Friday,
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
June 14, 1940.
MAGAZINE PAGE
HARBOUR
INCHORAGE
Rosia
GIBRALTAR
BAY
Bauricks
Marracks
MILITARY
HOST NEGARAISON
Europa Bay
mie Barracks Barracks
EUROPA Pri
GUIDE
ΤΟ
GIB.
Grat important post on Britain's sea, route to In-
VIBRALTAR is big news to-day.. Its significance as
din and the Far East is apparent to everyone.
The Rock of Gibraltar is a precipitous narrow crag about three miles long running due north and south. It is also almost completely inaccessible both from the north and south, and it is only because there is a restricted shelf of land on the western alde that it is possible to maintain it as a naval base and 'gar- rison.
When approached from the Spanish side across the race- course and military cemetery, the Rock rises perpendicularly for nearly 1,00011. At
Europa
Polat, directly opposite the African coast, the cliffs rise to 200ft. On the castern side fliere is only a diminutivo beach called Catalan Bay, reached by a narrow track from the north.
The naval harbour works are How very considerable, and have been developed from the first days of the occupation. The amount of ground available for building, and the erection of sheds and barracks was so small that 64 acres had to
bo reclaimed from the sea Some of the recovered innil near the Alameda Gardens was once 40ft.
under water.
To-day the enclosed anchorage, within the huge stone moles, ex- tends to 440 acres. Even at low ide there is clearance of 30ft. In addition, there are three large graving docks, one of them extend- ing to more than 80011.
the
During the Great War Gibraltor was a main coaling station for the British Fleet. Latterly dockyards have been equipped with huge oil fuel stores.
to
The harbour is deep enough at Bil times
the accommodate Mediterranean Fleet in safe an- chorage. And in Admiralty Inngl- age Gibraltar. is known as H.M.S. -Commorant-for-the-purposes.oLre-_
cord.
--
THERE are hidden gallertes all over the Rock and an elaborate tunnelling system. An attempt is being made to equip the forts with sufficiently heavy artillery to de- fend the harbour below against any nttack.
Until recently there was scarce- ly uny anti-aircraft organisation, but now. n, battery has been added the garrison and, further, special local defence force being organised.
to
#
The present Governor and Com-. mander-in-Chief is the famous soldier General Sir Edmund Iron- side. He has under his command a force of some 3,211, consisting of two battalions of infantry--the 2nd King's Regiment and the 2nd Somerset Light Infantry, a Fortress Company of the Royal Engineers, three howitzer batteries, and de talls of Signals and the various corps of the commissarlat.
ATLANTIC OLEAN
SPAIN SOCADIZ
ALGE
GIOR CIRASON DA
TAFIT
•GURALTAR
GIBRALTAR
CLUTAO
TANDEL
PERICIL
APANI
MOROTES
„MEDITERRANEAN
YOU MAY
NOT KNOW
BULGARIA
GRIECE,
Gallipoli
TURKE
Black
Sea
ISTANBUL
Dardanelles
TURKEY
That the Dardanelles, the
narrow strait uniting the Sca
An innocent ·
abroad looks at ERANCE
Corsi
ALGERIA
(Fr.)
TALY
ROME
SICILY
TUNIS
100 700 MUNS
MALTA
[Br.
QUESTION: Where and what is Pantelleria?
ANSWER: A KITLATI Italian Island strategically placed be- Africa, tween Italy and North transformed into a sen and alr base in the last two years.
Like nearby Malto, the British base, it seeks to command the ballle-neck which Joins the western and eastern basins of the Mediterranean,
Some experts say it is better placed than Malta because it les like an anchored battleship right In the only deep-water channel, while Malta Is further to the Boull-cast.
Forty-five
square miles In area, it is crowned by 2,700 feet
high Monte Grande,
Why Tunis gives Italy a headache
by
HARRY GREENWALL
GABES (Tunisla). THE vital importance the French General Staff at- taches to the Protectorate of Tunisia may be gathered from a rémark made to me by a high French official who said: "If Italy declares war we shall in- vade Tripolitania so as to INCE
protect Egypt."
IT:
CORSICA (FR)
Rome SARDINIA
Algiers
Tunis
SICILY
GERIA
200
Mites
Gadames
GRIN AND BEAR IT
PRIVATE
་
ITALIAN LIBYA
By Lichty
STORT BASEBAL OPENING
241
jihy 45
"Can I have to-morrow afternoon off, Boss? My grand- mother's getting married again!”
of Marmara with the Acgoan. A FEW FACTS ABOUT
is the of the two
ways to the Black Sea; the
other is the Bosphorus.'
For nearly 500 years Tur- key has been the guardian of
Dardanelles the
and the
The strait, 47 miles long. divides the peninsula of Galli- poll, on the north-west, from Asia Minor, on the south- THE native
cast. pupulation, mostly
Its strategic import- descended from Italian and Spanish ance is obvious. settlers, totals 10,880. Their num- bers are severely restricted by the authorities because of the limited space in the little town..
