getic action now became a necessary
condition of self-preservation. In the circumstances, the capture of
the German fleet, which according to the order of battle was to be the
object aimed at, was no longer to be thought of; the only thing left to
the Admiral was to endeavour to destroy as many of the enemy's ships
as possible. The British flagship signalled "Right about," and the
commandants knew that this was as good as an order to ram the German
ironclads.

But this manoeuvre, by which alone Sir Percy Domvile could meet the
danger that threatened him in consequence of the attack from two sides,
had been provided for by the Prince-Admiral. It had been taken into
consideration at the council of war held on the previous evening, and
each commander had received instructions as to the tactics to be pursued
in such an event. A special signal had been agreed upon, and as soon as
the English ironclads were observed wheeling round, it was hoisted on
the Admiral's ship. Each of the German battleships immediately took up
the position prescribed by the plan of battle. The squadron separated
into two halves; the first division, wheeling into line behind the
flagship, made "left about" with it, while the second division, also
making "left about," took up its position between the left wing ship.

These tactics, quite unknown to him, were completely unexpected by the
English Admiral. His purpose was entirely frustrated by the speedy and
clever manoeuvre of the German ships, the plan of destruction failed,
and his own ironclads, while proceeding athwart, had to stand a terrible
fire right and left, which was especially disastrous to the two ships on
the wings. Overwhelmed by a hail of light and heavy projectiles, and in
addition hit by torpedoes, they were in a few minutes put out of action;
one of them, the Victorious, sharing the fate of the unlucky Formidable,
sank with its crew of more than 700 men beneath the waves.

But the youthful German fleet had also received its baptism of fire in
this decisive battle.

All the means of destruction with which the modern art of war is
acquainted were employed by each of the two opponents to snatch victory
from his adversary. The shells of the heavy guns were combined with the
projectiles of the lighter armament and the machine-guns posted in the
fighting-tops, so that in the real sense of the word it was a "hail of
projectiles," which came down in passing on the ships wrapped in smoke
a