hirling round at their highest speed, moves
without throb and almost without vibration through the waves. The two
squadrons, drawing level, the Germans nearer to the coast, raced in the
teeth of the gale, in two parallel lines, to the south.

[Sidenote: British vessels.]

[Sidenote: Cradock orders attack.]

Sir Christopher Cradock could not but realize that the situation was
hazardous. He had three vessels capable of fighting men-of-war. The
_Otranto_ was only an armed liner, and must withdraw when the battle
developed. The _Good Hope_ displaced some 14,000 tons, and was armed
with two 9'2-inch and sixteen 6-inch guns. The _Monmouth_, with a
tonnage of 9,800, carried fourteen 6-inch pieces, but the _Glasgow_, a
ship of 4,800 tons, had only two of the 6-inch weapons. It was certain
that the German 8.2-inch guns, if the shooting was at all good, would be
found to outrange and outclass the British. Cradock was certainly at a
disadvantage in gun-power. His protective armour was weaker than that of
the enemy. Nor did his speed give him any superiority. Though the
_Glasgow_ was capable of twenty-six knots, the flagship and the
_Monmouth_ could only go to twenty-three. But there was another
consideration which the Admiral might weigh. Coming slowly up from the
south, but probably still a considerable distance off, was the
battleship _Canopus_. Her presence would give the British a decided
preponderance. She was a vessel of some 13,000 tons, and her armament
included four 12-inch and twelve 6-inch pieces. How far was she away?
How soon could she arrive upon the scene? Evening was closing in.
Cradock was steering hard in her direction. If the British, engaging the
enemy immediately, could keep them in play throughout the night, when
firing must necessarily be desultory, perhaps morning would bring the
_Canopus_ hastening into the action. It was possible that the Germans
did not know of her proximity. They might, accepting the contest, and
expecting to cripple the British next morning at their leisure, find
themselves trapped. But in any case they should not be allowed to
proceed without some such attempt being made to destroy them. It must
not be said that, because the enemy was in greater force, a British
squadron had taken to flight. Perhaps it would be better, since darkness
would afford little opportunity of man[oe]uvring for action, to draw
nearer and to engage fairly soon. It was about a quarter past six. The
Germans we