those we need for our own use," said Mr Hensel, "and are limited to those we should intend to maintain and are susceptible to defence." In addition, other Pacific islands, such as Wake, Midway, Eniwetok, Kwajalein and Truk, should be kept solely to prevent their use by any other Power. Mr Hensel also said that Bermuda would be among proposed Atlantic bases. In the House of Representatives Mr Bradley, Democratic representative for Pennsylvania, suggested that Britain should cede Bermuda as a consideration for lend-lease aid given during the war. Agreement was reached by the British and United States Governments in September, 1940, whereby the United States would transfer immediately to the Royal Navy 50 over-age destroyers and in return would obtain from Britain without charge on a 99 years' lease, naval and air bases in British territory in the Western Hemisphere. A British Note dated September 2. 1910, stated that "in view of the basis of friendship and sympathetic interest of His Majesty's Government in the national security of the United States and their desire to strengthen the ability of the United States to cooperate effectively with other nations of the Americas in defence of the Western Hemisphere," His Majesty's Government would secure to the United States "freely and without consideration," facilities for the establishment of naval and air bases in Newfoundland and Bermuda. Furthermore, His Majesty's Government would make available to the United States similar facilities for naval and air bases in the Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Antigua and' British Guiana, "in exchange for naval and military equipment and material which the United States will transfer to His Majesty's Government," the 90-years lease of these bases to be free from all rent and charges other than compensation to be paid by the United States to the owners of private property affected. At tiie time of the agreement a memorial signed by the Speaker of the Bermuda Assembly and presented to the Governor stated that the_ people of Bermuda were deeply disturbed lest some new conception of American hemispheric defence might affect the status of the colony as an integral part of the British Commonwealth. The then Secretary of State for the Colonies. Lord Lloyd, replied, giving an assurance that there was no question of Bermuda or any oart of it being separated from the British Empire.