GREEK EIRE. 
175 
The American pyrophorus is stated to have been invented by 
Levi Short. It is somewhat difficult to arrive at any correct 
conclusions as to the precise character of the composition 
employed. I believe, however, that two forms are resorted to. 
In one of these a fluid is used, as in Mr. Scott's plan ; the fluid 
is simply poured into a shell, and the shell, in exploding, 
discharges its contents, ignition taking place on exposure to 
the air ; the flame produced is described as yellowish and 
dull, as not very vigorous in action, and as evolving a white 
smoke. There can be no doubt that the fluid exhibiting 
these characteristics, on ignition, consists simply of phosphorus 
dissolved in bisulphide of carbon, and it is also probable that, 
as an invention, it is an imitation of the English patent. 
But there is another description of American Greek fire 
which is new in its details. It is described that, in this case, 
the spontaneously combustible material is of a dark colour, 
and is enclosed in tin tubes about four inches long, and 
lightly closed at one end. These tubes, when opened at the 
end, spontaneously ignite, on exposure to the air, at the open 
end, and burn for so long a time as twenty minutes with a 
brisk flame, evolving a strong smell of sulphur. When 
they are opened high up in the air, the combustible matter 
falls in a stream or shower of fire. From the description thus 
given, there can, I think, be little doubt that the substance 
used is the old pyrophorus of Gay Lussac, the composition of 
which has been given above. Or it may consist of common 
gunpowder saturated with bisulphide of carbon containing a 
very small quantity of phosphorus in solution. The tin tubes 
containing the spontaneously combustible body are packed in 
a shell having a tube for the charge of powder that is to produce 
rupture of the shell. The isolation of the combustible matter 
in separate tubes is new, and is an ingenious improvement. 
It happens often, that when a globe containing the combustible 
stuff is burst by discharge of powder, the ignition takes place 
immediately, and the effect would be too rapid to be injurious 
to an enemy. By placing the matter that is to ignite in different 
chambers or cylinders, this is avoided ; the shell on bursting 
distributes the tin cases like so many fragments ; these on 
falling easily break, set free their contents, and become so 
many centres of flame. 
In practice, the results obtained from Greek fire, when it is 
thrown from a shell, are wanting in precision. It seems that 
General Gilmore first used percussion shells, which were to ex- 
plode on striking, and to distribute the pyrophorus. The shells 
did not act correctly ; many of them fell without being dis- 
charged. The fact led the general to apply for a peculiar fusee, 
which should fire the powder with such accuracy, that when the 
