Show SINGAPORE no nation approaches great britain in world power for years the british navy has been supreme because of the number of ships and coaling states and now added strength has been given especially in the far east by the fortifying of singapore singapore which js to be converted into a naval base by great britain occupies a position of immense strategic importance aa a glance at the map will show it is a small island square miles inarea situated at the southern extremity of the malay peninsula from which it is separated by a narrow strait three quarters of a mile wide it thui commands the strait of malacca the channel that lies between the malay peninsula and the island of sumatra forming the great gateway of commerce to and from the far east being a coaling station for the british navy as well as an important trade emporium singapore is already a fortified place its defense works are armed with big modern guns and a system of submarine mines has been carefully elaborated there is a permanent garrison of british troops artillery engineers and infantry supplemented ted by a considerable force of indian infantry also by a volunteer body of which the artillery and engineer branches abbl composed of europeans and the infantry of eurasians Eur asians and straits born chinese which Is the headquarters of great britaina Brit ains china squadron Is at the present time being greatly enlarged and strengthened as a naval station costly dockyard works being in process of completion this policy Is now to be applied to singapore where the cable tells us the docks hitherto private property have been purchased by the government singapore when adequately equipped will form one of a etring of re fitting and coal supply stations under the british flag stretching right from the atlantic to the pacific gibraltar malta and cyprus in the mediterranean sea and aden at the mouth of the red sea colombo in the island biot ceylon peuang and singapore in abo straits of malacca in chinese waters with wel bal wel further north but oc more doubtful and utility and for the present therefore left athla list in itself shows us how england first in the field for coaling stations has continued to secure all the choice places along the route from europe to the far east small wonder that germany which cannot send a war vessel from kiel to klao chou without coaling halt a dozen times at british ports considers herself euchred in the game |