The Oxford intelligencer., 1861-03-06
Fire ships.


tention, has recently published a" History of
the United Netherlands" the following extract
from which, describing the effect produced by the
fire-ships prepared by the Dutch to blow up the
position occupied by the Spaniards under the
Duke of Parma, we find in late number of the
Spirit of the Times :-EDs. INT
In the hold of each vessel, along the whole
length, was laid down solid flooring of brick
and mortar, one foot thick, and five feet wide
Upon this was built chamber of marble mason
work, forty feet long, three and half feet
broad, as many high. and with side walls five feet
in thickness This was the crater 1t was filed
with seven thousand pounds of gunpowder, and
of a kind superior to anything known, and pre-
pared by Gianibelli himself 1t was covered
with roof six feet in thickness, formed of blue
tombstones placed edgewise. Over this crater
rose hollow cone or pyramid, made of heavy
marble slabs, and filled with mill-stones, cannon
balls, blocks of marble, chainshot, iron hooks,
plough-coulters and every dangerous missile that
could be imagined The spaces between the
mine and the sides of each ship were likewise
filed with paving stones iron-bound stakes, har-
poons, and other projectiles The whole fabric
was then covered by smooth, light flooring of
plank and brick work, upon which was pile of
wood. This was to be lighted at the proper time,
in order that the two vessels might present the
appearance of simple fire ships, intended only to
excite a conaagration of the bridge. On the
Fortune" slow match, very carefully pre-
pared communicating with the submerged mine,
was to explode at a nicely-calculated moment
The eruption ofthc other floating volcano was to
be regulated by an ingenious piece Of clocl,
work, by which, at the appointed time, fire,
struck from flint, was to inflame the hidden
mass of gunpowder below.
In addition to these two Internal machines, or
"hcll-burners," as they were called, fleet of
thirty-two smaller vessels were prepared Cow
cred with tar, turpentine rosin, and filled with
nnammable and combustible materials, these
barks were to be sent from Antwerp down the
river, in detachmcnts of eight every half hour
with the ebb tide. The object was to clear the
way, r possible, of the raft, and to occupy the
attention Of the Spaniards, until the Fortune ard
the Hope should come down upon the bridges.
1t was dark, mild evening of early spring
As the fleet of vessels dropped slowly down the
river, they suddenly became luminous, each ship
flaming out of the darkness, phantom of living
fire. The very waves Of the Schclit seemed
glowing with the condagraon, while its banks
were lighted up with preternatural glare. It
was a wild, pompous, theatrical spectacle. The
array of soldiers on both sides the river along
the dykes and upon the bridge, with banners way
ing and spear, and curass glancng in the lurd
light; the demon fleet, guided by no human
hand wrapped in flames, and fitting through the
darkness, with irregular movement, but porten-
tous aspect at the caprice of wind and tide the
deathke silence of expectation, which succeed
ed the sound Of trumpet and the shouts of the
soldiers; and the weird glow which had sup
planted the darkness all combined with the sense
of eminent and mysterious danger to excite and
oppress the imagination.
Presently, the Spanards, as they gazcd from
the bridge, began to take heart again. One after
another, manyof the lesser vessels drifed blind
ly against the raft, where they cntangled them
selves among the hooks and spear heads, and
burned slowly on without causing any extensive
confagration. Others grounded on the banks of
the river, before reaching their destination
Some sunk in the stream.
Last of all came the two internal ships, sway
ing unstcadily with the current; the pilots of
course, as they neared the bridge having noise
lessly effected their escape in the skinS. The
slight light upon the deck scarcely illuminated
the dark phantom-like hulls. Both were carried
by the current clear of the raft, which, by a
great error of judgment, as it now appeared, on
the part of the builders, had only been made to
protect the floating portion of the bridge The
Fortune first staggering inside the raft and then
lurchng clumsily against the dyke, and ground
ing near Eallco, without touching the bridge
There was moments pause ofexpectation. At
last the slow match upon the deck burned out
and there was faint and partial explosion, by
which little or no damage was produced
Parma instantly called for volunteers to board
the mysterious vessel. The desperate expedi-
ton vas headed by the bold Rowland Yorke, a
Londoner of whom one day there was more to
be heard in Netherland history. The party
sprang into the deserted and now harmless vol
cano extinguishing the slight fires that were
smouldering on the deck, and thrusting spears
and long poles into the hidden recesses Of the
hold There was, however, little time TO pursu
these perilous investigations and the party soon
made their escape to the bridge.
| The troops of Parma, crowding on the pail
sade, and looking over the parapets, now began
to greet the exhibition with peals of derisive
laughter 1t was but child's play, they thought
to threaten Spanish army, and general like
/ Alexander Farnese, with sHch paltry fire werks
as these. Nevertheless all eyes were anxiously
fixed upon the remaining fire ship, or "hell-
burner" the Hope, which had now drifted very
near the place Of its destination. Tearing her
way between the ral and the shore, she struck
heavily against the bridge on the Kalo side close
to the block house at the commencement Of the
floating portion of the bridge. a thin wreath
of smoke was seen curling over slight and
smouldeTing !ire upon her deck.
At the same moment a certain ensign De
Vega, who stood near the Prince Of Parma, close
to the block house, approached him with vehe-
] II l. i II