When the great hurricane swept over Apia Harbor, in Samoa, seven years ago, and wrecked the six American and German war-ships that were gathered there, the world was thrilled with the story of the heroism of the sailors on the United States man-of-war _Trenton_. Of all the incidents of that memorable disaster, the one which will live longest in the memory of readers is the bravery with which the men of the _Trenton_ faced death. Their vessel had snapped her anchor chains, and was steadily drifting toward the rocks, but the men lined the rigging and gave rousing cheers to the British ship _Calliope_, which, with all steam on, was headed for the open sea. The _Trenton_'s band was also ordered on deck, and to the strains of "The Star-spangled Banner" the old ship went to her death. As she passed the _Vandalia_, over which the waves were breaking, the _Trenton_'s men cheered the few survivors in the rigging, and the feeble shout that came in response was the saddest feature of the disaster. When the _Trenton_'s band struck up, amazement fell upon the Americans and other foreigners on shore who were trying to save the lives of those whom the current brought to the beach. Then, when the strains of the national air were recognized, a great shout went up, and men wept to think of heroism that laughed at death. A similar incident of bravery in the face of death comes from the coast of China, and the crew of the German gun-boat _Iltis_ were the heroes who showed genuine courage when all hope of safety was gone. The _Iltis_ left Che-foo on July 23, passed Wei-hai-wei--made memorable by the defeat and suicide of old Admiral Ting, of the Chinese navy--and rounded the Shan-tung peninsula. As the vessel passed the northern point of the promontory the wind freshened to a gale, and with all sails furled the ship held her way to the south, parallel to the coast. The storm was soon recognized as a typhoon of great violence; the driving sleet and the thick darkness confused the look-out, and the strong currents carried the ship near to the rocky shore. Without warning the vessel struck, and remained hard and fast on a sunken rock. The engine-room filled rapidly, and all hands were warned to come on deck. There they saw that the prospect was hopeless, as every wave helped to stave in the strong steel plates. Rockets were sent up, but no response came from the shore; no boat could live in the wild seas which washed over the doomed vessel. The commander, Lieutenant-Captain Braun, ordered all the men aft, and gathering them around him, called upon them to give three cheers for the Emperor. These were given with a will, and a moment after the masts went overboard, smashing the officers' bridge, and then the ship parted.