orks.

aratus, enough; but if the rolling board be drawn backwards, terials, it will loosen the paper: you are to observe when you of Fire-roll on the last sheet, that the point of the slope be placed at the small end of the roller. Having rolled your case to fit the mould, push in the small end of the former F, about one diameter from the end of the case, and put in the end-piece within a little distance of the former; then give the pinching cord one turn round the case, between the former and the end-piece; at first pull gently, and keep moving the case, which will make the neck smooth, and without large wrinkles. When the cases are hard to choak, let each sheet of paper (except the first and last, in that part where the neck is formed) be a little moistened with water: immediately after you have struck the concave stroke, bind the neck of the case round with small twine, which must not be tied in a knot, but fastened with two or three hitches.

Having thus pinched and tied the case, so as not to give way, put it into the mould without its foot, and with a mallet drive the former hard on the end-piece, which will force the neck close and smooth. This done, cut the case to its proper length, allowing from the neck to the edge of the mouth half a diameter, which is equal to the height of the nipple; then take out the former, and drive the case over the piercer with the long rammer, and the vent will be of a proper size. Wheel-cases must be driven on a nipple with a point to close the neck, and make the vent of the size required; which, in most cases, is generally one fourth of their interior diameter. As it is very often difficult, when the cases are rolled, to draw the roller out, you may make a hole through the handle, and put in it a small iron pin, by which you may easily turn the former round and pull it out. Fig. 8. shows the method of pinching cases; P a treddle, which, when pressed hard with the foot will draw the cord tight, and force the neck as close as you please; Q a small wheel or pulley, with a groove round it for the cord to run in.

Cases for wheels and fixed pieces are commonly rolled wet; and when they are required to contain a great length of charge, the method of making those cases is this: The paper must be cut as usual, only the last sheet must not be cut with a slope: Having the paper ready, paste each sheet on one side; then fold down the first sheet as before directed: but be careful that the paste does not touch the upper part of the fold; for if the roller be wetted, it will tear the paper in drawing it out. In pasting the last sheet, observe not to wet the last turn or two in that part where it is to be pinched; for if that part be damp, the pinching cord will stick to it, and tear the paper: therefore when you choke those cases, roll a bit of dry paper once round the case before you put on the pinching cord; but this bit of paper must be taken off after the case is choked. The rolling board, and all other methods, according to the former directions for the rolling and pinching of cases, must be used to these as well as all other cases.

Tourbillon cases are generally made about eight diameters long; but if very large, seven will be sufficient : tourbillons will answer very well from four ounces to two pounds; but when larger there is no certainty. The cases are best rolled wet with paste, and the last sheet must have a straight edge, so that the case may be all of a thickness: when the cases have been rolled in the manner of wheel cases, pinch them at one end quite

12

N. B. Tourbillons are to be rammed in moulds without a nipple, or in a mould without its foot. For balloons, first prepare an oval former turned of Balloon casmooth wood; over which pasting a quantity of brown ses, or paper shells or cartridge paper, let it lie till the paste has quite soaked through; this done, rub the former with soap or grease, to prevent the paper from sticking to it; then lay the paper on in small slips till you have made it one-third of the thickness of the intended shell. This being done, set it to dry; and when dry, cut it round the middle, and the two halves will easily come off; but observe, when you cut, to leave about one inch uncut, which will make the halves join much better than if they had been quite separated. When there are some ready to join, place the halves evenly together, paste a slip of paper round the opening to hold them together, and let that dry; then lay on paper all over as before, everywhere equal, excepting that end which goes downwards in the mortar, which may be a little thicker than the rest; for that part which receives the impulse from the powder in the chamber of the mortar requires the greatest strength. When the shell is thoroughly dry, burn a round hole at top, with square iron, large enough for the fuze: this method will do for balloons from four inches two-fifths, to eight inches diameter; but if they are larger, or required to be thrown a great height, let the first shell be turned of elm, instead of being made of paper.

