This left them up to the present only the one big vessel as an opponent, a vessel of some 18,500 tons, and an armed cruiser like the _Carmania_. It promised, therefore, as regards numbers at least, to be an equal fight, and in preparation for it dinner was ordered for all hands that could be excused duty, for the hour of 11.30, in accordance with the old naval principle--food before fighting. Meanwhile every endeavour was being made to identify the mysterious enemy, and the conclusion arrived at was that she must be the _Berlin_, a German vessel of 17 knots. She was, as a matter of fact, although those on the _Carmania_ were not to learn this for several days, the _Cap Trafalgar_, the latest and finest ship of the Hamburg South American Line--a vessel of 18 knots that had as yet only made one voyage. She had been built with three funnels, one of them being a dummy one used only for ventilation, and this had been done away with, reducing the number to two. She had been in Buenos Aires when war broke out, and had left that port, as it chanced on the very day that the _Carmania_ had sailed from Liverpool, her destination being unknown and her cargo one of coal. [Illustration: TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”] The _Carmania_ had by this time gone to “General Quarters,” and all on board were ready for the encounter. The largest ensigns floated both from the flagstaff aft and the mastheads, and the _Cap Trafalgar_ now ran up the white flag with the black cross of the German Navy. It was still, however, not quite certain that the enemy was armed, and it was therefore necessary that the usual formalities should be attended to. Well within range, Captain Grant ordered Lieutenant Murchie to fire a shot across her bow, and the shell, very skilfully aimed, dropped about 50 yards ahead of this. The reply was immediate, the enemy firing two shells which only just cleared the _Carmania’s_ bridge, and dropped into the water about 50 yards upon her starboard side. The fight had now begun in earnest, and the firing on both sides was of a high order, although the first round or two from the _Carmania_ fell short, while those of the _Cap Trafalgar_ erred a little in the opposite direction. Quite soon, however, hits were being made by both sides, and soon one of the _Carmania’s_ gun layers lay dead, his No. 2 dying, and almost the whole of the gun’s crew wounded.