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Possible Alternatives to the Canaries.

5.

On the assumption of a hostile Spain we have considered, as possible alternatives to the Canaries, the use of Casablanca and Oran.

(a) Casablanca has indifferent harbour facilities sufficient only for one capital ship at a time. Whether or not French resistance in North Africa is sustained, Casablanca would be open to a heavy scale of air attack even more so than the Canaries. Fighter and anti- aircraft defences on a high scale would be necessary, for which the resources could not be made available for a long time. If French resistance had collapsed in North Africa it would also be necessary to maintain a very large garrison to defend the large perimeter necessary to cover the port and the aerodromes of the defending aircraft against attack from the landward side.

(b) Oran is open to all the same objections as Casablanca, and is still nearer to hostile air bases in Spain.

Moreover, if the French resistance in North Africa had collapsed it would rely for its maintenance on sea-borne supply through the Straits of Gibraltar, and over several hundred miles of sea within easy range of hostile air bases. Even if the French were still holding out, the only alternative line of supply would be one railway of limited capacity, which is also open throughout its length to air attack from Spain.

For these reasons we do not consider that either of these alternatives would be suitable as a Naval base to cover the blockade of the Straits of Gibraltar.

Summary.

6.

To sum up, we propose:-

(i) That cruiser patrols shall be maintained to ensure that the Azores and the Cape Verde Islands do not fall into the hands of the enemy.

(ii) That in order to provide these patrols

the despatch of the 12 Territorial battalions to India and 8,000 details to the Middle East should be held up.

(Signed) T.S.V. PHILLIPS.

Richmond Terrace, S.M1.

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V.C.N.S.

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R.E.C. PEIRSE.

V.C.A.S.

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R.H. HAINING.

V.C.I.2.S.

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