The _Invincible_ now engaged the _Gneisenau_, who was not nearly so badly damaged and was firing all her guns. In fact, all ships were at it as hard as they could go, but the _Inflexible_ came off lightly on account of the plight of her opponent. The noise was indescribable, shell were hurtling through the rigging; when one actually struck and burst, the whole ship quivered and staggered, while the crash of steel plates falling, and splinters of shell striking the upper works, sounded like hundreds of empty tins being hurled against one another. The _Scharnhorst_ was clearly in a very bad way, and looked, as she was, a perfect wreck. Masses of steel were twisted and torn as if growing out in all directions like the roots of a tree, clouds of steam were going up sky high, and she was blazing fore and aft. The Admiral says, "At times a shell would cause a large hole to appear in her side, through which could be seen a dull red glow of flame." She was 14,000 yards distant. Up till quite near the end, however, she continued to fire in salvos, her starboard guns having only been in action since the last turn was made. At 3.56 P.M. the Commander-in-Chief decided to close in and give her the _coup de grace_, which enabled the Carnarvon to get into action and open fire for the first time. By 4 P.M. both the _Scharnhorst's_ masts, as well as her three funnels, were shot away, and she was listing heavily to port. She struggled on hopelessly and went over more and more, until at 4.10 P.M. she was on her beam ends. For seven minutes she remained in this position, her screws still going round, and then suddenly sank like a stone, with her flag still flying. Shortly before the German flagship sank, our ships checked fire and then opened on the _Gneisenau_. It will be seen from the plan of the action that at the time the _Invincible_ turned two complete circles in a sort of figure of eight, the _Gneisenau_ hesitated for a minute or two as to whether she should stand by her consort to save life. Under the impression, apparently, that our flagship, which had turned towards the _Scharnhorst_, was about to pick up survivors, the _Gneisenau_ passed on the far side of the sinking ship and opened a heavy and well-directed fire on the _Inflexible_. We were now three against one, who was, nevertheless, determined to sell herself as dearly as possible. It was a gallant attempt. The distance was fortunately too great to see clearly the wretched survivors of the _Scharnhorst_ left struggling hopelessly against their fate, but it brought the dark side of war very vividly into notice for the first time. A quarter of an hour after she sank the _Carnarvon_ passed over the exact spot, but neither survivors nor wreckage were to be seen.