was evacuated yet again, this time in response to the outbreak of an epidemic. 27 years later, in 1690, the island was resettled by three families (Cong, Zou, and Jiang). In 1703, the island was chosen as the base for another rebel force, but again the rebellion was short-lived. During the reign of the Guangxu Emperor, the Beiyang Fleet was founded as China's first modern navy and a telegraph center, a naval academy, and the headquarters of the Beiyang Naval Units were set up on Liugong Island. This resulted in the construction of many facilities and an increase in the island's population. Eight out of 15 modern warships which were bought from the United Kingdom and Germany were assigned to the Beiyang Fleet. On September 14, 1888, Ding Ruchang was given the command of the Beiyang Fleet. From 1887 onward, more than 100 cannons were set up around the harbour of Weihai as well as on the islands of Liugong and Ri. Eventually, Ding Ruchang made Liugong Island his official residence. A T-shaped dock, known as the "iron dock", was constructed in the years 1889 to 1891. During the First Sino-Japanese War, the Beiyang Fleet suffered a crushing defeat and in the spring of 1895, the island was occupied by Japanese forces. Ding Ruchang committed suicide. The Japanese occupation lasted for about three years. In 1898, the United Kingdom bought the island (along with the rest of Weihaiwei) from the Japanese and agreed to hand it back to China after 25 years of use or when the Russians left nearby Port Arthur. Local Chinese were recruited into a British regiment but the island was not fortified. The Royal Navy established a base on Liugong Island occupying and extending the existing facilities. Residences, hospitals, churches, tea houses, a sport ground, a post office, and navy cemeteries were constructed as part of the British development of the area. When the Russians left Port Arthur in 1905, the terms of the lease meant Britain should return the island to China. Britain re-negotiated the lease with the Chinese to counter a new German presence in the area. Weihaiwei was returned to the Republic of China in 1930, after which it was a special administrative region. The Chinese government allowed the Royal Navy to continue to use the naval base for another ten years under a lease. Japan invaded Weihaiwei in 1938, so after that,