Dec. 16.
The defeat of the Admiral Grat Spec, by three British cruisers equipped with considerably inferior guns, and her entry into Montevideo obviously to escape Anal destruction with which she was threatened, is singularly enough being claimed by the Ger mans as a naval victory. If this is the sort of thing the Reich propagand~ ists consider victory, then the more of such successes they gain the better will the Allies pleased, for, despite greater striking power, with guns which completely out~ ranged those of the British vessels, Admiral Graf Spee has been subjected toa severe hammering which forced her to turn tail and flee for safely. It was the success of the British cruisers in sinking one German supply vessel, and holding up another in Montevideo which forced the commander of the German pocket battleship to desperate courses, and he decided to seize supplies from a French vessel despite the known presence of H.MS. Exeter in the neighbourhood. The story of the fight has been recounted in considerable detail, and it tells of the determined manner in which the smaller British vessels hung on to their more formidable opponent, inflicting heavy damage upon her, and obliging her to break off the action. The British vessels then followed the German ship into Montevideo, and, cording to latest reports, are now patrolling, outside territorial waters, where with reinforcements they hope' to engage their enemy again should her commander have the hardihood to put to sea. This need not mean an unduly long holding up. of British fore that locality, for. after whatever time limit the Uruguayan Government decides to allow her, the Admiral Great Spee must either take to the seas again, oF submit to internment. How Tong that period will be remains at present unknown, though reports vary as to whether Uruguay will insist upon a stay of only twenty-four hours, or allow the vessel to remain in harbour for thirty days. One thing is certain; the German vessel ither to come out and fight, or remain inactive for the rest of the war, and the only question is which form of n her commander will choose. there has been anything of importance eve ated in this action it must be the confirmation of the view which has been held in some naval quarters that the German pocket-battleship, in which considerable defence has been sacrificed for offensive power, is not quite the all round satisfactory. war "weapon that its designers fancied it would be, and the accounts of the damage done to the hull as well as to the supe structure supports the conclusion that battleships they are failures, and as cruisers not particularly successful, The fact that three British cruisers less in tonnage and in striking, power could close in upon the enemy to such an extent as to do so much damage supports the view that there are limits to the sacrifice of defensive armour and that the German designers exceeded them. That the
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