The vessels which answered the calls were the light cruisers _Falmouth_
and _Nottingham_ with eight eight-inch and nine six-inch guns
respectively, but before arriving the _Strassburg_ still had time
to inflict more damage on the _Arethusa_. The cruisers _Koeln_ and
_Mainz_ joined the _Strassburg_, and the British vessels were having
a bad time of it when their commander ordered the _Fearless_ to
concentrate all fire on the _Strassburg_. This, and a concentrated
fire from the destroyers, proved too strong for her and she turned
eastward, disappearing in the mist off Helgoland. The _Mainz_ then
received the attention of all available British guns, including the
battle cruiser _Lion_, and soon fire broke out within her hold.
Next her foremast, slowly tottering and then inclining more and
more, crashed down upon her deck, a distorted mass. Following that
came down one of her funnels. The fire which was raging aboard her
was hampering her machinery, and her speed slackened; the moment to
strike with a torpedo had come, and one of these "steel fishes" was
sent against her hull below water. In the explosion which followed
one of her boilers came out through her deck, ascended some fifty
feet and dropped down near her bow; her engines stopped, and she
began to settle slowly, her bow going down first.
It was now noon. From behind the veil of the surrounding mist came
the _Falmouth_ and _Nottingham_, which with the guns in their turrets
completely finished the hapless _Mainz_, and their sailors openly
admired the bravery of her crew, which, while she sank, maintained
perfect order and sang the German national air.
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