WESTERN PACIFIC.
SECRET.
RFC -1VED
12 JUL 1938
X
Office of the High Commissioner
for the Western Pacific,
Suva, Fiji,
13th June," 1938.
26.
S8t
Sir,
I have recently received from the
Governor-General of New Zealand a copy of a
secret despatch, dated the 20th May, which has
been addressed to the Secretary of State for
Dominion Affairs, and for your convenience of
reference I attach copies to this despatch.
You will doubtless wish to receive at an early
date any comments which I may wish to make
from the point of view of Fiji and the Western
Pacific, and I therefore anticipate such a
request. , •.. ¦•;aB
2.    The extent of the future strategic
importance of the Pacific Islarris to the
British Qnpire is set forth, in paragraph 1 of
Lord Galway's despatch, in the quotation from
C.I.D. Paper C.O.S. 586.    The despatch then
proceeds to envisage the Fijian and Tongan
Groups as the key to New Zealand, and to draw
the conclusion that it is essential to prevent
an
The Right Honourable
The Secretary of State for the Colonies.
am?
an enemy from establishing himself in this
area.    Fiji, and by inference the Island of
Viti Leva, being selected as the best focal
point, it is stated that "the provision of
landing grounds and other facilities for the
operation of air reinforcements, will be an
important addition to the existing means of !
defence."    The existing means of defence are, i
as you are aware, extremely meagre.    Suva, the |
capital and the oil-fuelling station, possesses
no anti-aircraft guns and no artillery.    It j
has been presumed that air attack will not
assume serious proportions and that the main
danger would be a cruiser attempting to land
station
raiding parties to seize or destroy the cable ^
and the wireless station as well as the oil
fuel depots.    There is no question that suit-
able landing facilities for aeroplanes on Viti
Levu would provide a valuable addition to the
defences of Fiji by enabling air reinforcements
to arrive from New Zealand.    Incidentally I
feel that the existence of an aerodrome in Suva
or anywhere else as part of a defence scheme
should also connote anti-aircraft guns and
defences.    Nor is it clear to the layman why
aeroplanes with their concomitant necessity of
aerodromes should be selected for reconnaisance
purposes in an area where nature has been lavish
in
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in tiie provision of sheltered waters suitable
for the use of seaplanes.
3. The proposal to use Fiji as a focal
point, from which might run a series of
aerodromes on the Routes A. B. C. D. seems to
me to open up wider possibilities.    I gather
that the aerodromes are to be undefended -
indeed they could scarcely be defended in
present circumstances - and if that is the
case, may they not prove a double-edged weapon?
This seems to apply particularly to Route A,
which the New Zealand Government proposes to
take first.    It leads straight from Suva to
the Marshall Islands, but it also leads
straight from the Marshall Islands to Suva and
might facilitate the air attack which, in
present circumstances, from ships, is not
considered likely to be serious.    Whether or
not any re-fuelling stores are kept on the
route it would remain an inviting and open
road.    It is possible that the general improve
ment of coordination of wireless services in
the Western Pacific, which is now under con-
sideration, and the local scheme for establish-
ing local wireless links throughout the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands may obviate some of
the need for air reconnaisance in that direc-
tion other than by occasional seaplane visits.
4. I need hardly say that I am whole-
heartedly
5P —"
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heartedly in favour of proceeding, as soon
as your advisers consider it desirable, with
the provision of landing facilities for aero-
planes in Fiji, both seaplanes and land planes,
and the necessary technical and professional
advice would doubtless be available from New
Zealand and would be welcome.
5.    If you decide to approve in principle
the proposals made by the New Zealand Govern-
ment I shall of course render every possible
assistance to the officers detailed to make
preliminary surveys.     It will be realized that
I on any save the largest islands the clearance
of space necessary for an aerodrome would very
seriously affect the living resources of these
already over-populated atolls, but if the
strategic need is conceded such considerations
are relatively minor matters which can be
dealt with by some of the measures for transfer
of population to other islands of the Pacific
which I have now under consideration.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient,
humble servant,
High Commissioner.