Transcription
HERCULES-HALL, LAMBETH.
Mr. ASTLEY, Sen.
Is inexpressibly concerned that he is in some degree prevented from affording that Amusement, THIS EVENING, upon the RIVER THAMES (which, for Twenty Years, has met with general approbation), owing to an accident which took place on Saturday last, and which destroyed three-fourths of the Devices expressly prepared for the celebration of
HIS SOVEREIGN’s BIRTHDAY.
The remainder will, however, be displayed from Barges, stationed, as usual, near Westminster-bridge, on the River Thames, at Half past Ten o’clock This Night:
N.B. The Laboratory, near the Asylum, containing the Devices which took Fire, did not, as erroneously stated, contain nay quantity of Powder, it being Mr. ASTLEY’s general practice to never keep more than Ten Pounds at a time for composition.
The numerous combination of sounds produced from so large a quantity of Rockets, Serpents, Crackers, &c. taking fire at the same instant, created, no doubt, some momentary alarm to those unacquainted with their effect.
There were Fourteen Persons in the Laboratory, not one of whom received the least injury, either in his person or garment, excepting one man, who, in imprudently endeavouring to escape through a winnow, broke his arm, and otherwise sustained much hurt.
