Realising the hopelessness of continuing the attempt to escape, the German decided to fight it out, and altered course ten minutes later 90 degrees to port (_see_ Plan). The _Kent_ turned about 70 degrees to port, so that both ships were on converging courses, and able to bring every gun on the broadside to bear. The running fight was over, and the action developed during the ensuing quarter of an hour into as fierce a duel as it is possible to imagine, with the range rapidly decreasing from 6,000 to 3,000 yards and all guns firing in succession, keeping up one continuous thunder. The _Kent_ now started using her lyddite shell. As was only to be expected, a good deal of damage resulted. In a very short time a fire broke out near the German's mainmast, followed a little later by the fall of her main-topmast, which bent gracefully forward like a sapling, and then fell with a crash. Both ships were firing their guns independently, not in salvoes, and in consequence the sequence of the discharges was almost unbroken. A fearful din resulted, which was as loud as it was penetrating, and soon began to have an irritating effect on the nerves. The incessant clanging and clashing jarred horribly and gave the impression that the ship was being continually hit; in fact, those below began to think that matters were not going too well from the constant concussions and severe jolts that were felt, until they were reassured by the optimistic and cheering bits of news passed down through the voice-pipes. The _Kent's_ fore-topgallant-mast now suddenly fell over, fortunately remaining suspended in midair by the stays; a chance shot had cut right through the heel. From the rate of fire maintained at such a short range it was patent that matters would soon be brought to a finish so far as the _Nürnberg_ was concerned. By 6.5 P.M. her fore-topmast had disappeared, she was on fire in two or three places, and her speed was still further reduced. She turned away, as if to escape such heavy punishment, the details of which could be plainly observed at this short distance. Her upper deck was a veritable shambles, and most of the guns' crews, only protected by gun shields, had been killed. In the words of one of the _Kent's_ officers, "her foretop and foremost funnel were so riddled that they appeared to be covered with men"; the torn and twisted steel sticking out in every direction caused this paradoxical illusion. Only two of her guns on the port side remained in action.