A stern chase is proverbially a long one, and the difference in speed between our ships and the Germans' was not sufficient to justify any hope of getting to business for at least two hours, as the slowest enemy ship was probably doing 23 knots at this time. Every effort was now made to go as fast as possible, and the _Cornwall_ and _Kent_ had quite an exciting race as they worked up to 24 knots or slightly more--a speed actually exceeding that realised along the measured mile when these ships were new. The engine-room staffs on both ships "dug out for all they were worth," and the keenest rivalry prevailed. It was very evident that a long chase lay before us, for the _Glasgow_ was the only ship of the three that had a marked superiority in speed to the enemy. The _Cornwall_ and _Kent_ were gaining very slowly but surely on the _Leipzig_ and _Nürnberg_, but were losing on the _Dresden_. The enemy kept edging away to port continually, and about 2.15 we passed over the spot where later in the day the _Gneisenau_ was sunk by our battle-cruisers. About 2.45 P.M. the positions of the ships were as plan (_see_ page 112). The _Leipzig_ was the centre rearmost ship, with the _Dresden_ some four to five miles on her starboard bow, while the _Nürnberg_ was about a mile on her port bow. Both these ships were diverging slightly from the _Leipzig_, spreading out in the shape of a fan to escape being brought to action. The _Cornwall_ and _Kent_ were some eleven miles astern of the _Leipzig_, and the _Glasgow_ was four miles distant on the starboard bow. [Illustration: _Diagram showing position at 2.45 p.m. weather conditions not so good wind and rain from N.W._] As the _Glasgow_ drew ahead she edged over to starboard in the direction of the _Dresden_. About 3 P.M. she opened fire with her two 6-inch guns on the _Leipzig_ at 12,000 yards, in the hope of outranging her and reducing her speed, so that the _Cornwall_ and _Kent_ might come into action. The _Leipzig_, however, held on her course, and replied to the _Glasgow's_ fire, though it was evident that she was at the limit of her gun range. The firing was spasmodic and not very effective. The _Glasgow's_ speed was so much superior to that of the enemy that she soon closed the range very appreciably, and the _Leipzig_ was seen to straddle her with her salvoes on more than one occasion. The _Glasgow_ therefore altered course outwards, at the same time firing her after 6-inch gun, and then, having opened the range, turned up on to a roughly parallel course with the German. The duel between these ships continued intermittently.