SECRET BASES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 931, 29 November 1933, Page 1

SECRET BASES.

Is France Building Pacific Strongholds? OFFICIALS RETICENT. United Press Assn.-—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 27. The “ Daily Herald ” gives prominence to a Brisbane message stating that France is building secret submarine and air bases in the Pacific, because she is afraid of Japan’s mysterious moves. Pacific travellers reaching Australia reported that provision was being made for a base for seaplanes and submarines in New Caledonia. The Paris correspondent of the “ Daily Herald ” says he inquired in French official sources and was told that the matter could not be discussed. During the past few months there have been constant reports that Japan has been constructing seaplane bases in her Pacific Islands, though she denied that there was any offensive intent, saying that they would be used for meteorological and geographical purposes. In August the Japanese fleet had its manoeuvres in the islands north of New Guinea, and there are, in addition, constant reports of mysterious vessels apparently making surveys of British and other islands. In July, Japan approached the Netherlands Government with a proposition for a joint programme for the development of the islands bordering the Pacific and for Japanese immigration to certain Dutch islands in the East Indies. The proposal was declined and the Dutch Government became so alarmed that troops in the East Indies were mobilised. France has important territories on the mainland of Asia, between China and the Malay States, and also is interested in many islands in the Pacific, the New Hebrides and the Society Islands (Tahiti) being the most important. The islands have an area of about 9000 square miles and a popula tion of nearly 100,000. Last July, Tokio was excited by the report that France had occupied nine small coral islands between the Philippines and French Indo-China (Annam). It was demanded that Japan should immediately annex the islands, although they were quite without value, even the deposits of guano having been removed long ago. A Japanese incursion south of the equator would cut the communication between France and her Pacific possessions in exactly the same way that it would cut the line between Singapore and Australia and New Zealand. On the other hand, Japanese air bases in the Marianne Gr-sup or the Caro lines, though constructed for peaceful uses, would be available for other purposes, and would be situated between the United States and the Philippines.