Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-01-26
Moscow Never Burnea.

Senator Douglass is said to have made the dScov-
cry, while travelling in Russia, that the city of Mos
COW never burned The following statement of
the matter is from the Muscatine Qowa) Inquirer:
Coming up on the boat few days ago. we hap.
pened TO fsll in company with Senator Douglas, who
came on board al Quincy, on his way to Warsaw
In the course of very Interesting account Of his
els IN Russia, much OF which has been published by
letter WRITER'S he stated fact which has never vet
been published, but WI ich startlingy contradics The
received historical relation of one of the extra.
ordinary events that fell to The LOT of history to
record. For this the Judge said he felt deli
cacy in making The assertion that tie city of MoscosC
aCds neuer burned!
He said that, previous to his arrival at Moscow he
had several disputes with his guide 20 the burning
of the city, the guide declaring lhR it occurred
and seemed to be neiled at Mr. Douglas persistency
IN his opinion but examining the fire marks a.
round the city, and the city itse f. be became satisfied
that the guide was correct.
The statement goes to SET forth that the antQui-
y of the architectural particularly of it's six
hundred first clas churches stretching through an
te- -Napoeonic ages to pagan times and showing the
handwork of different nations of hisiory-demon-
sTates that the city was never burnt down Cor up)
The Inquirer adds
The Kremlin is space of several hundred acres,
in the heart of the city, in the shape of fat iron and
is enclosed by wall sixty feet high. Within this
enclosure Is the most magnificent palace in Europe,
recently built, but constructed an ancient pal
ace, which remains, thus enclosed, whole and perfect
with all its windows, ETC.
Near the kremlin, surrounded by wall is n Chi.
nese town, appearing to be several hundred years DID,
still occupied by descendants of the original settlers
The circumstances which gave rise TO the error
concerning the burning of Moscow, were these 1t
is city of 100000 Inhabitants in circular form. oc
cupylng large space, five miles across There the
winters are six months long, and the custom was and
still is, to lay up supplies of provisions and wood to
last SIX months of severe cold weather To prevent
these gigantic supplies from cumhering the heart of
the city, and YET render them as convenient as prac-
ticabie to every locality, row of wood houses was
constructed 10 circle completely round the city, and
OUTSIDE OF these was of granaTies and in .hese
were deposited the whole of the supplies Napoleon
had entered the city with his army, and was himself
occupying the palace OF the kremIin, when one night
by order OF the Russian Governor, every wood house
and every granary simultaneously burst INTO a blaze
All efforts to extinguish them were vain and Napo.
leon found himself compelled to march his army hro'
the hre Retiring TO an eminence, be saw the whole
city enveloped in vast sheets of fame and clouds of
smoke. and apparently all on fire And so far as he
was concerned il mi ght well have been for though
houses enough left to supply every soldier with
room, yet without provisions or fuel, and Russian
army 10 cut off supplies, he and his army could not
subsst there During this fire some houses were
probably burnt, but the city was not To the Krem.
lin magazine blew up,~cracking the church of Ivan
more than hundred feet up but setting nothing on
fire
Mr.. Douglas the fire mark. around The citv.
where wood houses and granares for winter supplies
now stand as of old but there appears no marks Of
cont1agration within the CITY. On the CONTRARY, it
bears the unmlstakabe evidences of age