"On Saturday, the 16th, an ultimatum was sent to the commandant of the Taku Forts to the effect that the Allies had heard of their mining the entrance to the Peiho, and of it intention to bring force to hear to hold the railway up to Tientsin wherefore the Allies gave the Chinese till 2 a.m. to get out of the Forts, and then would occupy them, whether the Chinese liked it or no, About 12.50, Saturday evening, alarge shell hit the river bank alongside the Fame—she, the Whiting, and A'gerine were up the river—so the Fame and Whiting pushed on, and cap-tard four destroyers, of which we have Kept two, and given one each to Germany and France. The Algerine did splendidly, and was so close that the Forts could not depress their guns enough to hit her although they got one shell on board which wound@i an' officer severely. He is doing well, and will pull through all right.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.