At this moment, the division of boats under Captain Belcher and Captain Warren succeeded in getting through the Fatee creek, and, coming suddenly down upon the Chinese boats, which were already so closely pursued, destroyed an immense number of them. Some were driven ashore, some were sunk, and a few escaped up the creeks in the rear of the town. The Nemesis, in the meantime, had opened her fire upon the Shameen Fort, in the western suburbs of the city; and, under cover of her guns, Captain Bethune put off from her; and a division of boats, with Captains Belcher and Warren at their head, also landed and took the fort, after some resistance. It mounted ten guns. While these operations were going on in the upper part of the river, the Madagascar had gone down and taken up a position not far from the Dutch Folly, which was a circular fort, in the middle of the river, directly opposite the city, mounting twenty-five guns. In front of it a number of junks laden with stones had been sunk. A small sand-battery of three guns, close to the naval arsenal, which is on the south side of the river, was at the same time carried by another division of boats. Four of the new Chinese gun-boats were also captured. [Illustration: SKETCH OF THE NAVAL OPERATIONS BEFORE CANTON, On the 18th March, 1841, UNDER CAPT. SIR THOS. HERBERT, K.C.B. GUNS. _a_ Birdsnest Fort 22 _b_ " " 9 _c_ " " 9 _d_ Shameen Fort 10 _e_ Rouge Fort 20 _f_ Field-work 3 _g_ Dutch Folly 25 --- 98 In the War Junks 15 --- 113 Together with 6 Gun Boats and 6 Mandarin Boats. ] A little before one o'clock, about an hour after the first shot of the day had been fired, and after all the detached forts and batteries, except the so-called Dutch Folly, had been taken, Captain Elliot came on board the Nemesis, and desired that he might be conveyed to the British factory, with a _flag of truce_ hoisted, it being clearly his intention to endeavour to treat at once, without further employment of force. However, scarcely had she got down opposite the European factories, and only within distant range of the Dutch Folly, when the latter opened fire on her, in spite of the flag of truce. Instantly it was hauled down, the fire was returned by other vessels, and the result was that the fort was soon silenced.