The enemy’s fleet soon came into view several miles away. Three large steamers were racing off towards the Atlantic and the west; seven smaller ships were steaming slowly north-west. In the path of the three big liners were drawn up the _Selkirk_ and the ten destroyers of the Devonport flotilla, formed in line abreast, with intervals of two miles between each vessel, so as to cover as wide an extent of sea as possible. The _Kincardineshire_ was heading fast to support the _Selkirk_ and attack the three large German ships. Farther to the north, but as yet invisible to the _Lion_, and right in the path of the squadron of old German ships, were nine destroyers of the Irish Sea flotilla, vessels each of 800 tons and thirty-three knots, also drawn up in line abreast, with intervals of two miles to cover a wide stretch of water. The moment the Germans came into view the two protected cruisers at Land’s End were called up by wireless telegraphy, and ordered to steam at nineteen knots towards the _Selkirk_. The two Devonport battleships, which had now reached Land’s End, were warned of the presence of the enemy. Sighting the ten Devonport destroyers and the _Selkirk_ to the west of them, the three fast German liners, which were the _Deutschland_, _Kaiser Wilhelm II._, and _Kronprinz Wilhelm_, all three good for twenty-three knots in any weather, made a rush for the gap between the Devonport destroyers and the _Kincardineshire_. Perceiving their intention, the _Kincardineshire_ turned to cut them off, and the ten destroyers and the _Selkirk_ headed to engage them. In danger of all being brought to action and destroyed if they kept together, the German liners scattered at 4.15: the _Deutschland_ steered south-east to pass between the _Kincardineshire_ and the _Lion_; the _Kaiser Wilhelm_ steered boldly for a destroyer which was closing in on her from the starboard bow; and the _Kronprinz Wilhelm_ ran due north. The _Deutschland_, racing along at a tremendous speed, passed between the _Kincardineshire_ and the _Lion_. The _Lion_ at long range put three 9.2-inch shells into her without stopping her; the _Kincardineshire_ gave her a broadside from her 6-inch guns at about 5000 yards, and hit her several times. But the British fire did not bring her to, and she went off to the south-west at a great pace, going so fast that it was clear the armoured cruisers would stand little chance of overhauling her. The _Kaiser Wilhelm_ charged through the line of destroyers, receiving a heavy fire from the 6-inch weapons of the _Selkirk_ and _Kincardineshire_, and in her turn pouring a rapid fire upon two of the Devonport destroyers, which attempted to torpedo her, and missed her at about 900 yards. The _Selkirk_, however, was close astern of her, and with her engines going twenty-three knots, which was just a fraction less than what the German engineers were doing, concentrated upon her a very heavy fire from all her 6-inch guns that would bear.