Just before 07:00 on the 25th, one of 's planes reported a Japanese force of four battleships, eight cruisers, and 11 destroyers.

After this, the Japanese force of six cruisers and several destroyers turned away to the northeast.

The Navy was permitted a force of six pre-dreadnought battleships and six light cruisers; the ships could not be replaced until they were twenty years old.

A second force of two cruisers and two destroyers was consequently sent through the channel in order to demonstrate legal rights.

Sydney spotted smoke at 14:45, and made visual contact with a force of five cruisers just after 15:00.

The department had acquired since 1891 a force of eight armed cruisers, six icebreakers, and nearly twenty other vessels.

In addition, on 15 July a force of three battleships and two light cruisers bombarded the city of Muroran.

The American force of four light cruisers and eight destroyers sank the Sendai with 6-inch (152 mm) gunfire.

At 04:25 Shima's force of two cruisers and eight destroyers reached the battle.

Patterson's gunners continued shooting until the enemy, flinging torpedoes, split formation, and raced northeast in a pincer movement on the northern force of three cruisers.