Peking, Mar. 15.
After considerable discussion, due to some divergence of opinion, the British, American, French and Japanese' Legations,, representing the Protocol Powers with navies Chinese waters, this evening instructed their naval authorities at) Tientsin to notify the Taku forts authorities to-morrow morning that Unless within three days the mines are removed from the channel and interference with foreign shipping ceases they reserve the right to take the necessary action themselves.
Sterner action originally proposed but calmer counsels prevailed, The British official view. apparently that it would be unwise to insist on strict observance of the Protocol 4901, which presupposed a general anti-foreign movement, whereas the present ix a matter of warring between almost indistinguishable.factions, who are thus protecting them. selves. While stich protective measures infringe on the treatic and temporarily interrupt command cations to the sex and cause serious commercial losses, lenient policy, {n''the British official view, ix advsable unless foreign lives are zetually threatened.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.