Northern star, and Warren and Bristol gazette. [volume] (Warren [R.I.]) 1826-1830, 1826-05-20
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GREEK FIREsHIP.

While lying in the harbour OF Mi
10. there came into that port Spiz.
ziotc division of the Greek hcct
among them were number of fire.
ships. Several of the officers OF the
Ontario with myself visited them.
and were much grati!ied by having
an opportunity OF examining these
engines of destruction. We were
much astonished at the simplicity OF
their construction, and pleased to see
that il once fired it would be impos-
sible to extinguish them. The COM
manders took great deal Of pains
to explain everything to us one OF
them. stated that he had destroyed
two frigates.and feels very confident
of always being successful. provided
they can attack the enemy at aachor.
They are vessels generally of "a
bout two hundred to four hundred
tous burtben, anil mostly polacrc
brig rugged they were formerly
merchantmen, befnre the revolution /;
are strong vessels and mostly sail
fast. They have Chain sings for all
their yards, and OH the yard arms,
grapple, or fire hooks, and box on
the lower yard arms containing com
bustiblc matter, which burns tor
some considerable time. The chain
sings are for tho purpose of Keeping
the yards from falling as long as
possible after the rigging and sails
are on fire. They have other fire
hooks on the bowspr;t with boxes of
Combustibles.; there ~ train which
leads 10 these boxes iu the yard arms
and bowsprit. which communicates
with them aud sets them on fire be-
fore tile rigging takes fire they are
filled with grenades and FIRE .balls.-
Along the deck within about two feet
of the water ways, they have from
twelve to fourteen batChes these
.hatches are kept closely shut when
they are approaching an enemy, so
that any fire from them may not CONF
muaicate with their hold they have
also ports along the outside which
they also keep close shut until they
are about firing the train, when they
have on tito matches on deck and o.
pen the ports, which fall down.
The fame then has affair .ol,portuni.
ty of rising out Of the hatches and
bursting from the sides.
They have between deck fore
and aft, on which they have large
cribs, built like double births, which
are filled with light pine dipped in
tar or turpentinc ;-mixcd with this is
a quantity of fasbush, dipped in the
same substance !; they also put on old
tarpauIins and other combustib'es,
taking care not to have it lay too close
together, Abreast of every deck
hatch is a barrel of fire balls, and
close tdIit hatch cut tlicangh thA
between decks, so as to. make a draitJ
from the hold, where they have Moth
ing but ballast.
The trains are laid fore and aft In
troughs of two inches wide and three
deep, running in every direction
along the deck, which is covered
with tar and turpentine, as well as
all the beams and earnings. The
train is generally fixed from the cab
in windows, but ip case it should be
required, they can set fine to it from
any Of the ports, along side. Just
before they intcnt going along side
of an enemy, they wet all the sails
with spirits turpeutine, and MI The
train trougbs with powder, all l'ands
with the exception Of the captain get
into the boat astern, which are very |
fact ry~ing boats, ard pull with from !