THE French Letters say, and the Dutch Letters confirm, that on the 12th Instant, there hapned a terrible and surprizing Disaster in the French Garison of Dunkirk; for the same being look'd upon the Metropolitan over all the French Garisons in the New Conquest in Flanders, whereby mighty Stores of all Sorts of Munitions of War were Re­posited, for the carrying on the grand Designs of Louis XIV. was by one Fatal Blow and Disaster, thro' the Negligence of a Drunken Workman, or Soldier, with a lighted Pipe of Tobacco, entirely Blown up and Destroyed.

The Certainty of the Occasion cannot be authentickly known, because the Powder gave no minutes for Enquiry, but precipitately carried all before it into the Region of the Air, which as it was more Inclusive, had greater Ex­tensive Efficacy on the Garison, it having destroyed and wholly ruined one Third of the Interiour Fortifications, with one Bastion, and made a large Breach in the Wall of the Side towards the Sea, there being computed 2000 Barrels of Powder to be lost, which is an extreme Injury to France, the same being valued at 8 l 10 s. each Barrel besides the Store of Arms and Ammu­nition adjoining, are either broke to pieces, or burned in the Ruines, there not being one part of the said Garison but what received its dreadful Effects either by the destruction of the Houses, or killing some People therein, the tops of all the Buildings being either carried away, or broke down afterwards [Page]with the Stones, or other ponderous weight which fell thereon. And the Damage is almost Irreparable, One hundred thousand Pounds being not suffi­cient to put it into its pristine Condition, for the terrible Shock which it made, has created a great many Cracks, and dismal Casma's in the very Wall of the Fortifications, which must be wholly taken down to the ground to be repaired, otherwise Untenable; and, upon a strict Examination, about 530 People, as well Soldiers as Inhabitants, have perished in this Catastrophe, among them 43 Officers, and above 300 others are miserably shatter'd or wounded with the Stones: And there are some which conclude that it was occasioned by the Treachery of several new Convert Soldiers, but considering that the person which perpretated it, was a Companion in the misery which ensued, we believe that it was more Misfortune than Design; and the rather, for that it was known, that a considerable Quantity of Powder brought from Foreign Parts, had, by the Saline and Vaporous Quality of the Sea received some Detriment, whereby it was drying, and making again serviceable. However it was (as all Advantages with Enemies are best) it betokens a lucky pro­gress of Affairs to all the Confederates in the ensuing Campagne, especially in the Kingdom of Ireland, to which place the said Powder was principally design'd, and where we do not doubt the French Rhodomantado's as soon as appear, will vanish in Smoke.

And this direful Misfortune (as the English Proverb denotes, Comes seldom Alone) is ushered in with another; which tho' it may not be attended with those dreadful Circumstances of the loss of much People, yet it carries with it, and bespeak as fatal a Consequence to the French King's Affairs; for as he was lately come to the Zenith of his Glory, it will be a means to bring him to the declension of his Usurpation and Tyranny, which the sage Prognosticks conclude it near accomplished, as is the good Tydings which we have verify'd and confirm'd by the last Dutch Post: That Five French Flutes laden in the Port of Dunkirk with all Sorts of Munitions of War, and going under Con­voy of two of their Privateers for Brest, design'd for Ireland, were intercepted and taken by three Dutch Men of War; their Convoys, after receiving the first Broadside, sheering off, escaped; and they are now actually brought into Rotterdam, where being examined into, are found to be Freighted with these following Particulars, viz.

In one of them are 16 Demi-Culverins upon Carriages, with Sponges, Ladles, and all other Materials thereto, as Traces, and Harness for the Draught Horses. 236 Barrels of Gunpowder. 6000 Iron Bullets. 120 Quintals of Match. 500 Barrels of Musquet, Carbine, and Pistol shot. 1500 Chevaux de Frize. 400 Tunespiks. 800 Gabions, and other Baskets. 7000 Mattocks, as many Shovels. 300 Wheel-Barrows. 2 Mortars. 600 Bombs, from 60 to 100 l. weight each. 6000 Horse-shoes. 2000 Saddles, as many Bridles, with Holsters for Pistols, and Cruppers. 4000 New Tents. 3000 Firelock Musquets. 2000 Matchlocks. 1000 Fusees. 6000 Swords, Bandaliers, Belts, &c. with much other materials, too long to incert, all which are con­demned as Prize, and are to be brought to Amsterdam, and the greatest part order'd to Maestricht and Breda for the use of the States Army.