The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-03-23
Where Are the Secrets Of tho
AnCitntS?
Civilization Cannot Find Valuable
Recipes that Have Perished-
Metals, Glass, Greek Fire

clients possessed but very limited
means for spreading knowledge Of
any kind, it seems somewhat strange
that so much of it should have come
down to modern times, says the Lon
don Standard But when it is taken
into consideration that even since
the introduction of printing, which
is the greatest dissemination of
knowledge that has ever existed,
many secret recipes have been utter.
ly lost, it is truly wonderful that
the number OF trade recipes which
the ancients used, and which have
been handed down to us, is not in
fnitely smaller than it is. But, then,
those that are lost seem to be by far
the most important--they are not
merely of interest to the antiquarian
and the different varieties OF "olo-
gists," but would be useful to those
who earn their bread ia the everyday
walks OF life. To know, for exam
pie, how the ancient Roman made
his mortar would interest both the
modern builder and his pocket.
But, unfortunately for posterity, the
modern builder can no more make
mortar equal to that OF the Romans
than he can fly. If ne could there
would be chance that the build
ings which he makes would last for
some thousands of years-so long,
in fact, as the stone lasts. This is
the case with the mortar used by
the Romans. 1t is as firm now as it
was a couple of thousand years ago,
30 hard that file will hardly touch
it, and so lasting that the stones
which it cemented together have be-
gun to crumble away, leaving the
mortar still intact.
Another secret which was known
to the Romans, or at least to one Of
them, was one about glass. The
story, if recollected rightly, is told by
Suetonius. An artisan brought to
the Emperor Tiberius a goblet made
of glass, substance then recently
discovered, which, when thrown on
the ground or squeezed in the hand,
did not break, but was as elastic as
steel. The only goblets in those
times were made of metal. The only
ones used in Roman society we're
made of silver or gold. Consequently
the Emperor thought taat if the sec
ret OF making glass goblets which
were unbreakable became generally
known the trade OF the silver and gold
smiths Of Rome would be ruined,
and he therefore ordered the i'm
mediate execution Of the artisan who
invented the method OF producing
malleable glass. The order, as were
most of the orders of an imperial
despot, was promptly carried out,
and the mans secret died with him,
nor has it since been recovered,
The Greeks, SO history tells US,
were in the habit Of using in their
naval battles a substance which,
when thrown on the water, burned
and set fire to the ships OF the enemy.
This substance went under the name
OF "Greek fire." but, unless it was
the metal potassium modern scien-
lists do not know what it was, and
even that element would not answer
the purpose unless used in very large
quantities. II, therefore, the famous
Greek fire was potassium, the Greeks
must have been acquainted with a
cheap and easy method OF obtaining
it, and if they had that recipe it is
lost.
The English of early times did
not know a great deal that we know
now. But they certainly knew of a
drug or OF something which would
protect the skin from heat. Editha,
the daughter OF Goodwin, plunged
her arm into caldron Of boiling oil
and brought out the "holy stone"