Part 4

Interior | Weight of |Saltpetre.|Brimstone.|Charcoal. diameter of|the rocket.| | | the mould. | | | | -----------+-----------+----------+----------+--------- Lines. |lb. oz. dr.| ounces. | ounces. | ounces. -----------+-----------+----------+----------+--------- 6 | 0 0 4 } | | 7 | 0 0 6 } 44 | 4 | 16 8 | 0 1 1 } | | | | | | 9 | 0 1 5 } | | 10 | 0 2 2 } 40 | 4 | 16 11 | 0 3 0 } | | | | | | 12 | 0 3 7 } | | 13 | 0 4 6 } 38 | 4 | 16 14 | 0 6 1 } | | | | | | 15 | 0 7 4 } | | 16 | 0 9 1 } 36 | 4 | 16 17 | 0 11 0 } | | | | | | 18 | 0 13 1 } | | 19 | 0 15 4 } 34 | 4 | 16 19¼ | 1 0 0 } | | | | | | 21 | 1 7 1 | | | | | | | 24 | 1 15 1 | 32 | 5 | 16 | | | | 30 | 4 0 0 } | | 36 | 6 9 0 } 30 | 6 | 18 72 | 55 8 0 } | |

TAB. III.

A table of charges for sky-rockets in which the charges are adapted in proportion to the weight of composition contained in each rocket, after the method of Hanzelet.

Weight of | Powder. | Saltpetre. | Brimstone. | Charcoal. composition. | | | | ------------- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | --------- lb. oz. | lb. oz. | lb. oz. | lb. oz. | lb. oz. ------------- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | --------- 0 1½ | 0 4 | | | 0 1 or, | 1 0 | 0 1½ | | 0 1½

0 2 | 0 4 | 0 1 | | or, | 0 4 | | | 0 ½

0 4 } | 1 0 | 0 4 | | 0 4 0 8 } | | | |

or, | 0 3 | 0 10 | 0 1 | 0 3 | 0 10 | 0 3½ | 0 1 | 0 3½

1 0 | 1 0 | | 0 1 | 0 2 or, | | 1 4 | 0 2 | 0 3½ 3 0 | | 1 14 | 7 7½ | 0 11

6 0 } | |31 0 | 4 8 | 10 0 7 0 } | | | |

8 0 } | | 8 0 | 1 8 | 2 12 10 0 } | | | |

TAB. IV.

A table collected from Henrion, whose method of adjusting the charges is the same as in the preceding table.

Weight of |Powder |Saltpetre. | Brimstone. | Charcoal. composition.| | | | ------------| ----------|-----------|------------|------------ lb. oz. | lb. oz. | lb. oz. | lb. oz. | lb. oz. ------------|-----------|-----------|------------|------------ 1} | | | | 2} | 1 0 | | | 0 2 or, | 1 0 | 1 0 | | 0 1 3 | 4½ | 0 1 | | 0 1 | | | | 4} | | | | 8} | 4 0 | 1 0 | 0 ½ | 0 4 | | | | | 1 8 | 0 4 | | 0 2 or, | | | | | 1 0 | 0 4 | | 0 1 | | | | | 3 ½ | 0 10 | | 0 3½ | | | | 8} | | |{ 0 2 }| } | 2 5 | 0 0 |{steel dust}| 0 6 10} | | |{ 0 2 }| | | | | 12 |17 0 | 0 4 | 0 3½ | 0 7 | | | | 14} | | |{ 0 3 }| } | 2 8 | 0 9 |{steel dust}| 0 3 15} | | |{ 0 3 }| | | | | 1 0 | 1 0 | 0 0 | 0 1 | 0 3 | | | | 2 0 | 0 2 | 0 12 | 0 1 | 0 3 | | | | 3 0} | | |{ 1 4 } | } | 0 0 | 8 0 |{steel dust}| 2 2 10 0} | |{ 0 2 }|

TAB. V.

