243 • Ofi the Antiquity and 



fowj is well known. Archenholz * and others are of opr- 

 nion, that the hoiilos were raifed to fuch a height on account 

 of the great heat in that warm climate; but the principal 

 caufe was that afligned by Vitruvius-j, and which Hill pro- 

 duces the fame effett. For want of room on the earth, the 

 buildings were extended towards the heavens; fo that at laft 

 the greatcft lieight of an eilitice was fixed by a law at 70, 

 and afterwards at 60 feet. In Hamburgh at p'rcfent, where 

 ground is valuable, and ftill becoming more fo, molt of the 

 houfes are 60 feet, and fome 70 feet in height j and how 

 much this height, notwithftanding the jieufctt-inn to which 

 fire engines have been brought, renders the extinouifliing of 

 fires difficult, and often impoHible, is (hown by the melan- 

 choly inftance of Gera, where the houfes are built lower. 

 With Neubert's engine, which was tried at Hamburgh in 

 1769, eight fire-men railed ii_- cubic feet of water to the 

 height of about 62 or 63 feet. The beft EnglKh engines can 

 throw water to the height only of from 33 to 33 feet %' 



In the Ealf, fuch engines were emploved not only to ex- 

 tinguifli fires, but t6 excite conHagralions. The Greek fire, 

 invented in the year 678, by Callmicus, an architect of He- 

 Jiopolis, called afterwards Balbec, the ufe of which was con- 

 tinued in the Eaft till the year I29>i atleafl§, and whicli 

 certainly was li(]uid||, was employed in many ways, but 

 chiefly on board Ihips, being thrown, by means of large fire 

 engines, into the fliips of the enemy. Sometimes this fire was 

 kindled in certain velfels which might be called ^V(j _/?>//;.<•, 

 and which were introduced among the hoilile fleet ^f ; fbtnc- 

 times it was thrown upon tlie enemy from jars and other 

 vefTels with machines of yarious kinds ^■*; and fometimes the 



foldiers 



■^ England und Italien, Lipf. 1735. Svo- ii. p. 216. 



f Lib. ii. c. S. p. 68. In ea majcftate urbis et clvium infinita frequcntia, 

 iiiRumcrabiles liabitationes opus fuit e.xplicarc. Ergo cum recipcre non 

 poffet area plana rantam multitudinem ad habitaiidum ia urbc, ad auxiiiura 

 altitudinis ?t;dificiorum res ipla coeeit devenirc. 



X This is a millake of the author. Some; Englifh engines can dirow 

 water to a nmch greater height. — Edit. 



§ Hanovii Diluuilltiones ; Gedani 1750. 4to. p 6t;. 



(I An>uc Comneruv Alexia:/, lib. xvi p. 3 S 5. nv» iy(»v : the fame appelbtioa 

 occurs in Theophancs Chronographia. 



fl Theophanes, p. 294 and 352. 



** Such a machine is called by Joinvilie in HiJloWc dc S. Louis IX, 

 Paris 1668. fol. p. 39. ung engin, qu'i'ls appelloicnt la Parrlere, par le- 

 quel ei'.^ing ils nous gettoient Ic feu Gregois a plantc. Does not the fol- 

 lowing paihe^e. aH'o'm Lco/iis T'ac.'i' a, Lugd. Bat. 1612. 4to. p. 347. allude 

 to tite Greek fire ? though Metirfius thinks that the author fpeaks of im- 

 flaked lime, which, however, could not produce the defcribed efFeft: 



