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 vessels.... This proves that the
Greeks, in the beginning of the Tenth Century, were no
longer the only people acquainted with the art of preparing
this fire, the _precursor of our gunpowder_. The Emperor Leo,
who about the same period wrote his _Art of War_, recommends
such engines, with a metal covering, to be constructed in the
foreparts of ships, and he twice afterwards mentions engines
for throwing out Greek fire.... For many centuries the method
of making this dreadful article of destruction was lost; but
it has just been discovered by the librarian of the elector
of Bavaria, who has found a very old Latin manuscript which
contains directions for preparing it.

"... On the subject of incendiary and other military
fireworks, the French have certainly laid the foundation for
the very preparations now used by the British, for the
formulae for such preparations may be traced to the French
service....

"The Moors were in possession of the secret for preparing the
Greek fire in 1432, according to the testimony of Brocquire.
Bertrandon de la Brocquire was in Palestine in 1432 as
counsellor to the Duke of Burgundy. He was present at Barrat
during one of the Moorish celebrations. 'It began,' he
remarks, 'in the evening at sunset. Numerous companies
scattered here and there were singing, and uttering loud
cries. While this was passing, the cannon of the castle was
fired, and the people of the town launched into the air
"_bein haut et bein loin, une maniere de fue plus gros fellot
que je veisse oncques allume_." They told me they made use of
such at sea, to set fire to the sails of an enemy's vessel.
It seems to me that it is a thing easy to be made, and at a
little expense it may be equally well employed to burn a
camp or a thatched village, or in an engagement with cavalry
to frighten their horses. Curious to know its composition, I
sent the servant of my host to the person who made this fire,
and requested him to teach me his method. He returned for
answer, that he dare not, for that he should run great danger
were it known; but there is nothing a man will