1939-12-16 — Page 7

HONGKONG DAILY PRESS

יו

NAZI POCKET BATTLESHIP

CABLE

FORCED TO

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1939. -PAGE 7

SEEK REFUGE IN MONTEVIDEO AFTER

H

TERRIBLE MAULING

Decks A Shambles Of Dead And Wounded

LONDON, Dec. 15 (Reuter)-The latest, but badly dam- aged, Nazi pocket-battleship, Admiral Graf Spee, is now licking her wounds, which are plainly visible from the shore, in Montevideo, while outside a British warship is sailing up and down on patrol, ·

The damage to the Admiral Graf Spee has put the Ger- mans in somewhat of a predicament. The German Minis- ter in Montevideo says she was forced into harbour by lack of fuel.

At the same time, the Berlin Official German News Agency is alleging that the British warships. used mustard gas, which spoiled part of the ship's food and that is why she put in to Montevideo.

Graf Spee

Continued From Page 1

In any case, it is not believed that the Graf Spee will be in a ft state to fight her way out of harbour with any chance of reaching Germany #fely.

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 15 (Reuter)-Without food, with confusion on board, and her decks a shambles of dead and wounded, the

Miss Mya Dein, deputy leader of the Burmese Mission to

national

headdress Chungking. at a tea party. Her beautiful was greatly admired.

New Zealand's Part

Graf Spee crept In First Real Naval

into Montivideo harbour last night like a wounded animal worried by terriers.

Uruguayan officials stated that her officers were tho-

Engagement Of The War

LONDON, Dec. 15 (Reuter)-A talk on the battle be- roughly dispirited when they tween the three British cruisers the Admiral Graf Spee was given from Daventry by Commander Taprell-Doring, reached port.

better known to his many readers as "Taffrail."

The whole incident is still re garded in Germany as a very signal triumph and it is argued that the Members of the British pocket battleship has proved to be Legation, returning from a a perfect weapon for prowling the visit to the British cruisers, sets and harrying merchant ves-which are also anchored in sels

Montevideo, assert that their crews are intact and that they suffered no casualties.

The Berlin correspondent of the Roterdamsche Courant thinks that Germany's ship-building pro- gramme may be altered according- ly..

REINFORCED SQUADRON MONTEVIDEO, Dec. 15 (Reuter)

A strongly reinforced squadron of British warships is patrolling "the mouth of the River Plate, out- side of Montevideo, where the Graf Spee is expected to remain until Sunday at the least.

It is announced that the Urugua- Jan Government might allow her

to remain as long as is necessary to make, repairs, and the same facility would be granted to Bri- tish warships.

A very good reason for thinking that she may accept Internment for the duration of the war. rather than risk another engagement, is that the crew is effecting such "re- pairs as they can themacives as shipyard engineers have refused the request for assistance by the German Legation and a company is also preventing its steel from being used by any other concern for the purpose.

Sixty-two survivors of British vessels sunk by the Graf Spee were' landed last night.

Interviewed, they confirmed that there was no truth in the Kas shells allegation and rec- komed that the Graf Spee was hit 16 timeL

One survivor said that the Ger-

NELSON'S SIGNAL Press reports

that state Commodore Hardwood, before the action made Nelson's famous signal: "England Ex- pects Every Man To Do His Duty." from the cruiser Ajax. who Press representatives, made a launch trip around the Graf Spec, reported the ves- sel's state 25 "shocking" eloquent evidence of the excel- lence of British gunnery-as she bore shell marks all along the waterline. A huge hole gaped in her control-tower. which was completely per- forated and there was another hole in her bows.

A BRITISH

VICTORY

US Press On

Graf Spee Battle

man crew's average age was 23. NEW YORK, 15 (Reuter)-The They were astonished at being en-newspapers describe the Graf Spee gaged in battle and thought that their only job was to sink cargo ships.

<

EXETER SIGHTED

|

fight as the first big naval" battle of the war in streamer headlines and proclaim it a British victory. It is believed here that the Graf | Spee will be interned in Uruguay! for the duration of the war,

The Exeter, he said, was a vessel of 8,400 tons, carry- ing six eight-inch guns, while the Ajax and Achilles. sister ships of about 7,000 tons each carried eight six-inch guns. All three have a speed of about 32 knots.

The Achilles is actually one

of the two cruisers in the New Zealand Squadron (the other being the Leander, the flagship) and "Taffral?" said that as she was chiefly man- ned by New Zealanders, con- gratulations were due to New Zealand for the part she had played in the first real naval engagement of this war.

POWERFUL ARMAMENTS Unlike the Rawalpindi - Deut- schland battle, «tlils one was not sọ onesided Although the Admiral

Graf Spee is knots slower than the British ships, she carries six eleven-inch guns firing a shell of 716-pounds each, with a range limited only by visibility and dis- tance."

The Exeter's shells, although or the same range, were only 256- pounds while the man-handled six-inch shells of the Ajax and achilles weight only 100-pounds. each.

A broadside from the Graf Spec, therefore, would weigh about 4,708-pounds, while a broadside from the combined British ships would only weigh 3,136-pounds.

None of the four ships were heavily armoured and a single shell from the Nazi ship might, well have sunk onla of the British ships. But, in the tradi- tional style of the Royal Navy, our ships did not hesitate. They attacked the German vessel and forced her to take refuge in a battered condition.

