Dr. Cutbush on the Greek Fire. 303 



It appears that in the reign of Louis XV, a chemist of 

 Grenoble ; Dupre de Mayen^ discovered a composition 

 similar in effect to the Greek fire of Callinicus, which was 

 exhibited at Brest, and proved successful, but the prepara- 

 tion was kept secret. The original Greek fire was used in 

 1291, and also in 1679, besides the periods hereinafter men- 

 tioned. Writers have defined it to be a sort of artificial fire, 

 which insinuates itself beneath the surface of the sea, and 

 which burns with increased violence when it mixes with 

 water. They also sav, that its directions are contrary to the 

 course of natural fire, for the flames spread downward, to 

 the right or lefi, agreeably to the movement which is given. 

 That it was a liquid composition, we may infer from the 

 modes of using it, which were several. It was employed 

 chiefly on board of ships, and thrown on the vessels of the 

 enemy by large engines. It was sometimes kindled in par- 

 ticular vessels, which might be called fire ships, and which 

 were introduced among a hostile fleet; sometimes it was 

 put into jars, and other vessels, and thrown at the enemy 

 by means of projectile machines, and sometimes it was 

 squirted by soldiers from hand engines, or, as it appears, 

 blown through pipes. This fire was also discharged from 

 the fore part of ships by a machine constructed of copper 

 and iron, the extremity of which is said to have resembled 

 the open mouth and jaws of a lion, or other animal. They 

 were painted, and even gilded, and were capable of project- 

 ing the liquid fire to a great distance. 



In the History of Inventions and Discoveries by J. Beck- 

 man, public professor of Economics in the University of 

 Gottingen, I find the professor has examined the subject of 

 Greek fire. He observes expressly, (Vol. IV. p. 85.) that 

 the machines which the ancients employed to throw this fire, 

 were spouting engines, and remarks, that "John Cameniata, 

 speaking of his native city, Thessalonica, which was taken 

 by the Saracens in the year 904, says, that the enemy threw 

 fire into the wooden works of the besieged, which was 

 blown into them by means of tubes, and thrown from other 



Porphyrogenilus s'en servit pour brulerla flotte des Sarrasins. L'eau qui eteint. 

 lefeu ordinaire, n'avait aucun empire sur ce nouveaufl^audu genre humain. 

 Get ingredient qu'on appeloit aussi Vhuile incendiaire, lefcu marin, le feu 

 liquide, devoroit, dit-on, le fer and les pierres, suivoit toutes les directions 

 qu'on voulaitlui donner, and ne pouvoit etre eteint qu'avec du vinaigre, du 

 sable ou de I'urine,'' &c. Callinique vivait vers Fan 670 de J^sus-Christ-" 



