 When Nürnberg and Gneisenau approached the islands early on 8 December, the old battleship Canopus opened fire and drove them off. The Germans were surprised to see the warships in the harbor, and Spee decided to retreat. The East Asia Squadron steamed away at 22 kn (41 km / h; 25 mph) in a single file line; Nürnberg was the second ship in the line, between Gneisenau and Scharnhorst. Sturdee ordered his ships to raise steam and pursue the Germans. His battlecruisers caught up and opened fire at 12: 50; Spee decided that he could hold off the battlecruisers with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau to allow the three light cruisers time to escape. In response, Sturdee sent his light cruisers to chase down Nürnberg, Dresden, and Leipzig.
