Star.
London, England, 1806-10-13 00:00:00

BOULOGNE FLOTILLA.

. .
We have already mentioned that *ere was fome
firing at Boulogne on Wednefday night. It was
met ely an experiment, to try the effe6 of fome newly
invented rockets, and we believe had •all the effea
that was expelled from it. It has been fatisfaaorily
afcertained, that thefe detruaive implements can be
thrown, not only into the harbour, but beyond it.—
In confequnce of the latter eircumflance, a few
houfea were burnt in the town, which, we believe,
was not intended by the affault—a few boats were
alfo burnt. The attack which, as we have already
hated, was merely experimental, did not talk above
half an hour. About twenty boos were employed
in it, each furnilhed with a few reck!ta, us taileta.
enable arrows, which having expended, they inflantly
withdrew. The effea was as furprifing as it was ur,
expeeed. The enemy were fo appalled, that it was
a confiderable time before they manned the more
batteries. Indeed their fire did not begin until long
after our boats had retired, and joined the (hips to
which they relpeltively belonged ;—not a man, of
courfe, was injured by it.
What damage was fuftaisted by the flotilla is pot
afsertained, but the town is thought to have (dined
confsderably.' This was not the intention of thole
who direaed the enterprise. Unfortunately, bow
ever, the rocket boat flood, as we underßand, too
dole in with the Chore; and not taking that circum-
Rance into account, gave the fame elevation to the
arrows which was calculated to produce effea at a
greater diftance. The confequence was, that a large
proportion of the rockets flew over the harbour, and
fell on the town. Several buildings were let on fire
by them ; and, from their fatal and affured effeft,
there is little doubt of the complete fuccefs of the ex-
periment, and the confequent defirultion of the flotilla
whenever it (hail be employed upon a large kale, and
direfled with more precifion. It was,' we onderiland,
intended that feveral gun brigs flinuld have been em-
ployed upon this occafion ; but the wind was not
favourable for their approaching the (pore.
The means employed upon this occafion were as
novel as they were ingenious. They were brought
to coofiderable perfraion about a year ago, and hare
lance been very much improved. They confift, as
we before mentioned, in rockets, or inflammable or
Pyrorrchnic Zrrows.
There Pyrotechnic Arrows will fly nearly two
miles and a half, and are capable of communicating
their fire for nearly ten minutes after having reached
their point. They are prodigioufly large, and have
an iron-pointed locket at the end, which flicks in
whatever it may be aimed at. This locket has like.
wife a tube, for the purpofe of containing the inflame
maple matter, with fix holes, through which it iffues
in a Rate of liquefaaion. The Rick attached to the
rocket is nearly twenty feet long. One hundred of
thefe might be difcharged, within the fpace of a mi-
nute, from each veffel ; but we are informed only
two were fired from etch boat, at the fame time.
The rocket, are fo conftrulted, as to inflantanuony
emit, on their adhellon to any part of the vete!, a
liquid flame. The ingredients of this &attritive Com.
pofition art Paid to be Of fo powerfnl and inflammable
a nature, as almoß to defy the counteriaing effea
of water, which for borne time tunas rather so increafe
than extinguilh the violence of leofory.
In proof of their phorphorle properties, a few of
them were laft year thrown at Dover, by way of ex-
periment, from Archliffe Foit to the Weftern Heights,
and immediately let on Rh a Rubble field, in which
they chanced to fall, War the celebrased cliff of
Shakfpeate. The fufe with which they are provided
continues to burn fetr 'fetes or eight minutes aftet
they are flint elf, when fome of the rockets explode,
and atl in the new cip*city of (bells. They are ea•
pable, we underhand, of being thrown with almoft as
much accuracy and precifion as a (hell, or careafe,
from a mortar, and with equal effea. There Rocket*
are the invention of Mr. Corrosives,.