SINGAPORE BASE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 66, 18 March 1936, Page 7

SINGAPORE BASE

DEFENCE PRECAUTION NOT OFFENSIVE BASE TO JAPAN CHURCHILL’S VIEWS By Te'eriaph—Association—CopyrirW Received March 17, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, March 16. Mr. Winston Churchill, speaking in the House of Commons debate on the Navy Estimates, said that Singapore is about as far from Japan as Portsmouth is from New York. Singapore never had been and could not be an offensive base against Japan. It was a defensive precaution for the British Empire, as well as a link or a steppingstone with Australia and New Zealand. He hoped the Government would proceed with the Singapore Base with all speed. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes said it was impossible to operate the Fleet to the east of the Red Sea without a base at Singapore. “Singapore,’’ he said, “is the outlying base of our great Dominions in the East. The most money spent prior to the shutting [down of the base by the Labour Government was provided by New ZeaHand, and quite a large sum by Malay and Hongkong, showing that they realised the great need for the base.'' Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair sate I he hoped he was not revealing a secret is saying that P»ritain possessed an almost fool-proof anti-submarine device operating on a system of reflector ray, the effect of which was that no submarine could come within torpedo firing range of a ship without danger of instant destruction. The Admiralty had also constructed an antiaircraft ship which was capable of a terrific volume of fire in defence of a harbour or other ships.