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Show BRITISH CRUISER SINKING REPORT 'JUSTARuMOR' Confirmation Lacking on 'Battle' With , Nazi Craft -BUENOS AIRnVDee. 13 OPV British authorities said after an Sxhaustlvs examination today that a report the British cruiser Achilles Achil-les had been sunk by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer was "Just another rumor as far as we are able to learn." They added that their check-up of all sources mentioned In con-necton con-necton with the battle report had failed "to produce any sort of con- (ConUmind en Pis Svm) (Column Two) NAVAL BATTLE REPORTDENIED (Continued from Pas On.) flrmation." They hinted that reports re-ports of the 7030-ton Achilles' loss originated in enemy quarters and said similar reports had been "allowed "al-lowed to circulate" previously. The reports, which circulated here without confirmation, said the battle occurred off Punta Del Este, on Uruguay's east coast. Had Refueled The Achilles sailed from Montevideo Monte-video December 9 after refueling. She had recently come to the Atlantic At-lantic coast from a patrol assignment assign-ment in the Pacific. The 10,000-ton Admiral Scheer began raiding operations In the south Atlantic as early as September Septem-ber and the sinkings or disappearances disappear-ances of several Britisn vessels have been ascribed to her. She is a sister ship of the Deutschland, which has been raiding in the north Atlantic Intercepted Reports A report In Montevideo said a private radio station there had Intercepted In-tercepted reports of a naval fight 200 miles east of Punta Del Este last night and another this morning. morn-ing. i If the Achilles closed with the Admiral Scheer she would be badly outgunned, her main armament being be-ing eight six-inch guns to the German's Ger-man's six 11-lnch guns. However, she could outrun the German ship, with a speed of 32.5 knots to 26. Her normal complement, is about 550 officers and men.) |