▁fast est ▁ships ▁present ▁and ▁in ex or ably ▁began ▁to ▁close ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁cru is ers , ▁opening ▁fire ▁at ▁ 1 2 : 5 5 ▁that ▁str add led ▁the ▁light ▁cru iser ▁, ▁the ▁rear ▁ship ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁formation . ▁It ▁was ▁clear ▁to ▁Spe e ▁that ▁his ▁ships ▁could ▁not ▁out run ▁the ▁battle c ru is ers ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁only ▁hope ▁for ▁any ▁of ▁his ▁ships ▁to ▁surv ive ▁was ▁to ▁scatter . ▁So ▁he ▁turned ▁his ▁two ▁arm oured ▁cru is ers ▁around ▁to ▁buy ▁time ▁by ▁eng aging ▁the ▁battle c ru is ers ▁and ▁ordered ▁his ▁three ▁light ▁cru is ers ▁to ▁dis per se ▁at ▁ 1 3 : 2 0 . ▁Car nar von , ▁now ▁ ▁behind , ▁had ▁no ▁hope ▁of ▁catch ing ▁the ▁scatter ing ▁German ▁ships ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁trail ▁the ▁battle c ru is ers . ▁ ▁Car nar von ▁finally ▁came ▁within ▁range ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁arm oured ▁cru is ers ▁and ▁opened ▁fire ▁shortly ▁before ▁ ▁rolled ▁over ▁and ▁caps ized ▁at ▁ 1 6 : 1 7 . ▁She ▁then ▁engaged ▁ ▁until ▁St ur de e ▁ordered ▁" ce ase ▁fire " ▁at ▁ 1 7 : 5 0 . ▁The ▁German ▁captain ▁had ▁started ▁to ▁sc utt le ▁his ▁ship ▁ 1 0 ▁minutes ▁earlier ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁clear ▁that ▁the ▁situation ▁was ▁hop eless ▁and ▁his ▁ship ▁s ank ▁at ▁ 1 8 : 0 0 . ▁Car nar