Montevideo, Dec. 14.
10,000-ton German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and the British cruisers Exeter, Ajax and Achilles were anchored a few miles apart here today after the biggest and most] dramatic naval battle of the European war.
After a two-day running battle, in which the German vessel and the Exeter were damaged, and the Graf Spee lost 36 men and suffered 60 wounded, the pocket battleship limped into the inner harbour here. The Admiral Graf Spee was hit thrice, The Captain's bridge, officer's mess and the front powder room suffered damage, official sources said.
The German captain was reported to be wounded in the arm, The Exeter was reported to have suffered one direct hit. The Graf Spee was relentlessly pursued by the determined British cruisers, which have smaller guns than the pocket battleship. Al~ though the German vessel tried her utmost to escape to the open sea, the British cruiser relying on their speed, forced her to} sail for the coast, from where tens of thousands of persons watched) her steam slowly into port.
'The British cruisers anchored off Punta Carretas, ten miles southeast of Montevideo, and prepared to take up a vigilant watch of the crippled German' ship. The British were expected to em~ ploy strategy which would completely trap the Graf Spee and) never allow her to escape from the port.
Details of the dramatic sea battle between' the German battleship and the three British cruisers were relat~ ed by local officials after they had boarded and inspected the Graf Spee.
They {old the United Press they were informed that the Graf Spee ighted the French vessel s. Formos They approached the French ship. At the same time, ILM.S. Ajax, 6.810 tons, appeared on the horizon, The Ajax, travelling at full speed summoned the Exeter, 8,390 tons, and the Achilles, 7090, Guns Swing into Action Firing broke out as the guns swung nto action aboard the Ajax and the Grat Spee and he race for the shore was started, the ofcials were tol The real battle began at 8.0 am. on Wednesday at the mouth of the River Platte, the officials told the United Press, basing their informa Alan on oficial German reports, the afternoon, the Exeter and Achilles appeared and the battle was continued with the British ships about a mile apart. The Grat Spee started for the shore with the British cruisers on his trail The Graf Spec was sighted from the coast about 6 pam. yesterday. She was far ahead, Heavy fung commenced again about 8 pam, Dut ceased soon after, Firing was heard again at 9 pam. when the Ajax closed the Graf Spee and forced the German vessel to heaa for the port of Montevideo.
He said several seamen were suffering from eye injuries, He made this statement after returning from his offelal visit to the German vessel.
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