Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-09-11
Ats o'clock in tbeonernoOn, Chestnut st wharf
Why the shelling of Charleston was Dis
continued.

Why the Shelling of Charleston was Dis
continued.
From the Boston Journal
gentleman Of much intelligence, recently
from Morris Island, where he hnd unusual inuli-
ties for observation aud gathering intorna-
ton, hRs communicated to uA II variety of inter
esting facts connected with the siege of Charles
t,p, which throw much light the state ofaiiairs
there lie informs US that the reason why Gene
raj GILMORE did not continue his bombardment
Of Charleston with the "Greek fire" Shells was
because the shells sent were iguited Oh the per-
cusson principle, and being discharged from q
gun elevated nt an angle OF thirty eight degrees,
took their flight at the same angle, with longi-
;ulinal rotary motion, base downward, and there
fore struck base downward instead of upon the
percussion end, and did not explode. Only two
are known to have exploded-one which fell into
a warehouse and another which fell in the street
This peculiar motion aud descent of the shell was
q new discovery of artillery practice, then for the
first time made, aud the ordnance department
was moi furnished with remedy for the unlocked
for contingency To this fact alone Charleston
owes the delay Of tho hour of its doom.
Time fuses, which will set matters oil right,
we're at once sent for. and have doubtless arrived
OF Morris Island before this, and very likely
Charleston is at this moment experiencing the
dreadful effects Of "Greck fire. shells, fifteen
hundred Of which have been ordered for the bonn
harlmeni Of that nest Of treason. Tho gun from
which the shells were first fired was 200.pound-
or Parrot, which eau throw shell no less than
seven miles when aimed at angles of fOrty-hVe
degrees The first shells went over Charleston,
the gun being aimed at too sharp an angle. Our
readers will be pleased to learn that General
Gilmore has no less than thirty Parrott guns
mounted that will throw shell plump into Chnrlcs-
ton. Also that the use of Greek fire SHELLS TO
lombard that Rohel stronghold was personally
ordered by President LINCOLN. The Greek fire
burns for twenty minutes. 1t will burn on the
water M well as on land, and each ehel covers n
suriacc OF one hundred square feet with flame
The shell bursts into about one hundred aud
twenty pieces, orNen times as many NJ the ordi-
nary she'll. of course the effect Of these shells
will be to set Charleston in flames, which nothing
can subduc.
In addition to the Greek fire shells, a large
quantity Of improved sbrapnel shells made by
the inventor Of the Greek fire shell, and con
tanning from five hundred to one thousand bullets
each, have been sent To Morris Island, TO lie
transferred thence into the Rchelious city. in II
manner not very pleasing to the enemy. These
shells are fired with time fuses, and are very de-
siruotive of life. The celebrated 200-pound Par
ro gun which General Gilmore has weighs
1900 pounds 1t took two thousand men nine
nights to get the monster into position, the drag
seams breaking down seven nights in succession,
the enemy Smelling the party all while, and men
being killed nightly. Nothing was done with it
by day. the gun heing covered with bushes 10
conceal it from the enemy's fire. The diameter
Of the bore is 10 incnes, the charge of powder
20 pounds, and the shell that goes out Of it, ns
high as flour barrel, weighs 300 pounds, and
cOutains II pounds of mortar powder. The exc
culion of one of these hells on Sumpter is con
slered equal to three 2OO-pound ehclls. But
two of these immense tii.ed guns have been
made, although twenty mora have been ordered
for tile army None have been ordered for the
navy