Meanwhile the _Olive Branch_ was tearing across the Bay. Two hundred miles from Finisterre she overhauled a British transport homeward bound. This vessel she promptly warned of the danger ahead, and as the transport turned and made towards Gibraltar her sides were crowded with troops who cheered the formidable cruiser to the echo. The defects to the _Olive Branch's_ electrical gear had been made good ere she passed Gibraltar; the 6in. shells were charged with their powerful explosive; magazines were opened and water-tight doors closed. [Illustration: "In view of possible events I must ask you to take up your quarters beneath the armoured deck," said Captain Brookes.] As far as was humanly possible the vessel under Captain Brookes's command was fit and ready for action. At six bells the dull rumble of a terrific cannonade was heard away to the nor'-west. The van of Admiral Hobbes's fleet was in touch with the enemy. It was a prolonged yet terrible encounter. The British fleet, advancing in line ahead in double columns, suffered severely as they received the concentrated fire of the hostile ships. It was a running fight at this stage, for Admiral Bloch's main division, relying on its superior numbers, was slowly retiring so as to subject its pursuers to a heavy cannonade at long range ere the second division, fresh for action, converged upon the flank of the British fleet. In twenty minutes the _British Orion_ and _Thunderer_ were sunk, while the _Princess Royal_, _Vanguard_, _Inflexible_, and _Foudroyant_ had fallen out of line. In spite of their complicated system of water-tight doors they were leaking badly, their powerful centrifugal pumps being barely sufficient to cope with the inrush of water. The _Foudroyant_ in particular was in a deplorable condition, being battered entirely out of recognition. The "lame ducks" must go. Admiral Hobbes could not hazard the rest of his fleet by standing by. The cripples were ordered to make their way as best they might for Haulbowline, trusting to luck to avoid the detached armoured cruisers of the hostile fleet. In this running fight the enemy possessed a decided advantage in the fact that both torpedoes and mines could be employed, whereas the pursuing vessels were unable to use either. Nor had they suffered lightly. The huge 20,000-ton battleship Kronprinz Gustave, her armoured sides shattered by the 13in. projectiles of the King George V., was slowly settling down by the head. The _Askoldin_ and _Trodet_--both regarded as formidable vessels--had already disappeared, while the _Styx_, _Vonderflack_, and _Gelion_ had dropped astern hopelessly crippled. These three vessels, finding themselves overhauled by the British fleet, surrendered at discretion. But Admiral Hobbes was not in a position to take possession of the disabled ships; all he could hope was that his own "lame ducks" would be able to complete the surrender.