For a balloon of four inches two-fifths, let the former be three inches one-eighth diameter, and five inches and a half long. For a balloon of five inches and a half, the diameter of the former must be four inches, and eight inches long. For a balloon of eight inches, let the diameter of the former be five inches and 15-16ths, and 11 inches seven-eighths long. For a 10-inch balloon, let the former be seven inches three-sixteenths diameter, and 14 inches and a half long. The thickness of a shell for a balloon of four inches two-fifths, must be one-half inch. For a balloon of five inches and a half, let the thickness of the paper be five-eighths of an inch. For an eight-inch balloon, seven-eighths of an inch. And for a 10-inch balloon, let the shell be one inch one-eighth thick.

Shells that are designed for stars only, may be made quite round, and the thinner they are at the opening, the better; for if they are too strong, the stars are apt to break at the bursting of the shell: when making the shell, use a pair of calibre compasses, or a round gage, so that the paper may not be laid thicker in one place than another; and also to know when the shell is of a proper thickness. Balloons must always be made to go into the mortars.

easy

13

&c. of Fireworks.

14 For common portfires.

equal to the exterior diameters of the rockets. To pre- Apperatus, vent the rocket from turning round while boring, a piece Material, of wood must be placed against the end of the box in the inside, and pressed against the tail of the rocket. This will also hinder the rammer from forcing the rocket backwards. G, a rocket in the box. H, a box that slides under the rocket-boxes to receive the borings for the rockets, which fall through holes made on pur pose in the boxes; these holes must be just under the mouth of the rocket, one in each box, and all to correspond with each other.

Apparatus, ing the works, their fire being very slow, and the heat Materials, of the flame so intense, that, if applied to rockets, leaders, &c. it will fire them immediately. Portfires may be made of any length, but are seldom made more than 21 inches long: the interior diameter of portfire moulds should be 10-16ths of an inch, and the diameter of the former half an inch. The cases must be rolled wet with paste, and one end pinched, or folded down. The moulds should be made of brass, and such as will take in two pieces lengthwise; when the case is in the two sides, they are held together by brass rings, or hoops, which are made to fit over the outside. The bore of the mould must not be made quite through, so that there will be no occasion for a foot. These portfires, when used, are held in copper sockets, fixed on the end of a long stick these sockets are made like port crayons, only with a screw instead of a ring.

15

Method of

the ingre dients.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

There have been many methods contrived for grindgrinding ing the ingredients for fire-works to a powder, such as large mortars and pestles made of ebony and other hard wood, and horizontal mills with brass barrels; but none have proved so effectual and speedy, as that of the mealing-table, represented in fig. 9. made of elm, with a rim round its edge four or five inches high; and at the narrow end A, furnished with a slider that runs in a groove, and forms part of the rim so that when you have taken out of the table as much powder as you can with the copper shovel (fig. 10.), sweep all clean out at the slider A. When about to meal a quantity of powder, observe not to put too much in the table at once; but when you have put in a good proportion, take the muller (fig. 11.) and rub it till all the grains are broken; then sift it in a lawn sieve that has a receiver and top to it, such as is used by the apothecaries, and that which does not pass through the sieve, must be returned again to the table, and ground till it is fine enough to go through the sieve. Sulphur and charcoal are ground in the same manner, only the muller must be made of ebony; for these ingredients being harder than powder, would stick in the grain of elm, and be difficult to grind. As sulphur is apt to stick and clod to the table, it will best to keep one for that purpose, by which means you will always have brimstone clean and well ground.

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

16

that are rammed so

Jid.

your

Apparatus Fig. 12. represents the plan of an apparatus, or lathe, for boring for boring rockets. A the large wheel, which turns rockets the small one B, that works the rammer C: these rammers are of different sizes according to the rockets; they must be of the same diameter as the top of the intended bore, and continue that thickness a little longer than the depth of the bore required, and their points must be like that of an augre: the thick end of each rammer must be made square, and all of the same size, so as to fit into one socket, into which they are fastened by a screw D. E the guide for the rammer, which is made to move backwards and forwards; so that, after the rammer has been marked three diameters and a half of the rocket from the point, set the guide, allowing for the thickness of the fronts of the rocket boxes, and the neck and mouth of the rocket; so that when the front of the large box is close to the guide, the rammer may not go too far up the charge. F, boxes for holding the rockets, which are made so as to fit one within ; their sides must be equal in thickness to the difference of the diameters of the rockets, and their interior diameters

