1940-05-03 — Page 6

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The

Hongkong Telegraph.

Friday, May 3, 1940.

Wyndham St., Hongkong Telephone: 20015

THE predx "Special to the Telegraph" istised by the tongkong Telegraph" to Indicate news which is strictly copyright under the provisions of the Telecommuni- estions Ordinance, 1930 Buch news AT hears the indicatión "Up" is received in Hongkong on the date of publication by the United Pres Associations, who re- servo all rights and forbid republication, either wholly or in part without previous arrangemen

Friendly Spain

The

W

WITH Sicily at its toe, the long Italian peninsula divides the Mediterranean into a western and eastern basin, joined by a comparatively narrow channel between

Amid the din of totalitarian Sicily and Africa, in the boastings and the welter of middle of which stands the diplomatic offensives, the signi- fortified Italian island of ficance of the trade agreement Pentellaria. between Britain and Spain should not be lost sight of.

For many months Spain in her domestic travail occupied the centre of the European picture.

All the French naval bases lie in the western basin, Toulon be- ing the main fleet base. The British Mediterranean Fleet has two fortified bases, one at Gibral- fur and the other at Malta.

In a war in which Italy and Many believed that she would Britain were involved -be-one-of-the-main-battlefields posite sides, Gibraltar would be

of the next Great War.

She has been spared that fate, and is quictly getting on with

on op-

usable by the fleet unless, of In nurse, Spain also joined in. that event, the naval harbour is easily commanded by long range

guns from the Spanish side of

the tasks of reconstruction. anxious only to cultivate the the bay, and air attack from ad-

arts of pence.

joining Spanish territory would The main purpose of

thebe easy. agreement with Britain is to re-

for a long time we have been

As F

defensive

-Strube in the “Daily ExpresA”

Mediterranean

Situation

The British Government has ordered shipping normally using the Mediterranean route to divert to the Cape. This article explains, very simply, just what are the present problems and anxieties of the Admiralty in the inland sca.

SPAIN

300

Miles

CORS

ALGERIA

(Fr.)

SIA

Commander

by Russell Grenfell

ITALY

Truoli

formerly on the staff of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and an acknowledged

CORFU (Greece)

ITALIAN

LIBYA

authority on naval strategy.

RKEY

Alexandra EGYP

Sult

}

This need not mean that the just as close to the Turkish steam and motor torpedo-boats, in combination, the prospects are very establish the trade relations that fortress would be lost. On the mainland as Malta is to the all of which small classes of ship the satisfactory; always provided that the obtained before the civil war. contrary, there is every reason to Italian, and would presumably, its possess a large superiority. British Fleet base is ressonably

Opinions differ as to whether it secure. be a very therefore, be just as subject to would be possible to force a passage In the larger classes of worship, This is assuredly as much in think that it would

air attack, should Turkey happen for merchant shipping in the face of and taking the British Mediterranean Spain's interest as in Britain's; hard nut to crack.

The only land approach is over to be on the wrong side, as she such opposition, but there is no doubt Fleet at its present strength, the that to do so would occupy the whole French and British have six battle- In narrow and perfectly flat sandy probably would.

attention, of the British Fleet and ships to the Italians' two, two air- one of her best customers. Full neck, entirely overlooked by ob-

seriously hamper its offensive opera- craft carriers to the Italians' none, ten details of the treaty are not yet servers on the Rock.

tions.

heavy and nine lighter cruisers to the In the event of a Mediterranean available, but it is expected that

war, the main British defensive In view of the extremely promising Italians' seven and 18, and 04 de- they will reveal substantial nd-

commitment would be the mainten- results to be expected of offensive stroyers to the Italians' '50, about 30 vantages also to this country.

position, ance of the shipping route through action, it is, therefore highly desir- of the French destroyers being par that sen. If both Italy and Spain able that the Fleet should be freed ticularly large and powerful shipe. General Franco has not shown Gibraltar is exceedingly strong, were scainst us, those routes would of the embarrassment of the Medi- In the face of this combination, Italy is vulnerable indeed. Of her a disposition to complicate com-zines and shelters cut deep into two places.

and the galleries, tunnels, maga be chiefly liable to interruption at terranean trafic.

