In judging von Spee's motives, it is as well to bear in mind that he attained no success whatsoever after Coronel except for the capture of two sailing ships and a collier. That our squadron under Admiral Sturdee, having only arrived the day previously, met him on his arrival off Port Stanley, was the turn of Fortune's wheel in our favour. As all the world now knows, the battle of Coronel, the greatest naval disaster that had befallen our arms in the war, was to be avenged five weeks afterwards, when the German squadron in its turn drank to the dregs the bitter cup of despair. PART II THE BATTLE OF THE FALKLANDS [Illustration: _Plan of Action of H.M.S. "CORNWALL"_ _December 8^{th} 1914._ The Mappa Co. Ltd. London ] [Illustration: _Plan of Action between the Battle Cruisers "INVINCIBLE" & "INFLEXIBLE" and the German Armoured Cruisers "SCHARNHORST" & "GNEISENAU"_ _December 8^{th} 1914._ The Mappa Co. Ltd. London ] CHAPTER IX AWAY SOUTH "Into the golden West, across the broad Atlantic once again. 'For I will show,' Said Drake, 'that Englishmen henceforth will sail Old ocean where they will.'" --ALFRED NOYES (_Drake_). The two battle-cruisers looked very businesslike as they steamed up to the anchorage; their trip out had taken off a good deal of paint, and they presented something of the appearance of hardened warriors returning from a spell in the trenches, as has been so well portrayed by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather. To our joy they brought a small mail only three weeks old. No sooner had the rattle of their cables ceased than preparations for coaling were seen to be in progress. The same day, November 26th, the _Defence_ sailed for Cape Town via St. Helena to join the flag of Rear-Admiral H. G. King-Hall. The _Macedonia_ and _Otranto_ had been sent to Sierra Leone some time previously to let out fires and examine boilers.