Fig. 13. is a front view of the large rocket-box. I, Fig. 13. an iron plate, in which are holes of different sizes, through which the rammer passes; this plate is fastened with a screw in the centre, so that when the rammer is changed the plate is turned round, but the hole you are going to use must always be at the bottom : the fronts of the other boxes must have holes in them to correspond with those in the plate. K, the lower part of the large box; which is made to fit the inside of the lathe, that all the boxes may move quite steadily.

Fig. 14. is a perspective view of the lathe. L, the Fig. guide for the rammer, which is set by the screw at bot

tom.

Fig. 15. A view of the front of the guide facing the Fig. 15 rammer. M, an iron plate, of the same dimensions as that on the front of the box, and placed in the same direction, and also to turn on a screw in the centre. N, the rocket-box which slides backwards and forwards: when a rocket is fixed in the box, it is to be pushed forwards against the rammer; and when the scoop of the rammer appears to be full, draw the box back, and knock out the composition: this must be done till the rocket is bored, or it will be in danger of taking fire; and if the boring be done in a hurry, wet the end of the rammer now and then with oil to keep it cool.

Having bored a number of rockets, you must have taps of different sorts according to the rockets. These taps are a little longer than the bore: but when used they must be marked 31 diameters from the point, allowing for the thickness of the rocket's neck; then, holding the rocket in one hand, tap it with the other. One of these taps is represented by fig. 16. They are made in the same proportion as the fixed piercers, and are hollowed their whole length.

Fig. 16

17

There are hand machines for boring, which answer very well, though not so expeditious as the lathes. But chine f they are not so expensive, and they may be worked by boring. one man; whereas the lathe will require three. Fig. 17. Fig. 17, represents the machine. O, the rocket boxes, which are to be fixed, and not to slide as those in the lathe. PQ are guides for the ranimers, that are made to slide together, as the rammer moves forward; the rammers for these machines must be made of a proper length, allowing for the thickness of the front of the boxes, and the length of the mouth and neck of the case; on the square end of these rammers must be a round shoulder of iron, to turn against the outside of the guide Q, by which means the guides are forced forwards. R, the stock which turns the rammer, and which while turning, must be pressed towards the rocket by the body of the man who works it; all the rammers are to be made to fit one stock.

SECT.

Apparatus, sieve a little larger, and so on with sieves of different Materials, sizes, till the iron passes through about the bigness of &c. of Fire- small bird-shot: the iron, thus beaten and sifted, is to

works.

28

Chinese fire.

be put separately, according to its fineness, into wooden boxes or oiled paper, to keep it from rusting. When used, observe the difference of its size, in proportion to the cases for which the charge is intended; for the coarse sort is proper only for very large gerbes of six or eight pounds.

When these pieces of iron cannot be procured, an old cast-iron pot may be employed; but care must be taken that its surface be perfectly freed from rust. This pulverized cast iron is sometimes called iron sand, and is denominated, according to its fineness, sand of the first, second, third, &c. order, that of the first order being the finest.

It sometimes happens, that fire-works may be required to be kept a long time, or sent abroad; neither of which could be done with brilliant fires, if made with filings unprepared, for this reason; that the saltpetre being of a damp nature, it causes the iron to rust; the consequence of which is, that when the works are fired, there will appear but very few brilliant sparks, but instead of them a number of red and drossy sparks; and besides, the charge will be so much weakened, that if this were to take place in wheels, the fire would scarcely be strong enough to force them round. But to prevent such accidents, the filings may be thus prepared: Melt in a glazed earthen pan some brimstone over a slow fire, and when melted throw in some filings; which keep stirring till they are covered with brimstone: this must be done while it is on the fire; then take it off, and stir it very quickly till cold, when it must be rolled on a board with a wooden roller, till broken as fine as corn powder; after which sift from it as much of the brimstone as possible. There is another method of preparing filings, so as to keep two or three months in winter; this may be done by rubbing them between strong brown paper, which before has been moistened with linseed oil.

