CREW INTERNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 301, 21 December 1939, Page 7

CREW INTERNED.

GERMANY'S EXPENSE.

Graf Spee Sunk In Territorial

Waters.

FIXING BLAME FOR BATTLE.

L'nlted Press Association.—Copyright.

LONDON, December 20.

The President of Argentina issued a decree for the internment of Captain Langsdorff and the 1039 officers and men from the Admiral Graf Spee, says a message from Buenos Ayres. The men will be sent to various places inland and will be granted certain liberties.

The officers will remain on parole in Buenos Ayrea. The expenses of the internment, about £5000 a month, will be charged, to Germany.

A dispatch frfim Montevideo says it is understood that the official report of the Uruguayan authorities claims that the Admiral Graf Spee was sunk inside territorial waters.

The authorities are guarding the German merchant ship Tacoma, because she is alleged to have on board valuable instruments taken from the Graf Spee.

The Pan-American nations are discussing laying upon Germany the chief blame for the battle within the neutrality zone, a« tlio British steamer Streonshalh was sunk and the French liner Formose was attacked while plying between American ports, says the Washington correspondent of the New York "Times."

Some republics, including Brazil, want to ban the refuelling of belligerent warships in Pan-American ports.

Eleven American republics have supported Uruguay's early stand in protesting against the violation of neutral waters.

It is learned from unimpeachable diplomatic sources that if Captain Langsdorff had disobeyed Uruguay's order to depart, the Latin-American nations were prepared to send warships —presumably Argentine—to act as policemen to escort the Graf Spee to sea.

It is said that Uruguay, while under Herman diplomatic pressure, consulted her neighbours and was promised full ""pport, especially from Argentina and Brazil.