This consisted, as soon became clear, of the _Derfflinger_, _Seydlitz_, _Moltke_, and _Blücher_, with six light cruisers and a strong force of destroyers; and there was little doubt that they were once more en route for a bombardment of some part of our coast. With Admiral Beatty, who was flying his flag on the _Lion_, were the _Princess Royal_, the _Tiger_, the _New Zealand_, and _Indomitable_, all powerful vessels, the three former each carrying eight 13.5-inch guns, while the _New Zealand_ and _Indomitable_ carried the same number of 12-inch guns. In company with these, disposed on their port beam, were the light cruisers _Southampton_, _Nottingham_, _Birmingham_, and _Lowestoft_, and, scouting ahead--the two squadrons having met at sea--were Commodore Tyrwhitt in the _Arethusa_, commanding three flotillas of destroyers, and the two light cruisers _Aurora_ and _Undaunted_. {91} It was Sunday morning; the day had broken clear at about a quarter to seven, and it was a few minutes after this hour that the _Aurora_, then travelling at twenty knots, sighted a two-masted, four-funnelled cruiser accompanied by some destroyers. Half concealed by her smoke, in the uncertain light, and at about four miles distance, the _Aurora_, for a few moments, had been unable to determine her nationality; and it was for these reasons that the enemy cruiser--afterward known to be the _Kolberg_--was the first to open fire. No appreciable damage was caused to the _Aurora_, however, who replied immediately and with such good effect that, five minutes later, the _Kolberg_ changed course and retired upon the stronger enemy forces that had now become visible. The presence of these had at once been signalled to Admiral Beatty and his cruisers, and the whole squadron at once worked up to its full speed of 28-½ knots. When first sighted, the enemy vessels had been steering northwest, but they immediately changed their course to the southeast, the distance separating the two squadrons being then about fourteen miles, and their position, at half-past seven, being about thirty miles from the English coast.