A table of charges for sky rockets, taken from the Memoires D’Artillerie de M. de Saint Remy, with improvements by M. F***.

Composition |Composition |Composition |Composition |Composition for a rocket |for a rocket |for a rocket|for a rocket |for a rocket of two pound.|of one pound.|of half a |of four |of one ounce | |pound. |ounces. |and a half. -------------+-------------+------------+-------------+----------- Corrected by | Corrected, |Corrected, | Corrected, | Corrected, M. F***, | eleven |seven ounces| six ounces | one ounce one pound. | ounces. |and a half. | five drams. | five drams. -------------+-------------+------------+-------------+----------- lb. oz.| lb. oz. | lb. oz. | oz. | oz. -------------+-------------+------------+-------------+----------- Pow. 2 0 | 1 0 | 1 4 | 5 | 8 or 9 Saltp. 1 0 | 12 | 12 | 1 | ⅕ Brimst. 5 | 2 | 1 | ¼ | Charc. 4 | | 3 | ½ | ½ or 1 Steel-d. 2 | | 2 | | -------------+-------------+------------+-------------+----------- Height of the|Height of the|Height of |Height of the|Height of mould, nine |mould, eight |the mould, |mould seven |the mould, inches and a |inches and |seven inches|inches. |four inches half. |a half. |and a half. | |and a half. -------------+-------------+--------------------------+----------- Diameter of | Diameter of |Diameter of |Diameter of |Diameter of the mould, | the mould, |the mould, |the mould, |the mould, one in. seven| one inch |one inch |one inch |nine lines. lines. | five lines. |three lin. |two lines. |

French names for Sky Rockets.

Double | Marquise. | Grosse de |De partement.| Fusie de Marquise. | | partement. | | Caisse.

Remarks on the foregoing Tables.

In table the first, we find that the compositions for all rockets under one pound are made chiefly of gun-powder and charcoal, which method has been long proved erroneous in many respects: first, that rockets made with such charges will not keep long without spoiling; secondly, that they are very uncertain in performing their proper effect; thirdly, they will carry but a short tail, with a black and smoaky fire.

We also find those charges for rockets above one pound, that are composed of saltpetre, brimstone, and charcoal, to be too strong; by which we should imagine that, at the time when they were used, the piercers did not bear the same proportion to the rockets, as those made use of by our present artists; for it is on the size of the cavity in the composition, that the effect of the rocket and proportion of the charge depends: which we shall endeavour to shew hereafter.

Table the second is given, by the author, as an improvement on the first; wherein he takes notice of the charges being too many in number; he has therefore reduced them to seven only, which, according to his opinion, are sufficient for rockets of any size: he also observes, that the ingredients are expressed in unequal quantities; which he has likewise laid down in a more regular order. By the same author’s account, rockets were made in France, not many years since, with the compositions mentioned in his table. I shall not here pretend to say, that rockets were not made with the charges given in the above-mentioned table; yet can affirm, by practice and experience, that several of them will not agree with our present moulds.

As to the method prescribed in the third and fourth tables, it is difficult to determine whether we shall praise or condemn it, as they were wrote when the art of making fireworks was in it’s infancy; as may be seen by their strange method of determining the proportion of ingredients, and weight of rockets, by the quantity of composition contained in each case; which must have required a very nice calculation, for at that time, they had not fixed upon an exact length for rockets, but made them from six to nine diameters long: all which differ so much from our modern practice, that I never thought it worth the trouble of making a trial: but am of opinion, that very few of the charges will answer.

In table the fifth, the compositions are in proportion to the weight of the rocket, with it’s head and stick, all compleat; which head and stick together are equal to the weight of the rocket, according to the improvement made by M. F***, as may be seen by the second column from the top; he also has added the diameters to the moulds, in proportion to their height, allowing each six diameters, which supposing to be right, the rockets will be nearly reduced to half their weight given in the first column. On the charges in this table I have made no experiment, therefore cannot recommend them as proof.

