iamnotaparakeet wrote:
Composition of Greek Fire according to Noah Webster in 1828
Greek-fire, a combustible composition, the constituents of which are supposed to be asphalt, with niter and sulphur.
ASPHALT'IC, a. Pertaining to asphalt, or containing it; bituminous.
NI'TER, n. [In Hebrew, the verb under which this word appears signifies to spring, leap, shake, and to strip or break; in Ch. to strip or to fall off; in Syriac, the same; in Sam. to keep, to watch or guard.] A salt, called also salt-peter [stone-salt,] and in the modern nomenclature of chimistry, nitrate of potash. It exists in large quantities in the earth, and is continually formed in inhabited places, on walls sheltered from rain, and in all situations where animal matters are decomposed, under stables and barns, &c. It is of great use in the arts; is the principal ingredient in gunpowder, and is useful in medicines, in preserving meat, butter, &c. It is a white substance, and has an acrid, bitterish taste.
SUL'PHUR, n. [L.] A simple combustible mineral substance, of a yellow color, brittle, insoluble in water, but fusible by heat. It is called also brimstone, that is, burn-stone, from its great combustibility. It burns with a blue flame and a peculiar suffocating odor. Sulphur native or prismatic is of two kinds, common and volcanic.
BITU'MEN, n. [L.] This name is used to denote various inflammable substances, of a strong smell, and of different consistencies, which are found in the earth. There are several varieties, most of which evidently pass into each other, proceeding from Naphtha, the most fluid, to Petroleum, a viscid fluid, Maltha, more or less cohesive, elastic bitumen or mineral caoutchouc, and Asphalt, which is sometimes too hard to be scratched by the nail.
Can't really be read on the previous page.
This is really not much different from a recipe for black gunpowder. Greek fire (actually a Byzantine invention) was
able to burn on water and may have ignited on contact with water.
Try all of the above plus quick-lime (calcium oxide).