English galley which, through the rashness of the crew,
got close alongside an enemy, who set her in flames with their Greek
fire. The Saracens on this rushing in at all parts, the rowers leaped
into the sea, but a few soldiers remained through desperation. Those
few overcame the many, and retook their half-burned ship. The weapons
used were swords, axes lances, arrows, and other missiles, as well as
engines for casting large stones; and both Saracens and Christians
employed that burning oil commonly called the Greek fire, which is said
to consume both flint and iron. It was the invention of the seventh
century, and was long used with terrific effect by the Greeks, who
called it the liquid fire. It is supposed to have been composed of
naphtha, pitch, and sulphur, with other ingredients. It was propelled
in a fluid state through brazen tubes from the prows of vessels and from
fortifications, with as much facility as water is now thrown from the
fire-engine; igniting the moment it was exposed to the air, when it
became a continuous stream of fire, carrying with it torture and
destruction. Water increased its power, and it could only be
extinguished by vinegar or sand; while, in addition to its other
horrors, it emitted a stifling smoke, loud noise, and disgusting stench.
Tow dipped in it was fastened to the heads of arrows, which thus became
carriers of unquenchable flame. It was kept in jars or large bottles.
It was probably introduced into England before the time of Richard the
First, for in 1195 a payment was made by the king for carrying Greek
fire and other implements from London to Nottingham.

Fire-ships were, indeed, of far earlier date than the days of Richard
the First. We find them in use among the Tyrians in the time of
Alexander the Great. It is related that at the siege of Tyre, when a
mole was being constructed to join that city to the continent, the
inhabitants, having loaded a large ship heavily by the stern with sand
and stones, for the purpose of raising her head out of the water, and
having filled her with all sorts of combustible matter, they drove her
violently with sails and oars against the mole, when they set fire to
her, the seamen escaping in their boats. The mole being in a great
measure built of wood, with wooden towers on it, was by this device
utterly destroyed. Thus we see that the Tyrians invented and
successfully employed fire-ships before the Christian era. We are apt
to con