, 1863-09-05
Chicago Qtibn1re.
FROM WASHINGTON.
The GREEK FIRE At CHARLESTON,
History Of the Article and It's Use
by Our Army.
From Our Regular Correspondent
"aepTrf-or- En$v+1n- Rvkr IN 4 ce4

--. aa...n
"AEH1kaTos, Saturday, Aug. %, 1868.
The sensation produced among the Char
1effonians. nv fhe 1reek fire WITH which Gen
os,wo-a ~ .se.aStas ,xha- - 49, -"-as,.a~.
ona1o4c aaae =. let epeclneas'
has produced much curiosity as to the origin
of this new, or. rather. ancient but uewfv
-.r,-od ns+rn,oent ~ ~ Tha .y;5.,a ,o1r
used under that name Isl very recent Amer
lean Invention. In fact. two patents for the
-. 49,, t...iss -,n.. ~.
1feeh nfe nA'e oeen 1seusu e11sa- 1ne Cum
mencement OF the rebellion. The first to
Alfred Bcrney, Of Jersey City, bears date of
e,so.x - p1fzs,o No. vo-,- -,;.. ...;:4.a =.
onofl' y. pAo0' ~" A"tn' wa: 9tslteeu ~! ~
June OF the present year. Do1htless the
Government has made use Of one 81 these IN
ventious. probably the first. The principal
.SN.s,.S.s roa /. 49, ta~.,,<,. s..i--~-s..
Of combustion, are petroleum, coal tar, ben:
zine, turpentine, sulphur, antfmony, and d
fs.r ot1,ara In what nrnnort;one 7. have not
t tem olI1 ~ - - ~ o,,a S 1.e1, 1os
rieh ~ ~ late NJ In infnrmat;on ~ 1n,aht ~ ~
nnss,hi1ftv. ind It's waY to and be- used by tf,e
pGee',on1's' ps'. 1na 40 ~ ~ "A4 W o'so ~ 'ae
4eT1e The n,me c;ven IN these Inventions ,s de
iarsat.9 and T,aed a;th farrih1a afTact "as
ths;r ene,niss hv ths dcTene1ote G.aa1tp upoa ~
4tiann, neI stse ~ ~ ~ sCasth a aeehs o.
~ ,,ar tE3 tha Araha ~ .Soranaae ,f,aa -
,ns areTrnn ana conyerted ~ 4he 9s;+as a'ef "
MhSot 81 - hs;atia Hcr " sas sSA..a ~
Fsste1n ~ G1eeI Emnir ina sieSa - " ro NJ
sta1t;nnnie " Thc aoen,,nan+ 1u,n sG ~ 70 G9a
ELL - X io,d. ~ ~ Waaa nna " a4e empife
nca - ~1iia f,a en;s;t ~ ~ t,e oe,ai To-
f., - fsan irnlran fv tr-anrr "nr-tins, sa na
i;rs5tionsness Tie xnr1Itr md h}ch sntrit. ~
ed barbarians, flushed with q long CARER of
succesees. expectkd an easy conauest :. hnt
more @ than match for barbarian valor Aftar Ha.
s;T Years | Of irreeniar sierra tho saracans ses
oh.ndnncd The enfsrnr;sca in Iasrets
hor;no iost th,rtv thnnsora n,an ts;tb,
s1;ns and 1n;1,+a1V sfores' W. ane ; i1;{,-mad mna
hr t:;hhon That fHe E,eei- f,ra va nsad nrnh nS1
o311 ~ 4ha rst tina hT Ara tt9.
t1,s~. 49, fnst-nment 5f 5eetrnnt;o- ooos,snS S
~ Sa A. r -, ~ saar5 ~. at,a
tinon1e t1 hr the he saracens Th3eh 4ooI. ,,1ans
ha1Fe ess,+1,u - - I.,e~ Tho cano. .uoA p.'ce
a. nal1 &C eenln.5 a.el; lse seeopa lnsasion Of
n9ece Tnder Mos1cmsh 3ha hrothar ~ H. WE ~
.11.a * ~ w - ptvLnes VI lsc "a
a.po; NV l;satoi t. ~ nxo ~ sasts at ano spe
Esl91 haegts ~ .1e p1os1ncss, ses aoWn = @ PC,
1oiE CuustnnLUp.0;t 1a9 IL IL cne W!Ln 4&O,uoo
,Aaos ~ anu Iessns, lo5 eoe mn most palt mount.
ea on Aofses ano Gamels; Inls army Was re-.
anioreea ana p1oslslone9 q an Egyptian and aa
s!tian feet q navy, said to consist Of 1600
yesEels, Of hlch, as Giooon remarks, "the
number bettays their lnconside1able size" :"
There we're also twenty large vessels Of war,
each manned with heavy armed soldiers.
"This huge armada" !" Says Gibbon, "pro-
ceeded on smooth ses, and with a gentle
the surface Of the strait WAS oyershadowed, in
the language of the Greeks, with q moving
forest, and the same fatal nfgh had been fixed
By the Sarscen Chief for 2 gere1n1 assault By
sea and land: To allure the confidence Of the
cremy the Emperor had thrown aside the
chain that usually guarded the entrance ofthe
harbor; but while they hesitated whether
they khou1d seize the opportunity or appre-
bend the enare, the ministers Of destruction
we're at hand. The fine ships Of the Greeks
arms. and vessels we're Involved In the same
dames. the dieorderly fugftiycs were dashed
arainst each other or Overwhelmed In the
waves: ard I no longer find . yesuge Of the
At ct that had threatened to extirpale the Ro-
man pame,'
tn ere can be no doubt that the safety OF
Constantinople, and the arrest ct the progress
Of !Mahometan barbari.m was almost entirely
due to this Greek fire. It is most interest
ing historical fact, that the Capitol Of the
Christian empire. which was SO near destruc-
ticn in the eighth century, held ont against
Mahometanicm N for SIX hundred years longer,
until more hardy race, tho Turks, from the
Northeast, had at once subdued the 6aracens,
adopted their religion, and with tho zeal OF
new converts, went to work in its propaga-
ton, with fire and sword. Mr. Gibbon has
little respect for the Byzantine historians,
ard adds: "From their obscure, and perhaps
fallacious hints, 1t should seem that the prin-
aipal ingredient Of the Greek fire was the
nar1a, or liquid bitumcn, Light, tenacious,
| and intlamma6le oil which springs from the
Garth, and catches fire as soon rs It comes IN
contact with the air: The raptha was Mingled,
know not BY what methods or In what pro.
portions, with sulphur and with the pitch
| fhst is extracted from evergreen frs. From
| this mixture, which produced thick smoke
and = loud explosion, proceeded fierce and
pendicular ascent, but likewise burnt With
equal vehemence in descent or lateral pro.
grces; instead Of being extinguished, 1t "a.
water; and eard, wine, or vinegar were the
only remedies that could damp tho fury o.
| this powerful agent, which WIS Justly demon
mated By the Greeks, the liquid or the mari
tine fire For the annoyance Of the enemy
| it was employed with squal effect by sea ami