N. B. If the brimstone should take fire, it may be extinguished, by covering the pan close at top: it does not signify what quantity of brimstone is used, provided there is enough to give each grain of iron a coat; but as much as will cover the bottom of a pan of about one foot diameter, will do for five or six pounds of filings or cast-iron for gerbes.

Before we enumerate the various compositions generally employed in filling cases for rockets, wheels, &c. we shall describe two compositions that are much valued for the brilliancy of their appearance. One of these is called Chinese fire, and is either red or white. The following tables shew the proportions of the different ingredients for each of these compositions; as they are adapted to rockets (in the construction of which the Chinese fire is much employed) of from 12 to 36 lbs. Composition of Red Chinese Fire.

29

The other composition is called spur-fire, because the Spur-fre sparks yielded by it have a starry appearance like the rowel of a spur.

Spur-fire. This fire is the most beautiful and curious of any yet known; and was invented by the Chinese, but now is in greater perfection in England than in China. As it requires great trouble to make it to perfection, it will be necessary that beginners should have full instructions; therefore care should be taken that all the ingredients are of the best, that the lamp black is not damp and clodded, that the salt petre and brimstone are thoroughly refined. This composition is generally rammed in one or two ounce cases about five or six inches long, but not drove very hard; and the cases must have their concave stroke struck very smooth, and the choak or vent not quite so large as the usual proportion: this charge, when driven and kept a few months, will be much better than when rammed; and will not spoil, if kept dry, in many years.

As the beauty of this composition cannot be seen at so great a distance as brilliant fire, it has a better effect in a room than in the open air, and may be fired in a chamber without any danger: it is of so innocent a nature, that, though with an improper phrase, it may be called a cold fire; and so extraordinary is the fire produced from this composition, that, if well made, the sparks will not burn a handkerchief when held in the midst of them; you may hold them in your hand while burning, with as much safety as a candle; and if you put your hand within a foot of the mouth of the case, you will feel the sparks like drops of rain.-When any of these spur-fires are fired singly, they are called artificial flower-pots; but some of them placed round a transparent pyramid of paper, and fired in a large room, make a very pretty appearance.

The composition consists of saltpetre, four pounds eight ounces; sulphur two pounds, and lamp-black one pound eight ounces; or, saltpetre one pound, sulphur, half a pound, and lamp-black four quarts.-This composition is very difficult to mix. The saltpetre and brimstone must be first sifted together, and then put into a marble mortar, and the lamp-black with them, which you work down by degrees with a wooden pestle, till all the ingredients appear of one colour, which will be something grayish, but very near black: then drive a little into a case for trial, and fire it in a dark place; and if the sparks which are called stars, or pinks, come out in clusters, and afterwards spread well without any other sparks, it is a sign of its being good, otherwise not; for if any drossy sparks appear, and the stars not full, it is then not mixed enough; but if the pinks are very small, and soon break, it is a sign that it has been rubbed too much.

Apparatus, This mixture, when rubbed too much, will be too Materials, fierce, and hardly show any stars; and, on the contrary, c. of Fire- when not mixed enough, will be too weak, and throw out an obscure smoke, and lumps of dross, without any

:

• works.

The following compositions are those commonly employed in ordinary fire-works.

Rockets of four ounces.—Mealed powder 1 lb. 4 oz. sy-rockets. saltpetre 4 oz. and charcoal 2 oz.

31

or rocket ars.

32

ins.

33

r water kets.

Rockets of eight ounces.-I. Mealed powder 1 lb. saltpetre 4 oz. brimstone 3 oz. and charcoal 1 oz. II. Meal-powder 14 lb. and charcoal 44 oz.

Rockets of one pound.-Meal-powder 2 lb. saltpetre 8 oz. brimstone 4 oz. charcoal 2 oz. and steel-filings 1 oz. Sky-rockets in general.-I. Saltpetre 4 lb. brimstone 1 lb. and charcoal 1 lb. II. Saltpetre 4 lb. brimstone 1 lb. charcoal 1 lb. 12 oz. and meal-powder 2 oz. Large sky-rockets.-Saltpetre 4 lb. meal-powder 1lb. and brimstone I lb.

