On the evening of November 1 a British squadron consisting of the
vessels _Good Hope, Otranto, Glasgow_, and _Monmouth_, all except
the _Good Hope_ coming through the straits, sighted the enemy. The
British ships lined up abreast and proceeded in a northeasterly
direction. The Germans took up the same alignment eight miles to the
westward of the British ships and proceeded southward at full speed.
Both forces opened fire at a distance of 12,000 yards shortly after
six o'clock off Coronel near the coast of Chile. The _Gneisenau_ was
struck by a 9.2-inch shot from the _Good Hope_. The _Scharnhorst_
and _Gneisenau_ picked the _Good Hope_ as their first target, but
finding that they could do no damage at that range and that they
were safe from the fire of the British ship, they came to within
6,000 yards of her. Her fire in reply was augmented by that of
the _Monmouth_. Excellent aim on the part of the Germans soon had
the _Good Hope_ out of action, and fire broke out aboard her. Soon
after general action her magazine exploded.
The _Monmouth_ then received the brunt of the fire from the German
ships, and came in for more than her share of the destructive fire,
being put virtually out of action, and at the same time there occurred
an explosion on board the _Good Hope_ and she sank immediately,
carrying Admiral Cradock to his death.
There remained of the British force only the _Otranto_--a converted
liner and not really a battleship of the line--the _Glasgow_ and
the hopelessly disabled _Monmouth_ to continue the fight with an
efficient German force.
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