Patea & Waverley Press WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1929 GUARDING THE TRADE ROUTES

Patea Mail, Volume L, 31 July 1929, Page 2

Patea & Waverley Press WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1929 GUARDING THE TRADE ROUTES

THE report, that-the Home Government has decided to reverse its former policy with regard to the {Singapore Base will be received with gratification by the people ox this country, who have realised by the lesson taught in the late war that without the assistance of an efficient Navy trade would be at a standstill, and ruin would stare them in the face. ‘Without the Singapore Base there would be no base for British battleships nearer than Malta, which Avould mean that in the event of a Avar in the FaxEast xxo British battleships Avould be able to operate at so great a distance from their base. The Singapore Base can, therefore, be looked upon as an insurance against the destruction of the (Merseas Dominions in the FaxEast in the of Avar and a safeguard against ruin through the loss of the trade routes. It is a fact avoll Avorth bearing in mind that Britain Avas saved from being starved into submission in the late Avar through the protection afforded her trade routes by the Navy. Had the Navy not been able to carry out its protective - Avork on all the trade. routes of the Empire the German Eagle Avould to-day be taking the place of the Union Jack. The value of the Singapore Base, guaranteeing as it does adequate naval protection to Australia and Ncav Zealand, is apparent to all, and there should be no cavilling at its cost. Economy Avith regard to naval defence is not economy at all, for Avithout adequate naval protection the losses in the event of Avar Avould be out of all proportion to the Navy’s cost. The trade of India alone is valued at £400,000,000 a year, Avhilst exports Avorth over £63,000,000 are sent from Britain to Australia. If the trade routes cannot be defended all this trade goes. It has been argued that an adequate air force can be as useful as a naval force, but experts say that an aeroplane is circumscribed in action axxd is Avorthless as a protector of trade routes. Britain’s isolated position, it must be remembered, is different from that of other PoAvers, avlxo can depend for supplies on their land neighbours if their ports are closed, or AA’ho, like the United States, are self supported. Lx short, it is of the utmost importance that the trade routes of Britain be protected and the establishment of the Singapore Base is a right step in this direction.