Evening star., 1940-02-18

ana JOlneQ the rest OF Lne brlClSn
forces.
"The Ivanhoe had during the
afternoon rescued the crew of the
German tanker Baldur which had
scuttled herself, and all British
ships proceeded in company and
without molestation on their home
ward journey, being protected by
strong forces, both upon the sea
and from the air."
Commended by Churchill.
This message, the Admiralty said,
was flashed direct from winston
Churchill, first lord of the Admir-
atty. to the commander of the Co.'S
sack:
"The force under your orders is
to be congratulated on having in
q single day achieved double res
cue-Britons from captivity and
Germans from drowning"
The British press, far from ex-
hibiting worry over possible inter-
national complications resulting
from the Altmark incident, screamed
its elation in huge headlines and
praised the navy for job well
done'.
The Sunday Times, in a typical
editorial, said the German protest
'has not one leg to stand on" and
asserted that Norway had no busl-
ness in allowing her neutrality to
be exploited for carrying captive
Britons to Germany"
This time the Germans have got
q taste of their own medicine" the
editorial added
Bomb Hidden on Vessel.
The erstwhile prisoners who
reached shore late today at Leith,
Scotland, to tell tales of "heartless"
treatment in filthy" ship during
their long captivity, said the cap
tain of the Altmark planned to blow
her up if trapped; that time bomb
was hidden on board.
Tonight, however, official reports
from Oslo said the German legation
there had ordered that the ship be
not destroyed, and a German crew
of about 100 men stayed aboard the
stranded Altmark. Her fate, pos
sibly internment, was unsettled, and
British destroyers still were lowering
out at sea in constant watch.
Norway, caught tight in the wars
pincers, sent energetic protests to
London. But the Admiralty, loud in
its praise of its own men, notably
Capt. P. L. Wan of the Cossack and
Comdr. R. G. Gordon of the de-
stroyer Intrepid, paid scant heed to
the Norwegian protestations.
Authorized spokesmen said Britain
had more grounds for protest than
Norway; that Norway prejudiced her
neutrality on these two counts:
%. She permitted the Altmark
to traverse Norwegian waters, In an
attempt to get to Germany, under
q masquerade, while concealing
prisoners and guns;
ca. That the prisoners on the
Altmark were treated "inhumanely"
and that rescue was imperative.
Discussions Amiable.
Tonight, an authoritative British
source said "amiable discussions"
were now proceeding with Norway,
which has demanded return of the
freed British prisoners, compensa-
ton and future respect for Norweg-
ian neutrality.
Britain, it was stated, took he
position there should be most care
full consideration" of whether the
Norwegian government should intern
the Altmark or whether the German
crew should be released.
Britain also considers the exam
ination of the Altmark, made by
Norwegian officials at Bergen before
the Nazi ship was caught, was
superficial and perfunctory," since
1t failed to reveal any trace OF the
British prisoners.
The Altmark's history was we'll
known, the British statement said,
and the Norwegians, knowing what
they did about the ship, should have
thought it necessary to detall her
and make more thorough search if
their first inquiry failed to reveal
definite proof of prisoners on board.
That they did not do so clearly Gre
ated situation in which it was not
possible for his majesty's govern
ment to refrain from immediate
action which, in the circumstances,
they felt fully entitled to take for
the liberation of the prisoners"
The admiralty made plain that
the destroyers' action was taken on
direct orders from London and on
the full responsibility of the British
government. Germany insisted the
Altmark was unarmed.
40 Men Taken to Hospital.
Scenes of the widest enthusiasm
greeted the rescued prisoners al
Leith. Approximately 40 of the men
were taken to a hospital, but au-
thorities said that none was in Sc
rious danger.
The men, Sc of them British In
dams, were taken from seven ships
sunk by the Admiral Graf Spec
prior to its battle with British war
ships on December 13 of the Uru-
guayan coast and its subsequent
self destruction in the harbor oI
Montevideo.
The ships from which the Alt
mark prisoners came were:
Ashlea, 1922 tons, sunk October {
IN mid-Atlantic.
Newton Beach, 1851 tons, sunk
October 7 in mid-Atlantic.
Huntsman, S,196stons, sunk Octo.
Der 13 of West Africa.
Africa Shell, 706 tons, sunk about
October Is off West Africa.
Trevanion. $3.50 tons, sunk Octo.
Der ~ of Africa.
Doric Star, 10,093 tons, sunk De-
Aar,hsr 2 nfF Co,,ft, Afr{oo