Evening star., 1939-12-18
~ the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MONTEVIDEO. Dec. 1S.-The
German Legation last night
made public Capt. Hans Langs-
dorf'S protest ouer the time limit
granted the raider Admiral Graf
Spec to stay in port to make her.
self seaWorthu. Addressed to the
German Minister to Monteuideo,
Otto Langmdnn. and dated
aboard the Graf Spec yesterday,
1t read:
Mr.. Minister: Before lifting an
chor, I would not wish to leave
unsaid through you my deepest
gratitude for the innumerable
demonstrations of sympathy and
the chivalrous sentiment of the
Uruguayan people toward my valiant
dead and wounded
I shall never forget this sentiment
OF the Uruguayan people. In the
same way, should not like to omit,
especially in regard to the grave
situation which now presents itself,
an expression of my deepest graf
itude to the Uruguayan authorities
both for their swift measures of
assistance upon the unexpected ar
rival of the Graf Spec and the very
efficacious first aid dispensed to my
injured and honors to my dead.
Deep Earring Note.
Much to my regret, there was
mingled With these outward signs
of truly humanitarian feeling a
deep jarring note. According to
your communication relative to
the interview you had with the
Uruguayan Foreign Minister Alberto
Guani, the term must be considered
definitive which was fixed by the
Council of Ministers to expire at
8 pm. $3.50 pm, E. S. TO. on
December II, for the departure OF
the Admiral Graf Spec, notwith-
standing that unpostponeable re-
pairs necessary for re-establlshment
of seaworthiness cannot be effected
in that term.
Against that ruling I protest IN
all manner and form. The founda-
tions of my protest follow:
/. In conformance with Article II
Of The Hague Convention, warships
belonging to belligerent nations may
be granted stays in neutral ports
sufficiently long to permit repairs
indispensable to security OF their
navigation.
There is precedent for this in
South America dating from the year
1914: Repairs for the duration of
several weeks to the British cruiser
Glasgow.
Asked 15-Day Stay.
To eliminate maritime damages to
my ship I requested, after examina-
ton by experts, a stay of IS days.
2. A technical commission ap-
pointed by the Uruguayan govern
ment has become convinced that
the combat potentiality of the ship
that is to say, her engines and
maments-suffered so little that
there should be no fear the stay
(the requested Is days. could be
used to reinforce her limited poten-
tiality.
This same commission might have
become convinced that on the ships
hull damages could be found, the
repair of which was indispensable
to put the ship in such condition
that it might resist dangers Of
navigation.
Moreover, the commission learned
Of damages caused in the kitchens
and bakery aboard, the function
ing of which-taking into account
the numbers Of the ships crews
an indispensable condition for life Of
the ship on the high seas.
Cites Commission Ruling.
In consequence thereof, these re-
pairs are included in article II of
the thirteenth Hague convention.
According to communications
made by the minister of foreign af-
fairs. the aforementioned commits
sion named by the minister of de-
Tense, stated that stay of y hours
was sufficient for repair of dam
ages. (the opinion) on which the
ruling of the council of ministers is
based.
Notwithstanding the intense ef-
forts made, it has not been possible
to repair damages within the term
fixed with the means available in
the port of Montevideo.
This could have been attested at
any moment through new investi-
cation.
Within these declarations I set
forth formally that the contractor
and personnel encharged with the
repairs were prevented at 6 pm.
on the 10th day of December, by
the customs authorities, from getting
on board for several hours.
They were permitted to come
aboard after a lapse of several
hours, only after intervention by
officials of the German Legation.
1 must state that the ruling of
the Council of Ministers of the Re-
public of Uruguay forces me to