When the signal was made, "Seven enemy ships--four battle cruisers and three cruisers with destroyers--to the south-west," there was fierce glee on board the British ships. Every man was agog for the fight; all were eager to avenge the women and children who had been murdered so brutally at Scarborough and the Hartlepools. Every gun was manned with men who had vengeance in their hearts, and down below the "black squad" were striving with all their might to get every knot possible out of their engines. A commander was heard to remark, "One would think this was a game of football, the boys are enjoying it so much." The _Lion_ and _Tiger_ were soon racing ahead at thirty knots an hour, and were leaving the less speedy _Princess Royal_ and _New Zealand_ behind. At eight o'clock the situation was as follows: the Germans were moving south-east in line, with the _Moltke_ leading; followed by the _Seydlitz_ and the _Derfflinger_, the _Bluecher_ bringing up the rear. Their destroyers were on the starboard beam, and their light cruisers ahead. Close upon them were the British destroyers and the light cruisers, which now crossed to the port side in order that their smoke might not hide the big German ships from the British gunners. The _Lion_, _Tiger_, _Princess Royal_, _New Zealand_, and _Indomitable_ did not follow directly behind the German ships, lest the enemy should throw out mines, but held on a parallel course to the westward. By nine o'clock the _Lion_ was within 11½ miles of the _Bluecher_. She fired a shot which fell short, but when the squadrons were ten miles apart she got her first blow home. Do you realize what this means? At ten miles the _Bluecher_ appeared no bigger than a pin point, and she was moving at the rate of thirty miles an hour across the sea. You will agree that the British gunnery must have been superb for hits to be made under these conditions. Soon the _Lion_ overhauled the slow _Bluecher_, and in passing gave her a broadside which caused frightful damage. The _Lion's_ quarry, however, was further ahead; and as she began to engage the _Derfflinger_, the _Tiger_ began to hit out at the _Bluecher_. She also passed by, and the _Princess Royal_, the _New Zealand_, and the _Indomitable_ in turn turned their guns on the rearmost ship of the German line, while the leading British ships were engaging the foremost ships of the enemy. At half-past nine the situation was as shown in the diagram on the next page. As early as a quarter to ten the _Bluecher_ began to show signs of the heavy punishment inflicted on her. It was now evident that she was doomed. She had been abandoned by her speedier consorts, and her end was only a matter of time. By eleven o'clock the _Seydlitz_ and the _Derfflinger_ were on fire; the _Bluecher_ had fallen behind, and was being mercilessly pounded by the _Indomitable_.