Fortunately, this traffic is not as total Imports, 85 per cent. are sea- resemblance to the alcazar at though it has often been spoken of supplies coming through the Suez through either the Suez Canal or the In any case, it is probable that Toledo, which Spaniards should menace is not the most serious one, of the total, and for them there is by the whole of this 85 per cent, could with particular concern, this western Canal average only about 12 per cent. Straits of Gibraltar. Almost certain- be cut off, and with them would go the course of events in the last be the first to appreciate.

Guns overlooking the Straits of the alternative Cape route.

the Italian communications with Malta is not very differently Gibraltar could not effectively prevent Trade with countries inside the eight months has brought him placed to Gibraltar. True, it is the passage of merchant ships, still Mediterranean comes to another 10 Abyssinia and probably with Libya. nearer to the democracies' point an island, but it is only 40 odd less of warships.

per cent. or thereabouts. But the Italy has a particularly long const of view than to that of Germany miles from Sicily and is there short, and the coasts

The narrow part of the Straits is so main thing is that there are no Bri- line with many important towns. on open out so tish supplies pasuing Gibraltar that the sea shore. Should It unfortunate- Hitler's pact with Bolshevism fore exposed to air attack in war steeply each side of it, that even a cannot be obtained, if necessary, from ly happen that air bombing of cities.

to an extent that would probably slow ship could pass the dangerous elsewhere,

causes a deterioration in warlike con- was a severe shock to Madrid-prohibit its use as a naval base, area during the dark hours.

As regards France, the threat to her ventions, these coast towns would A more serious danger would be on sea routes with North Africa from a fall an easy prey to warships guns. us to Rome.

That, at all events, was the attacks from the southern Spanish hostile occupation of the Balearle If Spain is more self-supporting opinion ailently expressed by the coast to the eastward of the Straits. Ialands la hardly as bad as is fre- than Italy, she, too, is peculiarly ex- Mediterranean Fleet on the occa- This, however, would lack the co- quently urged.

posed to maritime pressure. With a. Those routes can be reached well suporlor British flect on her Atlantic sions of the crises of 1935-and-ardiantion with other forms of attack

mercial questions with inter- the rock give it many points of One would be at Gibraltar. Al- heavy as many people think. British borne, and about 70 per cent. come

national politica,

TROOPS, STUFF

FOR USE OF

THE Expeditionary Force institutes have received these orders from unita

1938, when it evacuated. Malts which, as we shall see, is to be ex- enough from Irun, aval bases in crests, a superior French-flect on her

pected farther, enst.

other

as a whistle.

Italy and Sardinia, and the fact that Mediterranean and with France it. and went to Alexandria. But

and more serious danger some of the ships might use the self making the only other frontier, evacuation does not neccssurily point la the channel between Sicily Balearic Islands ought not to make her trade would be cut off as clenn

that area, ships very much difference. Imply capture. An Italian land- and Africa. In

would be exposed to a concentrated ing would be a difficult and

attack by Italian aircraft rendered all hazardous operation.

local

In France for the troops' fare:-

the more formidable by the fact that Air attack from the islands would What could she gain? Possibly The Italian bases are natural- the predominance of the German Air also serve to intensify an existing Gibraltar. But while Spanish guns Turkeys, 50,0001b. | Pork, 50,000l.

Force in Europe would presumably danter, rather than create a new one. were pounding at the Rock, French ly mostly in Italy, Sicily and bestow on the Italians a Greese, 1,000lb.

Sproute, 0,0001b. Sardinia, but Italy has a small superiority over the French in South Baleurie Islands are within comfort- covering the advance of the French

Nor should we forget that the guns across the Straits would“, „bo- Chickens, 700lb. | Potatoes, 20 tons base at Tobruk in Libya and a Mediterraneen waters,

For dessert these items will be "secret" island base at Leros in

able bambing range of both France North Africa army into Spanish- and North Africa, and might there- Morocco. needed: nuts, 27,000l.; apples, 60-the Dodecanese (north-west of

fore be made nearly as unhealthy na Italian participation in die war 000lb.; dates, 1,500 boxes; oranges, Rhodes), where ho foreigner is Moreover, this air attack could bo Molta.

seems to offer very little advantage. When we turn to consider the offer to Italy, though It might be of nd- allowed to land. This base is large numbers of submarines and of sive possibilities of the Anglo-French vantage to Germany.

accompanied by the operations of

105,000; bananas, 20,000,

די