By ten o'clock these two larger ships were ready with steam up and decks cleared, and they came out from behind the hills. Von Spee saw that discretion was the better part of valor and gave orders for his ships to make off at full speed. For a time the two squadrons kept parallel to each other at a distance of twelve miles, with the British squadron--the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ leading--north of the German ships. The _Baden_ and _Santa Isabel_, two transports that had been part of the German squadron, were unable to keep up with the others and headed south, pursued by the _Bristol_ and _Macedonia_. The two British battle cruisers were faster than any other ships in either squadron, and while pulling up on the German ships were in danger of pulling away from their own ships. To avoid the latter, Admiral Sturdee kept down their speed and was content with taking a little longer to get within gun range of Von Spee's ships. By two o'clock the distance between them was about 16,000 yards; the _Invincible_ and _Inflexible_ had now left the rest of the British squadron far behind and took issue with the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_ respectively. The remaining British ships, with the exception of the _Carnarvon_, gave attention to the three lighter German cruisers and the _Eitel Friedrich_, which had broken from the first formation and were now pointing southeast.
Von Spee ordered the _Scharnhorst_ and _Gneisenau_ to turn broadside to the enemy. Shells were falling upon the German ships with fair accuracy, but their return fire could do little damage to the British ships, because the range was a little too great for the German 8.2-inch guns. Those of the _Inflexible_ and _Invincible_ were of the 12-inch type.
All four ships were belching forth heavy black smoke that hung low over the water after it left the funnels. A moderate breeze carried it northward, and Von Spee moved his ships this way and that till his smoke blew straight against the guns of the British ships, making it almost impossible for the British gunners to take aim and note effect. But the superior speed of the two British battle cruisers stood them in good stead, and their commanders brought them up south of the enemy--on their other side. It was now the German gunners who found the smoke in their faces, and the advantage was with the British.