1938-02-15 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 15, 1938.

New Problem

Problem Of Mediterranean

Britain Requires A Fresh Strategic Focus

HE Mediterranean Sea has been

TH

a vital artery of the British

Empire ever since we acquired In-

In The Near East

dia and our possessions in the Far forces, armies and navies are to-that Leros is the same distance from East and created two great Domin- day immobolised. Russia could them and would equally be expos- ions in the South Pacific. Its im- supply both oil and corn. Turkey,ed to aerial attack. portance has been intensified since however, can close the door com- the construction of the Suez Canal. pletely at the Dardanelles.

While our strategy has always led' us to be strong in the Mediter-

MALTA AND EGYPT

ed relations with Italy, which we hope may only be temporary.

There is the war in Spain, the sitnatin in Palestine and unrest in the. Mohammedan world. - We have no reserve in this area of any kiad. The garrisons 'n Palestina and in Egypt are no more than ade. All these disadvantages are only Our own position in the Medi-quate for their immediate respon- ranean, in the ever-shifting kalei-too well known to the Italian Gen-terranean has elements of consider-sibilities. In the event of serious doscope of foreign affairs the cen-/eral Staff, and the correct strategy able strength. It is true that Malta trouble arising in the Middle East. tre of gravity is constantly chang- for them would seem to be to make is only 70 miles from Sicily and is our reserves must come from else-

things as uncomfortable for us as therefore much exposed to air at-where. possible in Egypt and Palestine, tack. During the Abyssinian crisis where lie, as I have already sug-it was considered inadvisable to use gested, the keys to the situation.

ing.

Once more we have to take stock of the position, for the balance has been changed by the war in Abys- sinia and the deterioration of our relations with Italy, with whom we 'had been hitherto bound by ties of close friendship.

If our Fleet were dispersed

ON

ia

it as a base for our battleships or other duties the passage of trans- as a dockyard. There could, how-ports through the narrow part of They appear to have taken this ever, be no question of withdrawing the Mediterranean might be a mat- ter of great difficulty. From Sicily view. There is a large and in from it completely.

to Cape Bon in North Africa fluential Italian population of 100,- 000 in Egypt, which naturally Our garrison in Egypt consists only 70 miles. Reserves could also makes the most of Italian prestige of two infantry brigades, a mech- be sent from India to Basra and

· It was apparent that the further acquired from their victory in Abys-Janised cavalry brigade, two artil thence across the desert to Pales- Italy committed herself in Abyssinia sinia and their considerable armed lery brigades and a tank battalion.tine, but this would take time. An- in Libya. In Pales-In Palestine we have six battalions other alternative would be the Cape the more completely she became de-strength

Arabian tine and the

countries of infantry. As for the air, we route to Suez, but this would be Canal, pendent on the Suez

In

there is a good deal of Pan-Arab have eight. squadrons in the Middle even slower. those circumstances, in the event of hostilities between the two coun- propaganda, and Signor Mussolini, East Command and in Palestine, tries, we were in a position

to when opening that wonderful strate- and five squadrons that could easily strangle her East African Empire gic road in Libya from the Tunis-be made available from the new completely by the mere act of clos-ian to the Egyptian frontier, de- Air Force base at Dhibban in Irak. ing the Canal. Equally, so long as clared himself to be the Protector we held the command of the sea in the Mediterranean, we could deny her access to her colony in Libya. Egypt and the Canal, therefore, were seen to be the keys of Eastern Mediterranean.

ITALY SUPPLIED BY SEA

of Islam.

RESERVE

RESERVE IN PALESTINE

Does not everything point to the fact that, with the changing situa- forces The invasion of Egypt from Libya tion, the grouping of our would be an ertremely difficult un- must change also? I suggest that great we ought to establish a strategic In Libya the garrison has been dertaking, as there is the raised in the past year from one natural protection of a waterless reserve in Palestine, and, perhaps, width. Even Cyprus, which would be available army corps to two, perhaps 40,000 'desert 200 miles in the

for any calls that might be made upon it.

