The squadron could make about 22 knots even under ideal conditions. Faster light cruisers could not raise the speed of the formation while they remained with its slower ships. That figure also assumed good coal and clean, well-maintained hulls. Battle damage compounded the problem because damage that a dockyard could repair still threatened a squadron without access to one.
Notable Point · 1:09:59-1:11:36
Coal, speed, and repair limited von Spee
The nominal speed of the German cruisers concealed a squadron-wide dependence on clean hulls, good coal, and the slowest ship, with no secure repair base ahead.