PROBLEMS OF PACIFIC

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1924, Page 11

PROBLEMS OF PACIFIC

NEED FOR FLOATING DOCK. SINGAPORE 3000 HILES AWAY. AN EXPERT’S OPINION. London, J)ec. 0. Mr. Lyonel Clark, of Messrs ( lark and Standfield, builders of the great Southampton floating dock, who will leave for Australia and New Zealand on December 19, when interviewed, said he was going to New Zealand to see his relatives. He hoped to spend some time in Austtralia visiting the* dockyards. -He is taking out a film showing the Prince pf Wales opening the Southampton dock. Mr. W. S. Robinson, who is accompanying Sir. Robert Horne to Burma, will join Mr. Clark at Ceylon, rfnd they will travel to Australia together. •’Even if Britain builds a graving dock at Singapore it will not settle Australia’s problem,” said Mr, Clark. "Singapore is 3'9OQ miles, away. If Australia builds a floating dock she has. the necessary equipment for commercial, purposes, while in the event of an outbreak of hostilities she has the nucleus for a floating base which can be established in the most suitable position within’ a few weeks.

"The more.. copip.licated ships become the more necessary is a base. No modern ship can carry sufficient tools or p'orks to repair her delicate mechanism.'' Discussing, the position in the Pacific Mr. Clark ’ said:—r , "The Marshall 'lslands, which ? are included in the Japanese mandate, are 490 miles from Nauru. They are said to contain a ■ Wonderful lagoon which can accommodate any navy.. “By the Washington agreement these inlands are not fortified, but what is to prevent Japan from having a limiting base, which could be towed there within a couple of weeks? No ships call at these islands. Nobody knows what are their possibilities. "I strongly believe the floating base will pay an important part in any war in the Pacific. Docks are the only part of such a -base, which require any considerable time to build.”