Rockets of a middling size.-I. Saltpetre 8 lb. sulphur 3 lb. meal-powder 3 lb. II. Saltpetre 3 lb. sulphur 2 lb. meal-powder 1 lb. charcoal 1 lb.

White stars. Meal-powder 4 oz. saltpetre 12 oz. sulphur vivum 6 oz. oil of spike 2 oz. and camphor 5 oz. Blue stars.-Meal-powder 8 oz. saltpetre 4, sulphur 2, spirit of wine 2, and oil of spike 2.

Coloured or variegated stars.-Meal-powder 8 drams, rochpetre 4 oz. sulphur vivum 2, and camphor 2.

Brilliant stars.-Saltpetre 3 oz. sulphur 14, and meal-powder, worked up with spirits of wine only. Common stars.-Saltpetre 1 lb. brimstone 4 oz. antimony 44, isinglass, camphor, and spirit of wine. Tailed stars.-Meal-powder 3 oz. brimstone 2, salt-' petre 1, and charcoal (coarsely ground).

Drove stars.-I. Saltpetre 3 lb. sulphur 1 lb. brass dust 12 oz. antimony 3. II. Saltpetre 1 lb. antimony 4 oz. and sulphur 8.

Fixed pointed stars.-Saltpetre 8 oz. sulphur 2, antimony 1 oz. 10 dr.

Stars of a fine colour.-Sulphur 1 oz. meal-powder 1, saltpetre I, camphor 4 dr. oil of turpentine 4 dr.

Gold rain for sky-rockets.-I. Saltpetre i lb. mealpowder 4 oz. sulphur 4, brass-dust 1, saw-dust 21, and glass-dust 6 dr. II. Meal-powder 12 oz. saltpetre 2, charcoal 4. III. Saltpetre 8 oz. brimstone 2, glass-dust 1, antimony, brass-dust, and saw-dust 12 dr.

Silver rain.-I. Saltpetre 4 oz. sulphur, meal-powder, and antimony, of each 2 oz. sal prunella oz. II. Saltpetre lb. brimstone 2 oz. and charcoal 4. III. Saltpetre 1 lb. brimstone lb. antimony 6 oz. IV. Saltpetre 4 oz. brimstone I, powder 2, and steeldust oz.

oz.

I. Meal-powder 6 lb. saltpetre 4, brimstone 3, charcoal 5. II. Saltpetre 1 lb. brimstone 4 oz. charcoal 6. III. Saltpetre 1 lb. brimstone 4 oz. charcoal 12. IV. Saltpetre 4 lb. brimstone 1 lb. charcoal 1 lb. 12 V. Brimstone 2 lb. saltpetre 4 lb. and meal-pow. der 4. VI. Saltpetre 1 lb. meal-powder 4 oz. brimstone 8, charcoal 2. VII. Meal-powder 1 lb. saltpetre 3, brimstone I; sea-coal 1 oz. charcoal 8, saw-dust, steel-dust, and coarse charcoal oz. VIII. Mealpowder 1 lb. saltpetre 3, sulphur 1, charcoal 12 oz. saw-dust 2.

Sinking charge for water-rockets.-Meal-powder 8 oz. charcoal oz..

3.

werks.

34

Wheel-cases from two ounces to four pounds.-I. Meal- Apparatus, powder 2 lb. saltpetre 4 oz. iron-filings 7. II. Meal- Materials, powder 2 lb. saltpetre 12 oz. sulphur 4, steel-dust &c. of FireIII. Meal-powder 4 lb. saltpetre 1 lb. brimstone 8 oz. charcoal 4. IV. Meal-powder 8 oz. saltpetre 4, sawdust 1, sea-coal. V. Meal-powder 1 lb. 4 oz. For wheels, brimstone 4 oz. 10 dr. saltpetre 8 oz. glass-dust 23. VI. Meal-powder 12 oz. charcoal 1, saw-dust. VII. Saltpetre 1 lb. 9 oz. brimstone 4 oz. charcoal 4. VIII. Meal-powder 2 lb. saltpetre 1, brimstone, and sea-coal 2 oz. IX. Saltpetre 2 lb. brimstone 1, mealpowder 4, and glass-dust 4 oz. X. Meal-powder 1 lb. saltpetre 2 oz. and steel-dust 3. XI. Meal-powder 2 lb. and steel-dust 2 and a half oz. with 2 and a half of the fine dust of beat iron. XII. Saltpetre 2 lb. 13 oz. brimstone 8 oz. and charcoal.

