East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-09-02
GREEK FIRE.

People read in the Geographic dis
patches of tho ''Greek Fire" which
General Gilmore is now pouring into
Charleston and which Beauregard pro-
nounees a most ''yillainous compound
unworthy Of civilized nations" and
they have n very indefinite idea what
it is. They, however, generally i'm
imagine that it is some Yankee inven-
ton which is being experimental with
and which is calculated TO change the
whole aspect of warfare, as did the in
vention of gunpowder. They believe
IL 20 be one of the inventions of fruit
full modern brain, as are iron-clads,
and the thousand and one queer pro-
jectiles which are being tried
1t is by no means a new thing in
tho operations of warfare. II first
began TO be used in the Seventh cen
fury, and since that time it has boon
used moro or less in all important
European wars down TO the present
time. The name Greek Fire is taken
from the Greeks, who used it mostly
III their naval contests in the way of
fire ships, to destroy the enemy's fleet
For long time after its introduction
i'll Europe, 1t was source of great
terror to all against whom it was used
The historians inform us that the de-
hverance of Constantinople was chief
ly effected by the novelty, the terror
and real efficacy of the Greek Fire
In the Netherland wars the panic
which invariably seized the Spanish
soldiery at theappearance Of the Dutch
"Eire Devils" will be remembered as
one of the prominerit cnuses, which
contributed to secure religious liberty
i'll the low countries. Gibbon, in The
Decline and Fall of the Roman En-
pire, describes this compound as a
mixture of Naptha, or liquid bitumen,
which springs from the earth, mingled
with sulphur aud pitch Recently,
however, it has boen modified and inn
proved, and the principal ingredient
now is petroleum. In speaking of its
effects, Gibbon says:
From, this mixture, which produced
a thick smoke and loud explosion,
proceeded fierce and obstinate flame,
which not only rose in perpendicular
ascent, but likewise burnt with eonal
vehemenee in descent or lateral pro-
gress; instead of being extinguished
it was nourished and quickened by
the clement Of water; and sand or vim
egar We're the only remedies that could
damp the fury of this powerful agent,
which was justly denominated by the
Greeks the liquid or maritime fire. For
the annoyance Of the enemy it was
employed with equal effect by sea and
land, in battles or in seiges. 1t was
either poured from the rampant in
large boilers or launched in rcd hot
balls Of stone and iron, or darted in
arrows and iavalins, twisted round
with flax and tow, which had deeply
inbibed the inhammable oil. Some
times it was deposited in fire ships,
the victims and Instruments of more
ample revenge, and was most common
ly blown through long tubes of copper
which were planted on the prov of
galley, and fancifully shaped into the
AlOutho VI ooN"S' lhpllSI'io, tlldt ScSil-
ed TO vomit n stream of liquid and
consuming fire"
Such is the material which is now
being rained down upon the doomed
city. The shells which are charged
with this fearful mixture are known
as Biney's invention, and the rebel
commander designates them us the
''most destructive projoctiles ever used
in war. " The greatest distance which
shells were ever thrown before this
war was about three miles, and the
CONSERVATION of the rebels may well
be imagined at receiving these fiery
messengers from the Swamp Angels
in the heart of their city, distance of
five miles from the batteries.-Efee
Press.