"Are hell-gates burst at last? For the black deep
To windward burns with streaming crimson fires!
Over the wild strange waves, they shudder and creep
Nearer—strange smoke-wreathed masts and spare, red spires
And blazing hulks."
—Alfred Noyes (Drake).
A few minutes after the German light-cruisers turned away to the S.S.E. in accordance with his orders, Admiral Count von Spee, apparently deciding to accept the inevitable, determined to try and close so as to get into the effective range of his 8.2-inch guns. With this intention, his two armoured cruisers turned in succession about 80 degrees to port, which brought them into line-ahead with the Gneisenau leading, and then opened fire at 1.30 P.M. But he had reckoned without his host, as this very obvious manœuvre did not at all suit Admiral Sturdee's book, who was acting on the principle that ammunition is cheaper than human life, and was resolved to fight at his own chosen range. Our ships, therefore, eased speed to 24 knots, and turned together away from the enemy to port, which brought them at the same time into line-ahead with the flag ship Invincible in the van.
The two squadrons were on nearly parallel courses (see facing [page 79]). The Inflexible had checked fire for a while, but now reopened on the Scharnhorst at a range of 14,500 yards. Both the enemy ships concentrated their fire on the Invincible at this time, whilst ours fired each at his opponent. The respective armaments are seen from the following:
| Name | Tonnage | Armament | Speed | Completion | Armour Belt |
| Invincible } | 17,250 | { 8—12" } | 26 | { 1909 | 7 to 4 in. |
| Inflexible } | { 16—4" } | { 1908 | 7 to 4 in. | ||
| Carnarvon | 10,850 | 4—7.5" | 22 | 1903 | 7 to 4 in. |
| 6—6" | |||||
| Scharnhorst } | { 8—8.2" } | 23.5 | 1908 | 6 to 3 in. | |
| } | 11,420 | { 6—5.9" } | |||
| Gneisenau } | { 20—3.4" } | 23.8 | 1908 | 6 to 3 in. | |
| Compiled from "Brassey's Naval Annual." | |||||
As Admiral Sturdee edged away and did not allow the range to get below 13,500 yards, the fire of the Germans was not effective. A gunnery officer stated that their fire control was efficient, and that their salvoes, fired frequently, fell well together, the spread being about 200 yards. They had been firing about ten minutes when the Scharnhorst went ahead and took the lead, so our ships changed targets. For a short time both German ships now fired at the Inflexible, but without result; soon afterwards they again honoured the Invincible with their attentions, and, getting the range, scored their first hit about 1.45 P.M. The range was now increased, spotting the fall of shot became more and more difficult, and finally smoke interfered with our gunfire. At 2 P.M. the distance of the enemy was 16,450 yards. Ten minutes later von Spee turned right away and made a second attempt to escape, as he had been unable to get to close quarters. We turned gradually after him, but as he continued to turn away, in the words of Admiral Sturdee, "A second chase ensued." All firing ceased, and there was an appreciable lull in the proceedings.