| Citation |
VTJ.783.017
16 Oct 1783:11,12 (1/11)
London, May 30. Extract of a letter from an officer in the
East India company's service, dated Bencoolen, April 13,
1783. On Monday the 18th of March, at half past two in the
morning, it having been exceeding stormy the evening before,
our magazine and laboratory were fired by lightning, the
former containing about 400 and the latter 100 barrels of
powder, and every implement of artillery was totally
destroyed. [19 lines, describing the fire and destruction,
followed by] At length I saw a light in the fort which
increased very fast, and a serjeant came running to acquaint
me, that the Seapoys barracks had taken fire, and
immediately after the drums beat to arms--I went to the
fort--but what a scene was there!--It is next to impossible
to describe it!. . . [38 more lines]
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