The quantity of Russian powder which went up was about 1700 barrels, and there were about 800 barrels of French powder exploded in the three magazines. Ea(;h barrel contained about 1001b. weight of gunpowder, so that the total quantity which furnished the elements of this prodigious combustion cannot have been less than 250,0001b. But in addition to that enormous mass of powder there wei-e vast mounds of shell, carcasses, rockets, and smallarm ammunition, contributing to the intensity and violence of the fiery blast. The earth shook. The strongest houses rocked to and fro. Men felt as if the very ground upon which they stood was convulsed by an earthquake. The impression of these few moments can never be eradicated. One's confidence in the stability of the very earth was staggered.
Suppositos incedemus ignes. What part of the camp is safe after such a catastrophe? As to Its cause we know nothing. One of our artillerymen in the adjoining park declares that he saw a tent catch fire in the French pare de siege, close to some shells. Thuhsdat, Kt/vemher 13. Eleven field batteries, and two heavy batteries, seventy-two guns in all, in heavy marching order, were inspected by General Codrington, at ten this morning, on the plains of Balaklava, which was nearly filled by the enormous masses of men and horses. There were many spectators, comprising the Sardinian General and Etat-Major, and some French officers. About 3'30 P.M., in the midst of all our happiness, the French pare de siege blew up, hurling shells, shot, and ball for nearly a mile in every direction over the camp, blowing down huts, shattering ambulances and hospitals to atoms, and threatening all with ruin.
The fire reached some of our shells and rockets, which exploded with violence, but the artillery officers greatly distinguished themselves in removing live shell amid the flames, and in placing blankets on the mill in which some of our powder is deposited. General Codrington, General Windham, Sir Jt. Airey, &e., were speedily on the spot, and did all they could to restore confidence and prevent any further damage. But the results have been melancholy. The casualties in the Light Division were as follows: — Killed. Wounded. 7th Fusiliers 1.. 12 19th Regiment 0.. 9 23rd Fusiliers 2.. 6 33rd Regiment 2.. 13 34th Regiment 1.. 14 77th Regiment 3.. 6 88th Regiment 0.. 2 90th Regiment 0.. 1 Rifle Brigade 1.. 6 Total... 10.. 69 The right siege train has suffered as severely — seven poor fellows were buried this evening, and the bodies of three more artillerymen were so torn and scattered that their remains could not be collected for interment.
To this loss of ten must be added for the present that of seven artillerymen, who are still " missing." The total of the casualties in the train amounts to fifty-two. Poor Yellon, Deputy-Assistant Commissary of the field train, a most active, zealous officer, whose name is mentioned along with that of Mr. Hayter in Colonel St. George's despatch, which has just been published here, was blown to pieces and frightfully mutilated. Lieutenant Eoberts had his left arm broken, and was severely biu'ntj and Lieutenant Dawson has lost liis log above the ankle from the effects of a dead shell, which struck hiin in its descent, as he was in the act of carrying off a live shell from the park to a place of safety.
The legs, arms, and trunks of men were blown into the camps of the Rifle Brigade and of the 3J)th Regiment, on the extreme right of the Light Division. I saw lying amid a heap of ruins, of old iron stores, rubbish, shot, splinters of shell and beams of wood, a man's arm scorched and burnt black, on which the tattered pieces of clothing retained the traces of a sergeant's gold stripes. The dead were too terrible to look upon; but the living in their agony were still more frightful. I solemnly declare that from the lips of none of these mutilated masses which I saw stretched out in long rows in every hospital did I hear either groan or sigh. No sound escaped them, as those who could see rolled their sad orbs and gazed upon the stranger, except in one instance, when an involuntary expression of pain was uttered by a poor French soldier in the hospital of the 23rd, where he had just been trepanned, and was all but beyond the reach of his misery.