The _Emden_ began with some very good shooting; its excellence was emphasized by the fact that the German gunners were firing at the extreme range of their guns, and had to use an elevation of about thirty degrees. The shots that struck the _Sydney_--there were ten in all, and all in the first ten minutes of the fighting--were falling at such an angle that their hole of exit on the starboard side was much lower than the shothole where they struck on the port side. But the shots of the _Sydney_ went straight through the _Emden_, the hole of exit being practically on the same level as the entry. Such an advantage do heavier naval guns give in a duel at sea.
The fourth shot of the _Emden_ was a good hit; it went through the _Sydney's_ deck and exploded below, wounding Petty Officer Harvey and another man. An Australian lad who was detailed there to watch for torpedoes never even turned round at the explosion, nor did he move the telescope from his eyes. At the same time the _Sydney_ was scoring hits on the _Emden_, though the first sign of it to the Australians was not observable until the fall of one of the German's funnels, which was greeted with loud cheering from all the _Sydney's_ company. A minute afterwards the foremast of the raider toppled over, carrying with it the main fire control, and throwing its members into the sea.
When fighting had been in progress for a quarter of an hour the _Sydney_ discharged a salvo which settled any hope the Germans may have cherished either of victory or escape. It entered the _Emden's_ stern under the afterdeck, where it burst, blowing up the whole of the steel deck. The steel plates were twisted and shattered beyond anything that could have been deemed possible; the after gun was dismounted, and the crew blown into the sea; the ship was set afire aft, and remained afire for the rest of the fight. Most serious effect of all, the salvo destroyed the steering gear, and for the rest of the battle the _Emden_ had to steer by means of her screw, thus reducing her speed immensely, and leaving her completely at the mercy of the manœuvres of her opponent.
The _Emden_ now swung round, doubling in an attempt to reduce the distance; but the _Sydney_ easily countered the move by following the operation; and continued steaming parallel with the German, and battering her to pieces. In the first quarter of an hour, and before she had received her deadly injury, the _Emden_ had scored several important hits on the _Sydney_. One had struck the second starboard gun, and set fire to some cordite, which the gun crew threw overboard. This shot was followed by a shrapnel shell in the same quarter, which killed two of the gun's crew and injured all the rest except two. Another shot exploded in the lads' room, and damaged their kits; but the room was empty, and no one was hurt.