Having already given a variety of charges for sky-rockets, in the preceding tables, which are collected from the principal authors on this subject, together with remarks on the same; I shall, in the next place, according to my promise of not omitting any thing that may be of service to the reader, add some compositions for rocket-stars of several colours, as inserted by former authors.

Compositions for Stars of different Colours.

I. Meal powder four ounces, saltpetre two ounces, brimstone two ounces, steel dust one ounce and a half, and camphor, white amber, antimony, and mercury-sublimate, of each half an ounce.

II. Rochepetre ten ounces, brimstone, charcoal, antimony, meal powder, and camphor, of each three quarters of an ounce, moistened with oil of turpentine. These compositions are made into stars, by being worked to a paste with aqua vitæ, in which has been dissolved some gum-tragacanth; and after you have roll’d them in powder, make a hole through the middle of each, and string them on quick-match, leaving about two inches from one to the other.

III. Saltpetre eight ounces, brimstone two ounces, yellow amber one ounce, antimony one ounce, and powder three ounces.

IV. Brimstone two ounces and a half, saltpetre six ounces, olibanum or frankincense in drops four ounces; mastick, and mercury-sublimate, of each four ounces; meal powder five ounces; white amber, yellow amber, and camphor, of each one ounce; antimony and orpiment half an ounce each.

V. Saltpetre one pound, brimstone half a pound, and meal powder eight ounces, moistened with potrolio-oil.

VI. Powder half a pound, brimstone and saltpetre, of each four ounces.

VII. Saltpetre four ounces, brimstone two ounces, and meal powder one ounce.

For Stars that carry Tails of sparks.

I. Brimstone six ounces, antimony crude two ounces, saltpetre four ounces, and rosin four ounces.

II. Saltpetre, rosin, and charcoal, of each two ounces; brimstone one ounce, and pitch one ounce.

These compositions are sometimes melted in an earthen pan, and mixed with chopped cotton match, before they are rolled into stars, but will do as well if wetted, and worked up in the usual manner.

Another Sort of Stars, which yield some Sparks.

I. Camphor two ounces, saltpetre one ounce, meal powder one ounce.

II. Saltpetre one ounce, ditto melted half an ounce, and camphor two ounces. When you would make stars of either of these compositions, you must wet them with gum water, or spirit of wine, in which has been dissolved some gum-arabick, or gum-tragacanth, that the whole may have the consistence of a pretty thick liquid; having thus done, take one ounce of lint, and stir it about in the composition till it becomes dry enough to roll into stars.

For Stars of a yellowish Colour.

Take four ounces of gum-tragacanth or gum-arabick, pounded and sifted thro’ a fine sieve, camphor dissolved in brandy two ounces, saltpetre one pound, sulphur half a pound, coarse powder of glass four ounces, white amber one ounce and a half, and orpiment two ounces. All these ingredients being well incorporated, make them into stars after the common method.

Stars of another Sort.

Take a pound of camphor and melt it in a pint of spirit of wine over a slow fire; then add to it a pound of gum-arabick that has been dissolved; with this liquor, mix one pound of saltpetre, six ounces of sulphur, and five ounces of meal powder; and after you have stirred them well together, roll them into stars proportionable to the rockets for which you intend them.

Of the Colours produced by the different Compositions.

As variety of fires adds greatly to a collection of works, it is necessary that every artist should know the different effect of each ingredient; for which reason, I shall here explain the colours they produce of themselves; and likewise how to make them retain the same when mixed with other bodies: as for example, sulphur gives a blue, camphor a white or pale colour, saltpetre a clear white, yellow amber a colour inclining to yellow, sal-armoniac a green, antimony a reddish, rosin a copper colour, and greek-pitch a kind of bronze or between red and yellow. All these ingredients are such as shew themselves in a flame, viz.

For a white Flame.

Saltpetre, sulphur, meal powder, and camphor, the saltpetre must be the chief part.

