Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-03-20
GREEK FIRE.


GREEK FIRE.
At what period the ancient Creek fire
was invented has never been certa My
determined. There are many writers
who place the invention in far an
tiquity. Historical details have been
adduced pointing TO the period of the
earlier wars between the Greeks and
Romans as the true era of the discovery.
But we do not find any certain evidence
Of the use of Greek fire until the siegc1
Of COnstantinople, in the seventh and
eighth centuries. though a Father of
the Christian Church, writing in the
fifth century, gave recipes for making a
combustible substance of milar quail
ties from the compounds resin, sulphur.
pitch, pigeons dung, turpentine, and
the uice of the herb "allheal."
1t is related that the true Greek fire
was invented by a certain Callinicus,
an architect of Heliopolis in Syria (Baal-
bec) in 67S. the secret of the compo-
sition of this artificial flame, and the
art of directing its action, were inn
parted by Callinicus-who had deserted
from the Caliph-to the Emperor of
COnstantinople. From this period until
the year 1901 the use of Greek fire was
an important element in the military
power of the Byzantine Empire. The
progress of the Saracens was more than
once decisively checked by the destruct-
i've action of this powerful and terrible
flame. The important art of com
pounding the fire twas preserved at
Constantinople, says Gibbon, las the
palladium of the State; the galleys and
artillery might occasionally be lent to
the allies of Rome; but the composition
of the Greek fire was concealed with the
most Jealous scruple, and the terror of
the enemy was increased and prolonged
by their ignorance and surprise.
The accounts which have reached us
respecting the properties of the Greek
fire are such as to Justify the high val
ne attached by the Byzantine Emperors
to the secret of lis composition. 1t
was liquid, which was propelled by
various methods against the ships or
engines of the enemy. So long as it
was kept from the air, or remained in
large masses, the liquid appears to have
been perfectly safe from combustion;
but as soon as it was poured forth it
burned with an intense fame which
consumed everything around-not
merely burning upward but with equal
fury downward and laterally. Water
not only failed to quench it, but made
1t burn with new ardor. To subdue
the flames it was necessary to employ,
In large quaint ties, either sand or Vine
gar. Various methods were employed
for propelling the liquid fire toward the
enemy. Sometimes it was enclosed in
vessels made OF some brittle substance,
and these were flung at the enemy by
means of suitable procctile machines.
lit was either" says G bbon, poured
from the rampant in large boilers, or
launched in red-hot balls of stone and
iron, or darted in arrows or javelins,
twisted round with flax and tow, which
had deeply imblbed he intlammable
OIL" But the effectual use of the de-
structive compound seems to have been
best secured by means of a species OF
fire-ships specially constructed for the
purpose. Copper and iron machines
were placed in the fore part of these
ships. Long tubes, Enthusiastically shaped,
SO as to resemble the mouth and Jaws
of savage animals. formed the outlet
for stream of liquid fire, which the
engine literally fire engine pro-
PEELED to great distance. Hand en-
gines were also constructed by which
the destructive compound could be
spurtcd by the soldiers, Beckman tells
us.
The secret, as we have said, was care
fully kept by the Byzantines. The En-
peror Constantine suggested the an
swers which in his opinion were best
fitted to elude the pertinac. Gus question
ing of the barbarians. They SHOULD
be told that the mystery of the Greek
fire had been revealed by an angel to
the first and greatest of the Constan-
tines, with the sacred injunction that
this gift of Heaven-this peculiar bless
ing of the Romans-shOuld never be
communicated to any foreign nation;
that the prince and subject were alike
bound TO religious silence under the
temporal and spiritual penalties of trea-
SON and sacrilege; and that the infa-
nous attempt would provoke the sud-
den and supernatural vengeance of the
God of the Christians" Gibbon adds
that the secret thus religiously guarded
was confined for above four hundred
years to the Romans of the East; and at
the end of the eleventh century the
Pisans, to whom every sea and every
art were familiar. suffered the effects
without understanding the composition
of Greek fire."
This, however. is not wholly true.
The secret was preserved, indeed, from
the Romans of the West, but the Sara
Gems managed to possess themselves of
it very much earlier than Gibbons ac-
count would imply. For, at the siege
OF Thessalonica, in the year 9O4, the
Saracens we are told by John Comeniata
threw liquid fire, by means of tubes,
upon the wooden defenses of the be-
sieged. and by this means principally
succeeded in capturing the town.
In the Holy Wars the Mohammedans
freely availed themselves of the use of
Greek fire. Gallant. knights, who
feared little the swords or lances of the
Saracen host, were terrified by the
uncouth aspect aud hideous
noises of machines which belched
forth upon them torrent of
liquid fire. Joipviile tells us that lit
come flying through the air like a
winged long tailed dragon, about the
thickness Of q hogshead. with the re-
port of thunder and the velocity of
lightning; and the darkness of the night
was dispelled by this deadly illumina-
ton
It docs not by any means follow, be-
cause the invention of gunpowder rem
dered the ancient Greek fire no longer
Q very useful military weapon, that the
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