that we should never see them again! It happened about ten
miles south of Port Arthur, the two ships striking mines within a few
minutes of each other. The _Hatsuse_ appears to have struck two mines,
the second of which completed her destruction, for she foundered in less
than two minutes after the second explosion occurred. I understand that
considerably more than half her crew have gone down with her.

"There were hopes at first that the _Yashima_ might be saved, as
collision mats were got over her damaged bows and the steam pumps were
started, while she headed for here under her own steam, with the rest of
the squadron in company; but the latest news is to the effect that she
cannot possibly be kept afloat, and that her crew are being taken off.
Well, it is the fortune of war, I suppose, and it is useless to murmur;
we cannot hope to always have things go well with us, reverses _will_
happen occasionally; and I am afraid that we have been growing just a
little too careless and over-confident of late. We must take the lesson
to heart and see that it does not again happen. But it is a paralysing
blow for us.

"And now, to return to the matter which more immediately concerns you,
Captain. I have given you the earliest possible warning of what I am
going to ask you to do, in order that you may have an opportunity to
think over the situation and make your plans. I want you to be ready to
start at practically a moment's notice; but I shall not dispatch the
squadron until I have further news from Oku, which may arrive at any
minute."

As it happened, however, although a communication arrived from Oku the
next day, it was a full week before we got our orders; for a careful
reconnaissance revealed that very important preparations would be
necessary before it would be possible to take Kinchau, or storm the
Nanshan Heights.

Just about sunset the _Shikishima_, with her attendant cruisers, hove in
sight, and before they were hull-up it was possible for us to
distinguish that the _Yashima_ was not among them. She had gone down
off Dalny--in shallow water, fortunately--but not until every man had
been safely taken out of her.

The other losses to which the Admiral had referred were torpedo-boat
Number 48, and the dispatch boat _Mikayo_, both of which had come to
grief, the one on 12th May, and the other two days later, through
striking mines in Kerr Bay, some thirty miles to the north-east of Port
Arthur. Torpedo-bo