Memorandum1Jump to section
The President would like to see the gentlemen who sent in a letter from the Philadelphia Board of Trade, dated the 23rd. Inst.
Annotation
[1] AD, DLC-RTL. Accompanying this undated note is a letter from the Office of the Board of Trade, Philadelphia, March 23, 1863, signed by Lorin Blodget, William B. Thomas, and George L. Buzby, recommending that the president order the testing of a new weapon called ``Solidified Greek Fire,'' to be used in filling shells. On March 31, William B. Thomas acknowledge receipt of a non-extant letter from Lincoln, as follows:
``I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterdays date.
``Mr Levi Short of the state of New York is the inventor of the article known as `Solidified Greek Fire.' I have written to him informing him of your desire to witness his experiments.
``He will doubtless await upon you in a very few days.'' (DLC-RTL).
The New York Herald reported that on March 31 ``Mr. G. Rush Duer, one of the patentees of the `liquified and solidified Greek fire,' gave a private exhibition last night in the presence of the President . . . General Martindale and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Fox, and others. . . .'' (New York Herald, April 1, 1863).