"The Rock" has been a symbol of British mastery at 1704, when it was surprised by n combined British and Dutch fleet under Sir George Rooke. Since then it has been maintained as a naval and military base, and only once has our possession been ser ously threatened-at the time of the American War of Indepen- dence, when the Spaniards fald olege to it for four years from 1778 to 1783.
Bosphorus. sen since
For the past 150 years the his- tory of the Rock has been almost uneventful. Even during the Great War it did not figure in any pro- minent naval Incidents, although all those years 114 harbour was tho scene of great naval activity,
THE PERFECT BABY-
JOAN CONSTANCE BENNETT, of Frinrs-gate, Exeter, was once award- ed naliver jug as a perfect baby.
Last week she collapsed and died. She had complained of toothache and about her throat.)
A pathologist, at the inquest, at- tributed her death to a germ which,
he thought, entered the bloodstream through a tooth socket.
Joan, Lone, of 10 children, have been hinein
July
would
After Turkey's defeat in the last war the Straits' were
in
vessel
declared "open, both peace and war, to
every -of--commerce-or-of-war"!...
(Treaty of Sevres, 1920).
This was changed when Turkey recovered under Kemal's loadership. The Straits, demilitarised, were to be closed to warships of any one Power exceeding the strength of the strongest Black Sea fleet (Treaty of Lausanne, 1923).
Thirteen years later, after the Abyssinian and Rhineland crises, Turkey won her do- mand for revision (Montreux Convention, 1936): She was given the right:
1. To remilitarise Straits.
the
2. If engaged in war, to close the Straits. '
3. If threatened by war, to close the Straits unless the League Council decided. this step was not justified." ;
OUR NEW
NEW ENEMY
- ITALY -
Area 119,714 sq. miles. Population 43,578,000.
The extent of land frontiers is 1,185 miles, coast: length being 5,326 miles.
· Agriculture, including the growing of grapes and olives, forms the principal Industry, agricultural land extending to 70,548,878 acres, Is practically self-supporting in foodstuffs, produce of cereals _totalling 10,000,000 tons,
Textiles are the largest and most important manufacturing industry.
Italy is not rich in mineral deposits, and is especially lacking in coal. Production of iron and steel amounts to only about 3,000,000 tons.
The chemical industry has been greatly de- veloped, the production of sulphuric acid being 15,317,273 tons. Oil output is almost negligible.
Mercantile marine totals 2,071,830 tons gross. Italy's colonial empire is principally in Africa, and consists of Italian East Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia · and Italian Somaliland) and Libya. On Good Fri- day, April 7, 1939, Italy invaded Albania, which in now part of the Italian Empire and is administered by a Lieutenant-General... Population 1,000,000. Area 10,629 sq. miles.
I have reason to know that this plan is within the know- ledge of the Italian Govern- ment, and accounts in no small measure for the outbursts of claims respecting Tunisia.
The Italian-inspired Press states that the French intend to use this country as a jump- ing-off place to attack Tripo- litanib.
Whatever may be the truth concerning the Italian allegation, It must be a well-established foet that the French have absolutely nothing to fear from an kalian at- fack launched from the neighbour- ing culony,
The so-called Tunisian Maginot Line runs southwards from this city alongside the foothills which themselves descend perpendicu- larly to the Italian frontier. It is claimed that this colonial Maginot Line ta even stronger than the Line alongside the Rhine.
. With the official secrets I bave nothing to do, but even a layman cannot imagine any foreign state- gist launching au attuck in this forlorn terrain.
Impassable Barrier
GABES is approximately 250 miles from Tunis, and is linked to it by a rallway line which follows the contours of the coast. The "pill-boxes" and subterranean fortresses which form the first line of defence may be even stronger than the experts say they are; but, at all events, the second line of defence, which is provided by Nature herself, is an impassable -barrier-which-will-defy any weapon-
of offence..except.aeroplanes.
This second line is nothing less than two huge salt lakes which, except for a few miles, link the Algerian-Tunisian frontier with the Mediterranean.
In Arabic a lake is enlled "Chott." To the extreme west is Chott el Gharsa, which goes from the Al- gerian frontier eastwards to a small and narrow neck of land which separates the lake from the enorm- ous Chott el Djerid, the end of which is roughly 20 miles from the Mediterranean.
So, even 37
an attacking 'force successfully overran the "Maginot" Line" along the mountains to the south, it would be faced by a pro- blem such as no military chief since Hannibal has ever had face,
10
From impressions gained by per-.. sonal Inspection, and from know- ledge imparted by persons who speak with the voice of authority, I am able to affirm that the French General Staff does not anticipate any danger from the mouth, but if the danger of allack does terialise it will come from the east, and for, this reason work in going on day and night to forily the Gulf of Hammamet,
ma-
Huge batteries of long-rango guns have been erected just to the north of Sousse, and other batteries are being built between Zaghouart and “Hammamet.
Bone Of Contention
IT is claimed that the Port of Bizerte, north of Tunis, is a ter rideally strong position, and that the artificial lako behind Bizerte is big, enough and deep enough to hold the whole British Mediter- raneon Fleet in comfort and safe- ty.
