e had not too much coal. He therefore decided to give
battle, and went straight for the _Sydney_ at full speed. His object was
to meet her on even terms, for her advantage was that her guns had much
greater range than those of the _Emden_. If he could get close enough he
might be able to use his torpedo tubes. But Captain Glossop of the
_Sydney_ saw through this maneuver and maintained good distance between
the two ships. About the first shot from the _Emden_ killed the man at
the range finder on the fore bridge of the _Sydney_. Captain Glossop was
standing within a few feet of him at the time.

The replies from the Australian ship were fatal. The foremost funnel of
the _Emden_ crumpled and fell; her fire almost ceased, and then she
began to burn; the second funnel and the third fell also; there was
nothing left but to beach her, which Von Mueller did, just before noon.
While she lay there helpless the _Sydney_ shot more steel into her,
leaving her quite helpless, and then went off to chase a merchant ship
which had been sighted during the fighting and which, when caught,
proved to be the British ship _Buresk_, now manned by Germans and doing
duty as collier to the _Emden_. Returning to the latter, Captain Glossop
saw that she still flew the German flag at her masthead. He signaled
her, asking whether she would surrender, but receiving no reply after
waiting five minutes he let her have a few more salvos. The German flag
came down and the white flag went up in its place. The _Jemchug_ had
been avenged, and the terribly costly career of the _Emden_ brought to
an end. Von Mueller was taken prisoner, and on account of his valor was
permitted to keep his sword. But the landing party, which had cut the
false cables, was still at large. The adventures of these three officers
and forty men form a separate story, which will be narrated later.

CHAPTER XXXVI

BATTLE OFF THE FALKLANDS

The defeat of the British squadron back in the first week of November
had sorely tried the patience of the British public, and the admiralty
felt the necessity of retrieving faith in the navy. Von Spee was still
master of the waters near the Horn, and till his ships had again been
met the British could not boast of being rulers of the waves.
Consequently Admiral Fisher detailed the two battle cruisers
_Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ to go to the Falkland Islands. They left
England November 11, 1914, and on the outward journey met with and