Excepting the Church of Rome

the Greek Church is the largest Christian organization, though it would be only the third if the several Protestant Churches were united into one. It is composed of eleven Patriarchates, of which that of Ru ia is by far the largest and most influential. It is the most numerous Christian body in the Turkish empire, and has a - triarch at Constantinople. It has many adherents also in the hete so gene ous Austrian empire. The Ru ian Emperor Nicholas delighted to call ii “the orthodox faith.” Greek Fire, a composition supposed to have been of pounded resin or bitumen, sulphur, naphtha (the principal ingredient), and probably niter, with which, from about 673 a D. onward the Greeks of the Byzantine empire were wont to defend themselves against their Saracen adversaries. It was poured out, burning, from ladles on besiegers, projected out of tubes to a distance, or shot from baliste. burning on tow tied to arrows. At Constantinople the proce of making Greek fire was kept a profound secret for several centuries. Combustibles with a similar aim were used at the siege of Charleston in 1863, composed of am niter, and lampblack, and naphtha in shells was also tried.