Evening star., 1940-11-06
Ndzi Raider Fights
British Convoyin
Mid-AtIantic
Silence Shrouds Fute of
Vessels After Receipt
Of 3 Terse Messages
u, the Associated Press.

b the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Nov Ga running
fight in mid-Atlantic between a
German raider of the Graf Spec
class" and a British convoy was told
in three terse radio distress mes
sages yesterday, but silence shrouded
the fate of the vessels attacked.
Three hours and 10 minutes after
the 16,698-ton passenger liner Ran
gitiki wireleSSed that she was being
shelled by a German raider, Mackay
Radio intercepted a warning mes
sage from the Ports Head station in
England.
The convoy was still being "lei-
surely attacked" by raider of the
Graf Spec class, it said.
Sandwiched IN between was an
other message, from the freighter
Cornish City. The Cornish City
gave no hint of the character or
tonnage of the vessel attacking her
Her position, however, was almost
exactly that of the Rangitiki. 1t
was assumed both vessels were part
VI lllC OOllNON 1O1CllCo " III lllC
Portis Head message.
Ship of Graf Spec Class.
The messages, shipping circles
said, were the first of the war indi-
eating an attack on a British con-
voy by German raider.
Being gunned by enemy ship of
wirelessed. That was at 1924 pm.
CE. S. TD yesterday.
An hour and 39 minutes later the
steamer Cornish City sent a mes
sage that it was being shelled in al
most the same vicinity, approx
mately 1000 miles east of New
foundland.
Germany is known to have only
two battleships of the Graf Spec
class left, the Admiral Scheer and
the LuetZow. The latter formerly
was the Deutschland. The Graf
Spec itself met an ignominious end
by scuttling outside Montevideo
driven to cover by three British
cruisers.
In London, naval sources were
silent. Whether they had any in
formation on the Rangitki and the
4,952-ton freighter was not dis
closed.
The fate of the convoy was un-
certain. No further word was
Forthcoming from the Rangitiki and
the Cornish City.
Powerful Unit at Large.
In BuenoS Aires, although British
Embassy officials have declined
comment, it is known from list
of overdue" ships that a powerful
German or Italian unit has been
at large in the Atlantic.
Informed naval circles said it was
probably pocket battleship. They
believe the British have been close
on the heels of this raider, frequent
ly forcing it to change hunting
grounds.
One source in Buenos Aires said
this warship was apparently follow
ing the route Of the Graf Spec
ll1o lll4O1 lildl4b ohSENOGCh lAldb CAAC
attack in the North Atlantic indi-
Gated she was heading homeward
after a long cruise in the South
Atlantic.
The position of the reported at
tack on the convoy is 600 miles west
of the declared German blockade
zone around the English Isles. Mari
time circles in New York expressed
belief it was outside the point where
British warship escorts pick up con-
voys bound for England.
The 531-foot Rangitiki usually
trades between England and New
Zealand. She was last reported in
August passing through the Panama
Canal with ITO refugee children for
New Zealand. The Cornish City
trades between America and Eng
land.
Concentrated on Subs.
For months the Germans have
concentrated their attacks on bel
ligerent merchant shipping with
submarines. Recently the British
issued an order that ships in an at
tackled convoy were not to stop tc
pick up survivors of any torpedoeo
member.
The British Admiralty has stated
that search for any German war
ships and armed merchant cruisers
preying on commerce, were largely
unfruitful.
Reports reaching maritime circles
here indicate that, with the ap-
proach of winter, the Nazis may be
preparing to launch an intensified
campaign with U-boats, plus con-
verted surface raiders. Ships of the
latter type such as the Emden, Sea
Hawk. Wolf and Prinz Eitel Fried
rich achieved notable successes in
the World War.
Recently German merchantmen,
tied up for months in neutral ports,
have departed without taking time
to obtain clearance papers. At least
one raider has been reported in the
South Atlantic and another in the
Indian Ocean.
These are believed to be part of a
number of 10,000-ton freighterS,
which were nearing completion in
German shipyards at the outbreak
of the war. They are repeatedly
fast and easily converted into armed
cruisers.
Other reports indicate that the
Nazis may have established fuel and
supply bases on out-of- -the-way
islands throughout the seven seas
to service a fleet of raiders.