\"THETPACIFIST: The gale rs open, sir.
Sure you won't obs naps contuenes?
1 gpslogias Poe None 20 the Wert" eave America and were they our enemies the trade routes would
ho Cape route has its safer alter-atoraily not "be in. operation. native in Suez, and should we lose command of Suez, we would have to withdraw from the Mediterranean, thus releasing our ships for the protection of the (me VULNENABLE POINT, It is evident then that we must go farther addd-and Took to the Fong serine from Aden to Bo thera routs' thence to: Melays to Colombo and Calcutta, the
and. Hongkong, the south-eastern tailings to Australia, aad" the whole of the China " Sea as the Most vulnerable in our defence.
Let us now eliminate the strong-"oat of these those which are more capable of being immediately and wall guarded without moving owe Meet foo fax from ite main base, 'a have naval ines at Aden and Bombay, and a cooling station in Colombo which in but -approxi-Buss Yor a light cruiser doing 25 mately six dave steaming from
Knots or seven Gays for a batt ship' doing 0. Thue 'a light ruler doing 14 days on. patrol with bases of Aden and Colombo Will cover the whole of the. are Yrom Meuritius northward Lo, that pounded by Lats. 20" South fand/30 North and Longs. 0 Bast and & Bnet; and with fuelling dations on the Wast African coast he aaoty of that shore lie could Going farther east wor come to "preserved. rage tha routessAden- or Colombo. to our present Light Cruiser Squadron and Submarine Flotilla stationed at He agkong, The route to. Shanghai lies in narrower waters than have been experienced inca leaving Aden, and the coasts fringing these waters contain hich would make {deal headquarters for a hostile force. "Responsible for the safety of these routes are five light cruisfers who, be it remembered, are equally responsible for the. whole the East Indies, who could possible hold the Formosa passage and the Malacca, Straits, Tt may than be scon that were we threatened in these waters it, would be necessary to call on a Ioager fleet, and had our opponent battleships within steaming radius of, say, Hongkong—that fe at a conservative estimate of bardy, miles places our present main 120 within striking distance of an enemy stationed anywhere Sapan, North China, New Guinea or Rangoon,' Our present—fleet might ibe able to avoid capture, but by their efforts to do #0 their uso in defence is immediately annulled. It is evident then that we must call on our battleships, and this is now impracticable be: eauiso we have no place to harbour 8 squadron secure from submarine attack and.no place whatever in event of damage in-Mlicted by: thio-enemy: or for. the necessary overhaul: during @ pro-
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