CLOSER AMITY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 280, 25 November 1937, Page 4

CLOSER AMITY

BRITAIN AND HOLLAND GUARDING EASTERN GATEWAY SINGAPORE, Oct. 14. With the Far East situation growing more complex, there are increassigns of Anglo-Dutch amity. Not only are land, sea and air defences in the Dutch East Indies, just south of the Singapore Naval Base, being greatly strengthened, but Holland has taken steps to protect her oil wells in Dutch Borneo and has established a seaplane base and patrols between Sumatra and New Guinea. British and Dutch co-operation in the Far East became prominent when 21 defence craft visited Singapore from Java at the end of last year. Commodore's Comment In an interview which was quoted extensively in the world's Press, the commodore of the visiting naval squadron, Commodore C. E. L. Helfrich, said: “If in time of war Holland found Singapore useful, so would Britain find Sourabaya useful.” The interview created a stir in Europe and was disavowed by the Dutch East Indies naval Commander-in-Chief. But since then there have been repeated indications of AngloDutch co-operation. At the beginning of this year Jonkheer de Jonge, former GovernorGeneral of the Netherlands Indies, saia in an influential Amsterdam newspaper: “If Japan went to the Netherlands Indies with a big force, the Dutch Colony would have to eapiivlate.” Ships and Aircraft However, he added: “Let us not think of such a possibility, because Great Britain and America would not allow it. I expect no war between Japan and Netherlands India.” After the Singapore manoeuvres last February Dutch sympathy with Great Britain's task of defending Singapore against all attackers was revealed in the Netherlands Indian Press. In the meantime Holland is greatly strengthening her own defences in her eastern island empire. She is embarking on a new sea and air fleet programme, which will add three new cruisers, 12 destroyers, 18 submarines and 72 naval aeroplanes to her Far East forces. The army and land air defences are also being greatly increased.