This, I am afraid, is at the pre- sent moment rather on exaggera...” tion.
The territory of Tunisia is about one-third the size of France, but a considerable part of it is uninha... bilable. The population at the Inst census was 2,400,000.
ol
We at home are apt to think "of this country, or one of those very 'far away places, and, yet do you
know, this backdoor colony France is just a mere 28 hours by son from Marseilles, and by plane Just un fniarvał balwem in carly. breakfast and a Inte lunch?
HONGKONG WAR GIFT
Public Meeting Called
Next Friday
For
At the recent public meeting in 5%. Andrew's Hall, which was called to discuss waye and means of assisting the British War Organisation Fund. it was considered that many local re- sidents would like to be associated with an effort to raise money for some speclio it, such as an acro- plane, an ambulance, a tank molor torpedo-boat, and the Rev. J. R. Higgo was asked to call another- publie meiing to decide which one of these should be selected,
or
Mr. Higgs therefore announces that a publle meeting will be held in the Rose Room of the Peninsula Hotel next Friday, June 21, at 0 p.m.
All members and sections of the public on both sides of the harbour are invited to be present, and it is hoped that the attendance will be worthy of the purpose of the meet- ing.
BANKS
THE CHARTERED BANK OF INDIA, AUSTRALIA & CHINA.
Tacorporated "by Royal Charter 1853, Faid-up Capital .............. £3,000,000 Reserve Liability of Proprietors 43,000,000 Heserve Fund
............................... £3,000,00
HEAD OFFICE:-LONDON. 38 Bishopsgate, E.0.1. Rub-Agencies in London: 117/123, Leadenhall Street, E.CA. West End ranchi 14/16, Cockspur street, 8.W3.
Manchester Branch:
57, Moshy Street, Manchester, 2.
AGENCES AND BRANCHEB:
Alor Star Arrir tar Bangkok Batavia Bombay
Rangoon Haigon
Harbin
Hongkong
Ipoli
Semarang
Jolto
Seremban
Karachi
Shanghai
Calcutta
Klang
Singapore
Agencies:
Kobe
Clive Street
Kunla
Sitiawan Hourabaya
Fatrie Placo Lumpur
Taiping
Canton
Kuching
Tientsin
Cawnpore
Madras
Tangkah
Cebu Colombo
Manita
(huket)
Madan
Tsingtao
New York
Yokohama
Haiphong Hamburg
Paiping
(Peking)
Penang
Delh!
Hankow.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE and Genera Banking Budders transacted.
CURRENT ACCOUNTS opened and FIXED DEPOSITS received for One Year or shorter periods in Local or Other Cur remotes at Yales which will be quoted on application.
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS also opened is Local Cultancy and Sterling with intere allowed at rates obtainable on application
The Bank's Hond Office in London undertakes Executor & Trustee businest, and claims, jecovery of British · Incone Tax overpaid, on terms which may be scertained al any of its Agencies" and Branches.
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CENTRAL CLEAN "COMFORTABLE-FIREPROOF
HIS MASTER'S VOICE
A LIGHT CLASSICAL PROGRAMME
"DA1885-6 William Tell
DA1703 Trees,
Overture
Smiling through C 3132-3 Hungarian Fontasin (Liszt)
DA1713
Matilnota
Serenade (Toselli)
Toscanini and N.B.C. Symphony orch, .Nelson Eddy. Moisevitch with London. Philharmonic orch.
...Gigi
|-0-3121—Mignon- -Overture-www:Boston Promenade orch.- C3135Liebestraum. Goodbye-member....Websler-Booth.
.Marek Webers orch.
Andante Cantabile (Tschaikowsky)...New Hungarian quartet. Berenade (Schubert)
C 3123
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Wine, women and song. Waltz Dreams on the ocean.
If you had but known (Denza). Immortal Strauss. Medley
Gilbert & Sullivan, Selection Desert Song." Vocal gems
Webster Booth.
Viennese Waltz orch. .New Mayfair orch. ..Light opera company,
TSANG FOOK PIANO COMPANY.
MARINA HOUSE
19 QUEEN'S ROAD C,
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HONG KONG SOCIETY. FOR THE
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN,
THE SOCIETY ASKS TON
$35,000
in 1940 to meet the Increasing needs of sick and destitute children In Hongkong, against which the Income to date 1 $22,000 only.
In order to continue its work, The Society' ap- Don for the balance of
#13.000
before the close of the financial yeır on 31st October
The Socity now administers to over 2,000 children at ught Centres and, in addition, supporte za children at various Institutions and. 09 bables at Ita Creche,
Hon. Treurern (from whom a copy of the Annual Report for 1000 may be obtained)i
Mr. A. McKellar, C.A.
0/ Mackinnon Mecrencie '& Co.'
P. & G. Building.
- Dr. Kwak' Chan,
c/o This Banqué de L'Indo-Chine.
HONG KONG
lat, Junė, 1940,