mised to give it my best and most careful
consideration.

When the Viscount had gone, Sir Robert, his wife, and I formed ourselves
into a little committee to discuss His Excellency's proposal. Of course
there was never a moment's doubt as to the wisdom of accepting the
offer, but Sir Robert expressed his satisfaction at my self-control. He
and his wife were quite of one mind that there was nothing to be gained
by my appearing to be too eager, and they strongly advised me to allow
at least one whole day to pass before presenting myself at the
Ambassador's residence; they also advised me not to accept any rank
below that of a full lieutenant, which was quite in accordance with my
own views.

Accordingly, on the day but one following that of His Excellency's visit
to Maycroft, I journeyed up to town with Sir Robert and, upon parting
from him at the Foreign Office, made the best of my way to Viscount
Hayashi's residence.

His Excellency was at home, and I was at once received. He was polite
enough to express extreme satisfaction when I informed him that I had
definitely decided to accept his offer, provided that the conditions
could be satisfactorily arranged; and within half an hour we had come to
terms, the arrangement being that I was to enter the Japanese naval
service with the rank of a full lieutenant, my commission to bear date
of my landing in Japan; that a passage was to be provided for me; and
that I was to hold myself in readiness to depart at twenty-four hours'
notice. A letter to this effect was given me to hand to a certain
subordinate official whose business it was to arrange all such details;
and I then made my exit, the recipient of many good wishes on His
Excellency's part for my success.

My next visit was to a Mr Yuri Kuroda, the subordinate official above
mentioned, who, having read the letter of which I was the bearer,
immediately became very polite, requested to be favoured with my
honourable name and address, which he at once entered in a big book, and
then proceeded to discuss the question of my passage out to Japan. It
transpired that his Government was negotiating with the Argentine
Republic for the purchase of two powerful armoured cruisers, built for
the Government of the latter country at Genoa; and Mr Kuroda suggested
that if the negotiations resulted successfully, it might suit me to go
out in one of them as an officer, the date of my commission to be
advanced accordingly. I asked