The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-09-11

your ever welcome "UnioD," the ALI
portant and absorbing questions, What
is Greek Fire, with which Gen. Gilmore
appears to be paying his respects to the
seat Of lire-estcrs? And how does it
act? A Ninety DortAn ma
The composition of the Greek fire
thrown by Gen. Gilmore in shells into
Charleston, is a secret; but we give our
correspondent almost all that is known
Of this terrible agent of destruction:
Correspondence Chicago Tribune.l
WAsHryoToS, Aug. 20, 1863.
The sensation produced among the
Charlestonians, by the Greek fire with
which General Gilmore has presented
them a few specimens, has produced
much curiosity as to the origin of this
new, or rather, ancient but newly revived
instrument of war. The article now
used under that name is a very recent
American invention. In fact, two patents
for the Greek fire have been issued since
the commencement of the rebellion. The
first TO Alfred Berney, Of Jersey City,
bears date of November II, 1862, and
the second to Levi Short, Of Buffalo, New
York, was granted in June of the pres.
ent year. Doubtless the Government has
made use Of one of these inventions,
probably the first. The principal ingre-
dients used in these terrible instruments
of combustion, are petroleum, coal tar,
benzine, turpentine, sulphur, al mony,
and few others, in what proportions /
hsve not taken the trouble 10 examine,
and have no wish to state, as the infor-
nation might by possibility, find its
way TO and be used by the rebels.
The name given TO these inventions 10
derived from a similar compound, which
was invented and used with terrible et-
feet upon their enemies by the degenerate
Greeks Of Oonstantinople, in the seventh
century. In the year 668 the Arabs, or
Saracens, after having Overrun and con-
verted TO the faith of MahOmet all the
Asiatic provinces of the Eastern or Gree k
Empire, laid siege TO Oonstantinople.
The government of the empire was in
the hands of a weak and contemplate
| prince, while the spirit of the people had
long been broken by tyranny, corruption
and lice ntiousness. The warlike and
high spirited barbarians, flushed with a
long career of successes, expected an
easy conquest; but the decsying civiliz. .
ton of the Greeks was MOI than M atch
for barbarian valor. After six years OF
regular siege, the Saracens abandoned
the enterprise in despair, having lost 80.
600 men, with ships and military stores
We are informed by Gibbon that the
Greek fire was used probably for the first
time, by the beseiged, on this occasion
and with great success. Bat the then
new instrument of destruction acquired
its wide fame in the second siege of Con
stsntinOple, by the Saracens, which tool
place half q century later. The second
invasion of the Christian Empire by thu
Saracens, took place under Modemah, tn,
brother of the Oaliph, who after a series
rf victories and successful sieges in the
provinces, set down before Constantinople
tie came with 10000 Arabs and PEI.
SLAMS, for the most part mounted on hor
Sc and camels. This army was rein
creed and proyisioned by an Egyptian
aud Syrian fleet or navy, said to consis
Of 1900 vessels, of which as Gibbon re
marks, "the number betrays their in
, considerable size" There were ais,
twenty large vessels of war, each m aimee
with heavy armed soldiers. "This hug
armada" says Gibbon, proceeded on
I san, h sea. and with q gentle gale, to-
wards the mouth of the B1sphorus the
surface of the strait was overshadowed
in the language of the Creeks with
moving forest and the same fatal nigl
nad teen fixed by the Saracen Chief 70
general assault by sea and land. T.
lure the confidence of the enemy th
Emperor had thrown aside the chain tina
usually guarded the entrance of the har
Dor; but while they hesitated whethe
I they should seize the opportunity or sp
prehend the snare, the ministers of des
truction were at hand. The fire ships Q
the Greeks were launched against them
the Arabs, their arms, and vessels wer
4 involved in flames, the disorderly fugi
/ tives were dashed against each other O
overwhelmed in the waves; and l n
longer find vestige of the fleet that ha
threatened to extirpate the Roman name.
There can be no doubt that the safet
of Constantinople, and the arrest of th
Q progress of Mahometan barbarism wa
5 almost entirely due TO this Greek fir
r 1t is a most interesting historical fac
that the Capitol of the Christian empir
which was so near destruction in I'll
e eighth century, held out against Mahom
. etanism for six hundred years Longer
until a more hardy race the Turks, frol
the Northeast, lad at once subdued Il
Saracens, adopted their religion, an
4 with the zeal of new converts, went {
Il work in its propagation, with fire an
q sword. Mr.. Gibbon has little respect {,
;, the Byzantine hist rams, and adds
"From their obscure, and perhaps fall,
n cious hints, it should seem that the prir
= clpal ingredient of the Greek fire was Il
o napthd, or liquid bitumso, a light, tens
. cious, and inflammable oil, which sprinl
' from the earth, and catches fire as SOC
: as it comes in contact with the sir. III
% nsptha was mingled, know not by VIII
Q. methods or in what proportions, wit
sulphur and with the pitch that is eS
, tracted from evergreen fils From th
y mixture. which produced thick smol
\ and loud explosion, proceeded a her'
10 aud obstinate flame, which not only 70
in perpendicular ascent but likewil
burnt with equal yehemenoe in descent
Y lateral progress; instead of being e.
- tinguished, IL was nourished and quic
" ened by the element of water; and san
l. wine, or vinegar were the only remedi
or that could damp the fury of this powe
tul agent, which was so justly denOmi
ated by the Greeks, the liquid or the M
ritime fire. For the annoyance of
~ enemy, it was employed with equal (
or feet by sea and land, in battles or