The Shasta courier., 1862-04-19
Greek Fire.

The history of Greek Fire" is Interesting
ON several accounts The fire was invented
in the seventh century, while the human
mind was lapsing into barbarism. 1t saved
the Lower Empire repeatedly from destruc-
ton. by burning ships and driving back ar
mics from before the capital. Amidst nun
dred revolutions it remained a close secret IN
possion of the Government at Constantine
pie, for four hundred years, after which
knowledge of its preparation passed oyer 70
the Mohammedans of Asia, who ussq WIN
ring the Crusade Finally the invention
was lost. and so continued for several hun
dred years; and whether the parties now IN
stituting the experiment have reproduced the
genuine article, or only good imitation OF
| it, is simply matter of conjecture.
! We are indebted to Gibhon fer our informa
ton concerning this destructive agent
| About the year GO the Saraeens sat down
before Constantinople their large naval expe-
dition, having found the Hellespont un.
guarded. The city appeared as if 1t would
fall an easy prey. But whole summer
spent in besieging it, only resulted IN disas-
ter to those fanatical children of the desert
A disgraceful peace, to which the Callph
assented in his dotage. was following by 3
renewal of the war by his successor. A sec
ond expedition, comprising, it is said, eigh.
teen hundred vessels, with one hundred and
twenty thousand men, appeared before the
place. Again the Grecian fire vessels were
| launched against them and with such terri
Bile effect was this fire used, that the I'M
mense fleet was nearly annihllated Nor
were the land forces more successful when
brought to face the supposed supernatural
agent. After desperate exertions, prolonged
to period eff thirteen months. the army re-
ceived orders to retire; and Constantinople
was saved from the sign of the crescent, up
to the middle Of the fifteenth century.
Callinicus. native of Heliopolis, in Syria,
or Egypt, is alleged to be the discoverer Of
this great secret. He deserted from the SER
vice Of the Caliph to that of the Emperor,
probably from religious motives. The histo-
rian of the Decline and Fall supposes that
naptha, or liquid bitumen, was the principal
ingredient of the Greek fire. In places this
resinous substance is found to spring from
the earth, and catch fire on exposure to the
atmosphere. With it were mingled some
other substances, probably splphHHr and pitch
or rosin. The compound produced a thick
smoke and loud explosion, accompanied by
fierce and obstinate fame, which burned IN
every direction. Sand, vinegar and urlne
were the only known remedies against its
ravages. at was poured from rampartsd a.
large bodies, or launched in red hot baifs oi
stone or iron, or darted in arrow o.
Inns, twisted round with Hax and tow, Mxi>
had deeply imbibed the infammable OIL
Sometimes it was deposited in fire ships, the
victims and instruments of a more ample re-
venge, and was most commonly blown throi
long tubes of copper, which were planted on
the PROV of a galley, and fancifully shaped
into the mouths of savage monsters, that
seemed to romit stream of liquid and con-
summing fire. = s'..4
at came flying through the air." says
Joinville, ...like winged, long tailed dra.
gon, about the thickness of a hogshead, with
the report Of Thunder and the velocity Of
lightning; ahd the darkness of night was
dispclled By this deadly illumination.
That composition of this sort should he
kept a profound secret for ages, is surprising;
yet there can be no reasonable doubt regard
ing it. The Emperors would often s1ccor
! other nations with galleys and weapons pre-.
pared with it; but the mystery of its man.
ufacture they would never impart. Asking
assistance from foreigners, they were mex
orable in preserving a monopoly of the art.
Sometimes they would instruct ambassadors
to pretend that it had been miraculously
made known to the great Constantine, and
the boon would be withdrawn if communi'
Gated to others. By some means it was pre-
served to the end of the eleventh century,
when at length twas discovered or stolen by
the Mohammedans. But it continued IN use
up to the invention of gunpoEdar.. Consider.
| ing that the Arabians had made extensive
researches in alchemy at an early date IN
the history of their empire, it seems the
more strange that the constituents of the ia
nous Greek fire should have so long baf1ed
every attempt at their discovery.