Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-05
METHODS OF DESTRUCTION LAWFUL AND
UNLAWFUL,

1t is curious to notice distinctions in
naval warfare between lawful and unlawful
methods, similar to those conspicuous on
land. Such projectiles as bits Of iron.ore,
| pointed stones nails or glass are excluded
| from the list of things that may be used in
| good war, and the declaration OF St. Peters
burg condemns explosive bullets as much
on one element as on the other. Un-
founded charges by one belligerent against
another are, however, always liable to
oring the illicit method into actual use on
poVh SIDES under the pretext of reprisals,
as we see IN the following order of the day,
issued at Brest by the French Vice.Ad-
miral, Marshal Contains, November s,
| 10y " 1t Is absolutely contrary to the
| law OF nations to make bad war, and to
shoot shells at the enemy, who must always
De fought according to the rules of honor,
with the arms generally employed by polite
nations. Yet some Captains have COM
planned that the English have used such
weapons against them. 1t is, therefore,
only on these complaints, and with an ex.
treme reluctance, that it has been resolved
to embark hollow shells on vessels of the
line, but is expressly forbidden to
use them unless the enemy be-
gln.' So the English in their turn
| charged the French with making bad
war. The wound received by Nelson at
Ahouklr, on the forehead, was attributed
to piece OF iron or langridge shot. And
the wounds that the crew of the Bruins
wick received from the VengeGr in the IA
nous battle between the French and Ed
giish fleets 10 June, 1894, are said to have
been peculiarly distressing, owing TO the
French employing langridge shot of raw
| ore and old nails, and TO their throwing
stInkpots into the portfolios, which caused
most painful EARNINGS and scaldings. 1t
Is safest TO dIscredIt such accusations alto
gefher, Tor there is no limit to the barbara
ties that may come into play, in conse-
quence OF too ready credulisy. Red.hot
shot, Legitimate for the defense of land
forts against shlps, used not to be consid-
cred good war IN the contests of ships with
one another. In the three hours action
between the Lively and the Tourterelle, a
French privateer, the use by the latter of
hot.shot, tDot usually deemed honorable
warfare, was considered to be wrong, but
| wrong on the part of those who equipped
| her for sea more than on the part of
the Captain who fired them. The
| English assailing batteries that fred
red.hot shot against Gluckstadt, in
| 1913, are said to have resorted to tmode
OF warfare very unusual with US since the
| siege of Gibraltar" The Treatise on
| Tactics, by the Emperor Leo VI, carries
back the record Of the means employed
| against an enemy in naval warfare to the
ninth century. The things he recommends
as most effective are: Cranes, to let fall
heavy weights on the enemys decks calf
rops with iron spikes, to wound his feet
jars full of quickllme, to suffocate him
| Iars containing combustibles, to burn him /;
jars containing poisonous reptiles, to bite
him, and Greek fire, with its noise like
thunder. to brighten ss well as burn him.
Many OF these methods were OF immemo-
rial usage, for Scipio knew the merits Of
jars full of pitch, and Hannibal Of jars full
OF vipers. Nothing was too bad for use in
| those days, nor Can it be asCertained when
or why they cease to be used. Greek fire
was used with great effect in the a-bat-
ties between the Saracens and Christians,
but it is fair cause OF wonder that the
invention of gunpowder should have so
entirely superseded it as to cause its very
manufacture 70 have been forgotten. Mel
Their does history record the date of, nor
the reason for. the disuse of quicklime,
which in the famous fight of Dover in
l2l7, between the French and English,
contributed so greatly to the victory of the
latter. The Gentleman's Magazine.