ADMIRAL TING'S SUICIDE. 623 surrender is to take place,Ishall consult with you again whenIreceive your reply to this. My own idea is, after taking over everything, to escort you and your colleagues in one of our warships to some safe place, as will best suit your convenience. IfImay speak quite frankly, Iwould advise you,for your own sake and for the sake of your country, to stayin Japan until after the war. Iassure you that you will be treated with the most hon r.ole consideration if you decide to come tc my country. If, however, you wish to return to your native land,Ishall,of course, put no obstacle in your way. As for any British guarantee of your good faith,Iconsider it quite unnecessary, forI trust absolutelyinyour honour as anofficer and a brave man.'' Finally, Ting was requested to send a replyby 10 a.m.on the 13th at latest.

cases of presents to Admiral Ito, and handed him Ting's last letter.

"Your answer," wrote the Chinese admiral, "just received, gives me much satisfaction, on account of the livesof my men. Ihave also to express gratitude for the things you have sent me ; but, as the state of war existing between our countries makes it difficult for me to accept them,Ibeg to return them herewith, thoughI thank you for the thought. Your letter states that the arms, forts, and ships shouldbe handed over to-morrow, but that leaves us a very brief interval at our disposal. Some time is needed for thenaval andmilitary folk to exchange their uniforms for travelling garments, and it would be difficult to conform with the date named by you. Itherefore beg that you will extendthe period until February 16th, and on that day enter the harbour and take overthe islandforts, the ' arms, and the ships now remaining. I pledge my good faith in the matter."

It will be noticed that Ting was keenly anxious about the interests of his officers and men. His request that they should be given time to procure civilian clothes was an effort to savethem from the insults and annoyance they wouldexperienceif they journeyed through the cities and villages bearing the badges that marked them as the disbanded remnant of a beatenarmy.

The news of his old friend and gallant opponent's death came as a heavy shock to Admiral Ito. Nothing in the correspondence had led him to anticipate such an ending. In the negotiations that followed he made special provision for due honour being paid to the memory of the dead admiral. These negotiations were carried on by Niu-Chang-Ping, the civil governor of Liu-kung-tao, and Commander Ching on the part of the Chinese. They found Admiral Ito and MarshalOyama anxious to do all theycould tolighten the lotof the vanquished defenders of Wei-hai-wei.

It wasagreed that the forts on the island, the ships, and all arms, ammunition,and naval and military stores, should be handed over to the Japanese. The civil population was to be protected, and the Chinese soldiers and sailors were to be allowed to return to their homes after being disarmed. The Chinese officers and the little party of "Foreign Military Advisers," who had done so much for the defence of Wei-haiwei, were to be liberated on giving their parole not to serve again in the war against Japan. Admiral Ito further agreed that one of the sur-Commander Ching returned to the harbour in the gunboat and handed the letter to Ting. Then followed one of the saddest tragedies of the war. It will be noticed that Ito was throughout most anxious to persuade his old friend the Chinese admiral to come to Japan. He knew that if he returned to Pekinhe would be made a scapegoat by the mandarins, and sentenced to death for his failure. And more than this, the barbarous Chinese code would, perhaps, include in the sentence all his near relatives, even old men, women, and children. Ting also knew the fate that awaited him and all who were dear to him, but he hesitated to take refuge with those who had fought against his country. After reading the Japanese admiral's letter,he said that "there wasnothing left for him to desire, as allhe had asked for had been granted." He then gave the necessary orders tohis staff, and wrote a letter, which was to be sent to Admiral Ito next morning. In the afternoon he went into the cabin of the Chen-Yuen and committed suicide by taking a large dose of opium. Commodore Liu, the former commanderof the sunken flagship Ting-Yuen, Chang Wang Sen, the commandant of the torts on Liu-kung-tao, and several other officers of rank, on hearing of what had happened, followed the admiral's example, and diedby their own hands.

The Japanese did not hear the news of this grim ending to the defence of Wei-hai-wei till the morning of the 13th, when Commander Ching again came out to the Matsushima,in a gunboat flying the flag of truce, and with the Chinese Dragon Flag hoisted half-mast high. Ching came on board the flagship, returned the