BY-

MAJOR-GEN. A. C. TEMPERLEY

ÉNOVAJ ME

The most essential part of it must be the Army, because the main object is to have the forces avail- The strategical position of Italy

ablet on the spot and so avoid the is an exceedingly difficult one. She is almost entirely dependent upon

dangers and delays of a long sea journey. Whether it should be pro- her seaborne trade both for food and for raw materials. Her poli-

vided from the Home Establish- ment or from India is a matter that tical relations make it unlikely that

In includes with considerable mechanised forces she would receive supplies from to 50,000 men in all.

would require consideration." either France or Jugoslavia in case a number of motorised formations it would be no light matter to send

The Air Force is in a slightly of war, and her only other

land and a powerful air force. The pre- them across the Libyan desert where

a local force would there is no possibility of conceal-different position. While frontiers are with Switzerland and sence of this large

seem to serve three purposes. Itment of any kind from air attack.increase is desirable, it is capable Austria.

is a potential threat to Egypt which They would be compelled to carry of reinforcement from far-distant cannot be ignored; it undoubtedly their water and petrol supplies with bases at the shortest notice, provid- East; and it them and fight a battle at the ended that the ground organisation impresses the Middle 1 is valuable as an over-insurance in of it with their communications ex-exists at the threatened point, as

communications posed to every form of hostile pres-it would in this case.

It would be possible for Germany to send supplies across both these frontiers by rail, but Germany her self is far from self-supporting

reserves in case

with Libya (are severed by naval sure and with possibility of ob- The problem that we have to con-

action.

though she is making great efforts

they sider is the location of our forces taining any supplies unless to become so, and she would have

won their battle. The topographi-for immediate action in time of little to spare for Italy. In any

The size of the garrison is, of cal difficulties go a long way to crisis. I suggest that they should case the ordinary flow of trade is by sea, and the Italian railways course, a threat to Tunis as well, redressing the apparent inequality be spread along our lines of com-

French of forces in this region.

munication rather than concentrat- have not the capacity to handle the of which, no doubt, the

ed at home for a potential Contin- have taken due note. The Italian enormously increased bulk which

There does seem, however, to be ental commitment. The coming of would be created by the diversion population of 100,000 in Tunis` ac-

we the aeroplane has forced us to re- fsupplies from sea to land routes.tually outnumbers the French poa useful lesson for us, when

pulation there. The French garri- consider all the possibilities, re-orient our strategy, and we should The Medi- do well to realise the full implica- son in North Africa is large, and, wote as they may be. For the essential materials for

of tions of this without any further munitions Italy is extremely badly a considerable part of it would terranean is the focus-point placed. She is completely dependent normally be available to reinforce many problems in addition to strain- delay. upon import for rubber, platinum, the metropolitan army in France, tin, nickel and tungsten, and almost but there is much unrest in North completely so for coal, copper, cot-Africa at present, and this and the ton, iron, lead, manganese, oil, wool presence of the big Libyan garri➡ of and zinc,

son might limit the number troops it would be possible to de - DOOR TURKEY CAN CLOSE

spatch in case the position critical on the French frontiers. The greater part of her seaborne The Italians have also been con- trade comes via the Straits of structing a naval base at Leros, in Gibraltar or the Suez Canal, both the Dodecanese, only 20 miles from of which we are in a position to the coast of Asia Minor, where it control. The third channel is the is some embarrassment to the Turks. Haifa, Black Sea and the Dardanelles. The Leros is 550 miles from attitude towards her. of Russia, about the same distance from Al- 370 miles from Rumania-and Turkey would always exandria, be an extremely important deration, Rumania

་

and

were

is heronsi- | Cyprus. While it is true that these

chief important harbours are

within

source for oil, without which airbombing distance, it is equally true

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