Page:EB1922 - Volume 31.djvu/76

56 Adml. Sturdee had arrived at Stanley Harbour, in the Falk- lands, only the day before, in the forenoon of Monday, Dec. 7. The " Canopus," an old battleship, was already there, moored in Port Stanley waiting in conjunction with a body of sturdy volunteers to resist von Spec's expected attack. It was Adml. Sturdee's intention to coal at once and continue the pursuit of von Spee on the pth, but his own colliers had not arrived and there were only three in harbour. It was arranged that the " Carnarvon," " Bristol " and " Glasgow " should coal first, the battle cruisers next, and the " Kent " and " Cornwall " last. The squadron was ordered to keep steam for 12 knots at two hours' notice, and the " Macedonia," an armed merchant ship,

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took the guard for the night. No sooner had coaling started than it was found that the coal in one collier had deteriorated, and at first only two colliers were available. The " Carnarvon " and " Glasgow " had finished by 6 A.M., and at first flush of dawn the " Bristol " and " Invincible " started to coal. By this time another collier had arrived, and the "Inflexible" began coaling about the same time. The " Kent," " Bristol " and " Cornwall " had not begun. The " Bristol " had her fires drawn to remedy defects, and the " Cornwall " an engine opened up at six hours' notice. This was the situation when, at eight o'clock, the " Glasgow " fired a gun. This was to call attention to a signal which had been flying for some minutes at the look- out station on Sapper Hill. It reported two strange ships in sight. A scene of bustle and commotion ensued. Colliers were cast off and great clouds of smoke began to pour from the funnels as the ships raised steam. At 8:14 A.M. the signal went up to prepare to weigh. The " Kent " by this time had taken over guard from the " Macedonia " and had passed down the harbour towards the entrance. The ships which had appeared so unexpectedly on the scene were the " Gneisenau " and " Nurnberg," which von Spee had sent on in advance. They approached from the south-west to within about 14,500 yd. and the men could be seen fallen-in on their decks ready to effect a landing. They were not in sight from the " Canopus," but a fire control station had been set up on the hill, and at 9 A.M. she opened fire with her i2-in. guns over the sand dunes. The shots fell short, but they made the " Gneisenau " turn away for a time to increase the range. The " Scharnhorst " was still some 15 m. from the entrance, but the clouds of smoke rising over the hills had aroused von Spee's suspicions and he ordered the supply ships to keep away. From the " Gneisenau " there came a report of six men-of-war in the harbour, and the Admiral

ordered steam in all boilers, directing the " Gneisenau " at the same time to steer east and not to accept battle. By 10 A.M. the "Invincible," "Inflexible" and "Cornwall," which by dint of strenuous exertions on the part of her engine-room staff had got steam up, were under weigh and leaving harbour. They were vomiting out huge clouds of smoke which concealed them for a time, but it cleared away for a few minutes, revealing the tripod masts of battle cruisers, and von Spee knew that his hour of trial had come.

By 10:20 Sturdee was clear of the harbour; the enemy was well down to the south-east about n m. off and the British Admiral hoisted the " General Chase," a signal for each ship to steam as hard as she could after the enemy. It was a perfect summer day with a blue cloudless sky and calm sea. A light wind was blowing from the north-west. Masses of black smoke were pouring from the battle cruisers' funnels and a great white wake was growing at their stern.

The engagement resolves itself into two phases. A chase from 10:20 A.M. to 1:28 P.M. and the action from 1:28 P.M. to 6:ic. P.M. (see figs, i and 2). By 11 the enemy were showing above the horizon and the battle cruisers had eased to 24 knots. The " Glasgow " was on the " Invincible " port bow, the " Kent " on her quarter. The " Carnarvon " and " Cornwall " were five m. astern, and to give Rear-Adml. Stoddart in the former a chance to get up the Admiral reduced to 20 knots. The " Bristol " by extraordinary exertions on the part of her engine-room staff had managed to raise steam. Some ladies off Port Darwin

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had seen von Spee's colliers, and the information was passed to Port Stanley and then to Adml. Sturdee, who dispatched the "Bristol" and "Macedonia" to deal with them. By 11:30 A.M. the chase was gradually coming round to south-east by east. The " Carnarvon's " efforts to get up were unavailing and Sturdee increased speed. By 12:50 P.M. the battle cruisers were going 25 knots, overhauling the enemy fast.

The " Leipzig " was beginning to feel the pace and was drop- ping behind. At 12:55 P.M. her range had dropped to 16,000 yd. and the " Inflexible " opened fire. Von Spee seeing his light cruisers in danger ordered them to scatter, and they broke off to the southward, but Adml. Sturdee was ready for the con-