After the three English ships had been put out of action, it was unnecessary for the cruiser division to remain any longer in this quarter of the scene of action.They accordingly proceeded with the utmost despatch to where the Prince-Admiral was engaged in the main fight with the battleships.Here, indeed, assistance was needed.For, although four of the enemy's ships were lost, the superiority in numbers still remained with the English, especially as the Mecklenburg had been obliged to sheer off, her steering gear having been shot to pieces.
When the English Admiral saw the cruisers approaching, so that they could bring all their bow-guns to bear at once, he recognised that the decisive moment was at hand.
The cruisers' guns inflicted severe damage on the English, for the crews had practised shooting rapidly at a gradually diminishing distance.The high deck structures of the battleships offered an admirable target, so that in the extended English line of battle nearly every shot took effect.
For Sir Percy Domvile rapid and energetic 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 and steam.
Hermann Heideck had become so thoroughly familiar in India with the horrors of war on land in their various forms, that he believed his nerves were completely proof against the horrible sight of death and devastation.But the scenes which were being enacted around him in the comparatively narrow space of the magnificent flagship during this engagement, far surpassed in their awfulness everything that he had hitherto seen.Heideck was full of admiration for the heroic courage, contempt of death, and discipline of officers and men, not one of whom stirred a foot from the post assigned him.
As he only played the part of an inactive spectator in the drama that had now reached its climax, he was able to move freely over the ship.Wherever he went, the same spectacle of horrible destruction and heroic devotion to duty everywhere met his eye.
The men serving the guns in the turrets and casemates were enduring the pains of hell.In the low, ironclad chambers a fiery heat prevailed, which rendered even breathing difficult.The terrific noise and the superhuman excitement of the nerves seemed to have so dulled the men's senses, that they no longer had any clear idea of what was going on around them.Their faces did not wear that expression of rage and exasperation, which Heideck had seen in so many soldiers in the land battle at Lahore; rather, he observed a certain dull indifference, which could no longer be shaken by the horror of the situation.
A shell struck a battery before Heideck's eyes, exploded, and with its flying splinters struck down nearly all the men serving the guns.Happy were those who found death at once; for the injuries of those who writhed wounded on the ground were of a frightful nature.The red-hot pieces of iron, which tore the unhappy men's flesh and shattered their bones, at the same time inflicted fearful burns upon them.Indeed, Heideck would have regarded it as an act of humanity to have been allowed with a shot from a well-aimed revolver, to put an end to the sufferings of this or that unfortunate, whose skin and flesh hung in shreds from his body, or whose limbs were transformed into shapeless, bloody masses.
But those who had escaped injury, after a few moments'
