The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-18

THE SUNDAY STAR-NEV
settled, and British d~estroyers still
were lowering out at sea In con-
slant watch.
"SwinishH
Official Germany va furious, US.
ing adjectives like ~"dastardly" and
"swinish,"t authorised sources in
Berlin declared the British invasion
of Norwegian coastal waters was
Ia gross violation Of international
law. comparable to the lombard.
ment of Copenhagen 1873 years ago
by a British fleet. The German
minister in Norway made a sharp
and immediate demand for full res
ltitution of the ship and indemni-
ties for the dead and injured.
He threatened "the most serious
consequences" for Norway Unless
the German demands were met.
An official spokesman in Berlin
likened the affair to a German U.
boat entering New York harbor,
boarding the Queen Mary and
shooting down her crew.
Norway herself, caught tight in
the wars pincers, sent energetic
protests to London. But the admir-.
atty, loud in its praise Of its own
men, notably Captain P. L. Wan
Of the Cossack and Commander R.
c. Gordon of the destroyer Intrep.
id, paid scant heed to the Norwe-
gian protestations.
Authorized spokesman said Brit.
ain had more grounds for a pro.
test 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 a masquerade,
while concealing prisoners and
guns; (2) That the prisoners on
the Altmark were treated 'fnhu.
namely" and that rescue was i'm.
perative.
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 Nor
wegian neutrality.
Internment Suggested
Britain, it was stated, took the
position there should be most
careful 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 be.
fore the Nazi ship was caught, was
Superficial and perfunctory," since
it 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 de.
tain her and make a more tho
rough search il their first inquiry
failed to reveal definite proof of
prisoners on board. That they did
not do so clearly created a situa.
ton in which it was not possible
for H. M. government 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 d%estroyers' action was taken on
direct orders from London and on
the full responsibility Of the Brit
ish government.
Germany, however, insisted the
Altmark was unarmed.
Scenes Of the widest enthusiasm
greeted the rescued prisoners at
Leith.
None Badly Off
Approximately forty Of the men
were taken to a hospital but au-
thorities said that none was in ser
ious danger.
The men, IS Of them British In.
dams, were taken from seven ships
sunk by the Admiral Graf Spec
prior to its battle with British
cruisers on December 10 off the
Uruguayan coast, and it's subse-
quent self-destruction in the harbor
Of M%ontevideo.
Captains of the sunken British
freighters were kept aboard the
Graf Spec, but the came them
selves were transferred to the Alt
mark, Graf Spe auxiliary.
Since the Montevideo battle, Brit.
ish warships have foamed up and
down the seas in a logged, un.
ending search Of the Altmark. Yes.
terday they caught her, in the
dead-end Gjessingfjord dosing
fjord), sixty miles due south Of
Stayanger. between Egersund and