text_original: The matter now began to assume a serious aspect. The number of captives was insignificant — not more than thirty in all — but three of them were British subjects, and of these two at least had been entrapped in the execution of their duties as official representatives of the British Government.
text_transcription: THE MATTER NOW BEGAN TO ASSUME A SERIOUS ASPECT THE NUMBER OF CAPTIVES WAS INSIGNIFICANT NOT MORE THAN THIRTY IN ALL BUT THREE OF THEM WERE BRITISH SUBJECTS AND OF THESE TWO AT LEAST HAD BEEN ENTRAPPED IN THE EXECUTION OF THEIR DUTIES AS OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
phonemes: ðə mˈæɾɚ nˈaʊ bɪɡˈæn tʊ ɐsˈuːm ɐ sˈɪɹiəs ˈæspɛkt. ðə nˈʌmbɚɹ ʌv kˈæptɪvz wʌz ˌɪnsɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt — nˌɑːt mˈɔːɹ ðɐn θˈɜːɾi ɪn ˈɔːl — bˌʌt θɹˈiː ʌv ðˌɛm wɜː bɹˈɪɾɪʃ sˈʌbdʒɛkts, ænd ʌv ðiːz tˈuː æt lˈiːst hɐdbɪn ɛntɹˈæpt ɪnðɪ ˌɛksɪkjˈuːʃən ʌv ðɛɹ dˈuːɾiz æz əfˈɪʃəl ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪvz ʌvðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ɡˈʌvɚnmənt.