THE FINAL END

It was impossible to say what the final of the Admiral Graf Spee International law per-"

a neutral

81 KILLED IN CHLORINE GAS EXPLOSION

BUCHAREST, Dec. 15 (Reu- ter)-A heavy loss of life i reported as a result of an DX- plosion in a chlorine factory in Trans-Sylavania,

Tanks of chlorine gas blew up during the night and so far the bodies of 81 factory work- ery have been recovered. Others are injured or gassed.

Escaped chlorine gas badly, hampered rescue work

ALLIED CONTROL

EFFECTIVE

LONDON, Dec. 15 (Reuter)-The effect of the British and Allied control on German exports is shown in the November trade figures issued by the United States Government.

It is revealed that Germany had only imported £500 of goods into Germany in November, compared.. with £3,000,000 in November last year.

I

-L

The next few days should see some interesting developments.

It is "interesting to note, concluded "Tafrall,” that the mań after whom she is named, Admiral Grat Spee, was defeat- ed at Falkland Islands on Dec. 8. 1914, twenty-five years ago. MINISTER'S PRAISE LONDON, Dec. 15 (Reuter)

Capt. Dove, of the Africa Shell, one of the vessels sunk by the Graf Spee, said that the battleship It is reported in messages fram will be. thought that she was near some Montevideo that the Captain of its her to remain in

the Lord Chatfield, Minister for Co- cargo ships when she sighted 'the German ship asked the Ger- port long enough to make

sea. Ordination of Defence, eulogising H.MS. Exeter. The order to man; man Minister in Uruguay to nego-necessary repairs to become positions was sounded.

tiate with the Uruguayan Govern-worthy and to take on enough fuel the men of the Exeter; Ajax and the "I and my colleagues were lock-ment for the battleship's im-to reach the nearest port of her Achilles, in a statement in

House of Lords, said that the Bri-. ed up in the mess deck. The Grat mediate internment for the dura-country. but nothing else. Spee opened fire and the Exeter tion of the war on the grounds that If the German warship is in- tish warcraft had been hunting immediately replied. We played it would be impossible for her to terned, she will be out of action for the Nazi pocket-battleship" for cards, including bridge, throughout make the necessary repairs within for the duration of the war. It weeks. the battle.

the twenty-four hours she is al- she attempts to leave, she will be Any ship which got into touch British cruisers with her was not going to lose her. "One shell exploded near us.lowed to remain in harbour and shelled by the When we reached Montevideo, a that even if these repairs are pos-which have now they found her even if it meant a battle against

great odds. German officer entered the mess-sible, the vessel could not go to and will not leave her. room and said, 'Gentlemen, for you sen

again without encountering

the war fa ended.""

British warships;

Capt. Dove described the Com-

mander of the Graf Spee, Capt.

JA

FINNS CLAIM SUCCESS

Landsdorp, who fought at Jutland. thanks of the British Government AFTER A 3-DAY BATTLE

as a great gentleman.

11.

Referring to the battle, Capt. Landsdorp said to him, "You 'British are hard.”

All survivors agreed that the British victory was due to the magnificent handling of the crui- sers, the excellent gunnery and unparalleled daring.

to the Uruguay Government for their prompt action in obtaining freedom for English merchant seamen held by the Graf Spee.

SOVIET NAVAL UNITS IN ACTION

On the eastern frontier. Soviet

troops

continue attacks at Koeronoya station between Tit- karenta and Kitelae,

The Russians sed pas at

SOVIET FLEET Units of the Soviet Fleet bom-

ACHILLES UNSCATHED BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 15 (Reu- ter)-The British Naval Attache,

HELSINKI. Dec. 15 (Renter)-A Suomussalmi. Capt. H. W, V. McCall, R.N., an-

Communique - states that at VIEWS EXCHANGED

nounced last night that HMS.

Tolvajaervi, Finnish counter- LONDON, Dec. 15 (Reuter) Exeter, which was damaged in the Reuter learns that views are being naval battle with the Admiral attacks were crowned with success barded Koivisto. Finnish coastal exchanged between the British, Graf Spee, la steaming away. and Uruguayan Governments re- A Montevideo report says that confirmed that two Soviet regt- batteries replied and the Soviet garding the Graf Spee, now lying HMS, in Uruguayah waters.

and after a three-day battle it was

district of Tolvajzervi is again

SOVIET CLAIM. MOSCOW, Dec. 15 (Reuter)-A

Ajax, wax superficially ments were destroyed and that the vessels withdrew, damaged and HMB. Achilles was entirely in the hands of Finnish It is noted that the Uruguayan unscathed. Government, in proclaiming its Despite the refusal of dockyard troops, who are pursuing the Soviet communique claims that neutrality on Sept. 5, stated that workers to effect repaira to the It would follow the provision of Graf Spee, it is believed that she the Hague Convention, 1907.

Russians.

KARELIA FIGHTING

is most anxious to leave Monte- In the course of local fighting The British Minister-in-Uruguay video at the earliest possible in Karella, eleven Soviet tanks

were destroyed, has been asked to convey the moment.

Soviet troops have reached a point in Central Finland sixty-seven miles from the frontier. It also claims an advance, in the Mur- "mänck "region""

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MEDICAL PROGRESS IN CHUNGKING

"An arrival from Chungking praised the medical progress in the wartime capital.

He said that after the May

bombings, an Emergency Relief

are now 14 hospitals and clinics Joint Office was established. There and more than 100 medical and ambulance units assisting in the rescue and treatment of air raid victims.

High mobility of the medical and ambalance units is maintained They are frequently sent to various districts to do rescue work.

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