Both ships were steering a south-easterly course at 5 P.M. when the _Kent_ got within range of the _Nürnberg_, which opened fire with her stern guns. The chase had in all lasted nearly seven hours, so the sound of the enemy's guns proved doubly welcome, since it brought home the fact that the German was now trapped. The fall of the enemy's shot was awaited with that eagerness combined with anxiety which only those who have undergone the experience can fully realise. Accurate ranges were hard to take on account of the abnormal vibration caused by the speed at which the ship was travelling, but it was expected that the enemy's first salvoes would fall short. But not a sign was to be seen anywhere of these projectiles. Where, then, had they gone? Officers glanced round the horizon to make quite certain that the enemy was not firing at another ship, but nothing else was in sight. A light, drizzling rain was falling, so that it was not till the third salvo that the splashes were discovered astern of the ship. This bore out the experience of the _Cornwall_ and _Glasgow_, which had also been astonished at the long range of the German 4.1" gun, which is said to be sighted up to 12 kilometres (13,120 yards). Nine minutes after (5.9) the _Kent_ opened fire at 11,000 yards with her fore turret, but the shots fell short. Altering course slightly to port, she was able to bring her two foremost 6-inch on the starboard side to bear, making four guns in all. The light was poor, and both ships had difficulty in seeing well enough to correct the gun range at this distance. Thus this opening stage of the combat was not very fruitful of results as far as could be judged, though survivors subsequently stated that the _Kent_ scored two effective hits, one of which penetrated the after steering flat below the waterline and killed all the men in it with one exception. On the other hand, the enemy (missing mainly for deflection) only got in one hit during the same period. About 5.35 two boilers of the _Nürnberg_ burst in quick succession, apparently from excess of pressure due to her strenuous efforts to escape. This reduced her speed to 19 knots, when all hope of averting disaster, even with the aid of several lucky shots, was shattered at one fell swoop. The _Kent_ now gained very rapidly on her opponent, and all anxiety as to the chase being prolonged until dark was dispelled. [Illustration: _Plan of action between H.M.S. "KENT" and German Light Cruiser "NÜRNBERG" off FALKLAND ISLANDS December 8^{th} 1914_ The Mappa Co. Ltd. London ]