Slow fire for wheels.-I. Saltpetre 4 oz. brimstone 2, and meal-powder 1 and a half. II. Saltpetre 4 oz. brimstone I, and antimony 1 oz. 6 dr. III. Saltpetre 4 oz. and a half, brimstone 1 oz. and mealed powder 1 and a half. Dead fire for wheels.-I. Saltpetre 1 oz. brimstone lapis-calaminaris, and antimony 2 dr.

,

35

I. Meal-powder 4lb. saltpetre 2, brimstone and char- For fixed or coal 1. II. Meal-powder 2 lb. saltpetre 1, and steel-standing dust 8 oz. III. Meal-powder 1 lb. 4 oz. and char-cases. coal 4 oz. IV. Meal-powder 1 lb. and steel-dust 4 oz. V. Meal-powder 2 lb. brimstone 4 oz. and sea-coal 6. VI. Meal-powder 3 lb. charcoal 5 oz. and saw-dust I and a half.

36

I. Meal-powder 8 lb. saltpetre 1lb. 2 oz. steel-dust For sun 2 lb. 10 oz. brimstone 4. II. Meal-powder 3 lb. salt-cases. petre 6 oz. and steel-dust 77.

37

Meal-powder 11 lb. saltpetre 1, brimstone 4 oz. steel- For a bril dust 1 lb. and a half.

liant fire.

For gerbes

Meal-powder 6 lb. and beat-iron 2 lb. 1 oz. and a half. 38 Charge for four ounce Tourbillons.-Meal-powder 2 39 lb. 4 oz. and charcoal 4 oz. and a half.

For tour

Eight ounce Tourbillons.-Meal-powder 2 lb. and billons. charcoal 44 oz.

Large Tourbillons.-Meal-powder 2 lb. saltpetre 1, brimstone 8 oz. and beat iron 8.

N. B. Tourbillons may be made very large, and of different-coloured fires: only you are to observe, that the larger they are, the weaker must be the charge; and, on the contrary, the smaller, the stronger their charge.

40

I. Saltpetre 4 lb. brimstone 2, meal-powder 2, anti-For water mony 4 oz. saw dust 4, and glass-dust 1 and a fourth, balloons. II. Saltpetre 9 lb. brimstone 3 lb. meal-powder 6 lb. rosin 12 oz. and antimony 8 oz.

41

I. Meal-powder 1 lb. and charcoal 1 lb. II. Meal- For water powder 1 lb. and charcoal 9 oz.

I. Meal-powder 1 lb. and charcoal 1 oz. II. Mealpowder 9 oz. charcoal 1 oz.

squibs. 42 Mine ports or serpents.. 43

For firing rockets, &c.-I. Saltpetre 12 oz. brimstone 4 oz. and meal-powder 2 oz. II. Saltpetre 8 oz. Port-fires. brimstone 4 oz. and meal-powder 2 oz. III. Saltpetre I lb. 2 oz. meal-powder 1 lb. and a half, and brimstone 10 oz. This composition must be moistened with one gill of linseed oil. IV. Meal-powder 6 oz. saltpetre 2 lb. 2 oz. and brimstone 10 oz. V. Saltpetre 1 lb. 4 oz. mealpowder 4 oz. brimstone 5 oz. saw-dust 8 oz. VI. Saltpetre 8 oz. brimstone 2 oz. and meal-powder 2 oz.

For illuminations.-Saltpetre 1 lb. brimstone 8 oz. and meal-powder 6 oz.

Saltpetre