“The prisoners of war from the _Gneisenau_ report that by the time the ammunition was expended, some 600 men had been killed and wounded. The surviving officers and men were all ordered on deck and told to provide themselves with hammocks and any articles that could support them in the water. “When the ship capsized and sank there were probably some two hundred unwounded survivors in the water, but owing to the shock of the cold water, many were drowned within sight of the boats and ship. “Every effort was made to save life as quickly as possible, both by boats and from the ships; life-buoys were thrown and ropes lowered, but only a proportion could be rescued. The _Invincible_ alone rescued 108 men, fourteen of whom were found to be dead after being brought on board; these men were buried at sea the following day with full military honours.” Some of the German prisoners believed that _Gneisenau_ was not sunk by gun-fire at all, and said that the commander had had the Kingston valves opened as soon as the ammunition was exhausted and there was no possibility of carrying on the fight. CHAPTER XIV BATTLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS (III) C. ACTION WITH THE LIGHT CRUISERS At about 1 P.M., when the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_ turned to port to engage the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ the enemy’s light cruisers turned to starboard to escape; the _Dresden_ was leading and the _Nürnberg_ and _Leipzig_ followed on each quarter. “In accordance with my instructions, the _Glasgow_, _Kent_, and _Cornwall_ at once went in chase of these ships; the _Carnarvon_, whose speed was insufficient to overtake them, closed the battle-cruisers. “The _Glasgow_ drew well ahead of the _Cornwall_ and _Kent_, and at 3 P.M. shots were exchanged with the _Leipzig_ at 12,000 yards. The _Glasgow’s_ object was to endeavour to outrange the _Leipzig_ with her 6-inch guns and thus cause her to alter course and give the _Cornwall_ and _Kent_ a chance of coming into action. “At 4:17 P.M. the _Cornwall_ opened fire, also on the _Leipzig_. “At 7:17 P.M. the _Leipzig_ was on fire fore and aft, and the _Cornwall_ and _Glasgow_ ceased fire. “The _Leipzig_ turned over on her port side and disappeared at 9 P.M. Seven officers and eleven men were saved. “At 3:36 P.M. the _Cornwall_ ordered the _Kent_ to engage the _Nürnberg_, the nearest cruiser to her.