We must now return to the other running fight which had been proceeding between the smaller ships on both sides. The Germans had no notion of fighting if they could avoid it, and seem to have gone off "helter-skelter" without assuming any definite formation. The _Glasgow_ was our fastest cruiser and was ordered to head off the _Nürnberg_ and _Leipzig_. As for the _Dresden_, she seems to have got a very long start from the first and was never overtaken. The _Glasgow_ opened fire on the _Leipzig_ and _Nürnberg_ with her 6-inch guns about three o'clock, and succeeded in making them alter course. The former turned to meet the _Glasgow_, while the latter was obliged to turn in a direction which rendered it easier for the _Kent_ to come up with her. The _Kent_, an older and slower ship than the _Nürnberg_, made a record spurt and succeeded in getting within range of the German. She had but little coal on board. "The old _Kent_ set off and her engines worked up to 22 knots--more than she had ever done on her trials. Then the word was passed that there was hardly any coal left. 'Well,' said the captain, 'have a go at the boats.' So they broke up all the boats, smeared them with oil, and put them in the furnaces. Then in went all the armchairs from the ward-room and the chests from the officers' cabins. They next burnt the ladders and all. Every bit of wood was sent to the stokehold. The result was that the _Kent's_ speed became 24 knots."[98] But it was five o'clock before she could get within range and both ships went at it hammer and tongs for an hour, by which time the _Nürnberg_ was evidently on fire. The sea was by now rather choppy and the atmosphere somewhat misty. Just after half-past six the _Nürnberg_, well alight forward, ceased firing. The _Kent_ thereupon ceased fire also and closed in to 3300 yards; but, as the German still kept her colours flying, she once more set her guns to work. Five minutes of this and down fluttered the German ensign, and the _Kent_ set herself to save as many of her late opponents as she could; but she was, of course, handicapped by having burnt her boats, and only twelve could be rescued with the assistance of the _Cornwall_. It was nearly half-past seven before the _Nürnberg_ took her final plunge. The _Kent_ was hit a considerable number of times and lost four killed and a dozen wounded, nearly all by one shell. She had, moreover, a very narrow escape from destruction, from which she was only saved by the heroism of Sergeant Charles Mayes of the Royal Marines. In the words of the notification awarding him the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal: "A shell burst and ignited some cordite charges in the casemate. Sergeant Mayes picked up a charge of cordite and threw it away. He then got hold of a fire-hose and flooded the compartment, extinguishing the fire in some empty shell-bags which were burning. The extinction of this fire saved a disaster which might have led to the loss of the ship."