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APPENDIX I.

Admiral Graf Spee," obtained as a result

of the visits of His Majesty's Ships to Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

THE Admiral Graf Spee left Germany on the 21st August, and had not been in harbour until she finally arrived off Montevideo, by which time they were running short of provisions and rations had been slightly reduced.

2. During the action the vibration was very bad and the 11-inch guns were difficult to handle while the ship was going at full speed.

Most of the casualties were caused after Ajax and Achilles closed to within their range. The crews of the 5.9-inch guns suffered most, particularly from shells which arrived on board from the other side of the ship and burst in rear of the guns. British shells caused greater damage than was apparent externally,

terrific." and the interior damage was

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According to a Petty Officer who was in the fore turret the 11-inch

guns were not out of action, but the main control was severed. He also stated that the reason for scuttling the ship was the fact that there were very few rounds of ammunition remaining for either 11-inch or 5.9-inch guns; but the correctness of this statement is considered to be open to doubt.

3. The Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs has confirmed the fact that Captain Langsdorff shot himself under the old Imperial German flag.

According to the Naval Correspondent of the Prensa, the leading Argentine paper, Captain Langsdorff's last letter, which was produced as confidential evidence at the inquest, included praise for the British tactics, and a whole sheet of personal recrimination for his failure to appreciate the tactical situation owing to the volume of alarming reports regarding the state of his own ship which were reaching him, thus confusing his judgment.

4. In her operations against shipping the Graf Spee made use of her aircraft, sometimes with British markings.

5. During the visit of H.M.S. Achilles to Buenos Aires several groups of Admiral Graf Spee men and Achilles men were seen talking amicably together, greatly to the amazement of the local inhabitants. Three of the German seamen were observed to be saluting when Achilles colours were lowered at sunset.

The British seamen were noticeably superior to the Germans in height and physique; this was much commented upon.

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