Evening star., 1939-12-19
Uruguay Takes Steps
Toward Internment
OF Nazi Supply Ship
Government Vessels
Escort Tucomu Into
Inner Busin of Hurbor
~ the Associated Press.

MONTEVIDEO, Dec. 19.-The
Uruguayan government today took
q step toward interment Of the
German supply ship Tacoma, which
carried oil supplies intended for the
ill-fated battleship Admiral Graft
Spec before a battle with three
British cruisers sent her to her
doom.
Government vessels escorted the
Tacoma from an outer harbor
anchorage into the inner basin,
where she must pass between two
narrow breakwaters and under the
guns of a Uruguayan warship to
reach the sea.
Officials said detention of the YES
Sci was not final interment for
duration of the war but was "a
step In that direction"
The Tacomas captain is under
technical arrest for violating rule
against movement of merchant
ships when the Graf Spec sailed out
to be scuttled.
A great plume of black smoke
continued to rise from the burning
bulk of the Nazi Warship. A naval
inspector said she probably would
continue to burn for 48 hours more.
British Trap Seen.
Naval sources intimated today the
Admiral Graf Specs encounter with
three British warships in the South
Atlantic was no accident, but really
4 trap that had British-sold fuel oil
as the bait.
These sources said German
freighter attempted to buy oil from
a British concern at an undisclosed
Brazilian port 10 days before the
engagement of last Wednesday. At
first it was refused, but later was
supplied on instructions from head
quarters.
Capt. Hans Langsdorff, COM
mander of the German pocket bat
tleship, said he was cruising off the
coast of Brazil in search OF a
rendezvous with the supply ship
Tacoma when he sighted the British
cruiser Exeter.
Turning southwark, he found him.
self in .the presence of two more
British cruisers, the Ajax and
Achilles. Lack of fuel forced him
to fight at a disadvantage, the Ger
man commander told port author
tiles, and he eventually ran for cover
in Montevideo, only to take his she'll
battered ship out of port Sunday
night and sink it with his own
hands.
Warships Concentrated.
That the British counted on
locating the raider in the South
Atlantic was indicated by the con-
centration of warships there.
In November the cruisers
Cumberland, Exeter and Ajax ar
rived In Buenos Aires in the space
of two days. These three are the
entire normal cruiser strength of
the British South Atlantic division
and ordinarily would be scattered.
The Achilles, which had been
operating in the Pacific, took on
supplies and fuel here December 8,
only four days before the battle.
Sure knowledge that a German
merchant ship such as the Tacoma
had taken on an oil cargo and was
dodging about in these waters
would be a good clue for the British
huntsmen. They we'll might have
supplied oil in the same spirit that
a housewife uses cheese to bait a
mouse trap.
Oil and other inflammables on
the Admiral Graf Spec continued
to shoulder today Naval men said
they probably would burn 48 hours
more. Then Uruguayan and Argen-
tine authorities must decide what
to do with the hulk. 10000 tons of
wreckage in the navigation channel
Of the Rio de Plata Estuary.
An Argentine naval plane and an
Uruguayan coast guard boat are
keeping watch where the twisted
superstructure rises above the water
Sinking Held Unjustified.
The Uruguayan foreign ministry
SAID there was no possible" justifi-
cation for the Germans blowing up
their ship rather than go out to
face the waiting British warships
again.
Foreign Minister Alberto Guani
replied in formal communique to
German charges that Uruguay was
responsible for the Admiral Graf
Specs destruction by forcing it to
leave port, or be interned.
He said Uruguay had acted at
every step in conformity with the
Hague convention concerning bel
ligerent warships).
He said Capt. Langsdorf had re-
quested a 15-day stay to make re-
pairs. but that the Uruguay COM
mission which surveyed the ships
damages recommended the 72-hour
limit which was set.
1t was said the government might
Issue a white paper" detailing its
actions and answering the German
charges.
Foreign naval attaches said the
Admiral Graf Spec had suffered
severe damages to its fighting ability
or it would not have fled the smaller
British ships.
One of Main Turrets Silenced.
One naval officer said it was prob
able one of the main turrets, housing
three of the ships six 11-inch guns
was put out of action.
Naval circles also reported two
complete gun crews Of IA men were
killed when British shells struck
secondary batteries of 5.9-inch guns
Naval experts were eager to see
. Uruguayan white paper in the
hope it would include the examining
commissions report on the damage
Foreign Minister Guam received
calls from a number of diplomats
of American countries, expressing
sympathy and support. 1t was under
stood several proposals had beer
presented to deal with any future
Vi0latiops of tho am mile neutrality