For a blue Flame.

Meal powder, saltpetre, and sulphur vivum, the sulphur must be the chief part: or, meal powder, saltpetre, brimstone, spirit of wine, and oil of spike; but let the powder be the principal part.

For a Flame inclining to Red.

Saltpetre, sulphur, antimony, and greek-pitch, the saltpetre the chief part.

By the above method may be made various colours of fire, as the practitioner pleases; for, by making a few trials, he may cause any ingredient to be predominant in colour.

Of such Ingredients as shew themselves in Sparks when rammed in choaked Cases.

The set colours of fire produced by sparks are divided into four sorts, viz. the black, white, grey, and red; the black charges are composed of two ingredients, which are meal powder and charcoal; the white of three, viz. saltpetre, sulphur, and charcoal; the grey of four, viz. meal powder, saltpetre, brimstone, and charcoal; and the red of three, viz. meal powder, charcoal, and saw dust.

There are, besides these four regular or set charges, two others, which are distinguished by the names of compound and brilliant charges; the compound charge being made of many ingredients, such as meal powder, saltpetre, brimstone, charcoal, saw dust, seacoal, antimony, glass dust, brass dust, steel filings, cast iron, tanner’s dust, &c. or any thing that will yield sparks; all which must be managed with discretion. The brilliant fires are composed of meal powder, saltpetre, brimstone, and steel dust; or with meal powder and steel filings only.

How to make Cotton Quick-match.

Quick-match is generally made of such cotton as is put in candles, of several sizes, from one to six threads thick, according to the pipes it is designed for, which pipe must be large enough for the match, when made, to be pushed in easily without breaking it. Having doubled the cotton into as many threads as you think proper, coil it very lightly into a flat-bottomed copper or earthen pan; then put in the saltpetre and the liquor, and boil them together about twenty minutes; after which, coil it again into another pan, as is shewn in Fig. 4. and pour on it what liquor remains; then put in some meal powder, and press it down with your hands, till it is quite wet; afterwards place the pan before the wooden frame, Fig. 5, which must be suspended by a point in the center of each end; and place yourself before the pan, tying the upper end of the cotton to the end of one of the sides of the frame.

When every thing is thus got ready, you must have one to turn the frame round, while you let the cotton pass through your hands, holding it very lightly, and at the same time keeping your hands full of the wet powder; but if the powder should be too wet to stick to the cotton, put more in the pan, so as to keep a continual supply till the match is all wound up; you may wind it as close on the frame as you please, so that it does not stick together; when the frame is full, take it off the points, and sift dry meal powder on both sides the match, till it appears quite dry: in winter the match will be a fortnight before it is fit for use; when it is thoroughly dry, cut it along the outside of one of the sides of the frame, and tie it up in skains for use.

N. B. The match must be wound tight on the frames.

Ingredients for the Match.

Cotton one pound twelve ounces, saltpetre one pound, spirit of wine two quarts, water three quarts, isinglass three gills, and meal powder ten pound. To dissolve four ounces of isinglass, take three pints of water.

SECT. III.

Of Sky-rocket Moulds.

As the performance of rockets depends much on their moulds, it is requisite to give a definition of them and their proportions, which are as follows: They are made and proportioned by the diameter of their orifice, which is divided into six equal parts: as for example, Fig. 6. represents a mould made by its diameter A B, its height from C to D is six diameters and two thirds; from D to E is the height of the foot, which is one diameter and two thirds; F the choak, or cylinder, whose height is one diameter and one third; it must be made out of the same piece as the foot, and fit tight in the mould; G an iron pin that goes through the mould and cylinder, to keep the foot fast; H the nipple, which is half a diameter high, and two thirds thick, and of the same piece of metal as the piercer I, whose height is three diameters and a half, and at the bottom is one third of the diameter thick, and from thence tapering to one sixth of the diameter: the best way to fix the piercer in the cylinder, is to make that part below the nipple long enough to go quite through the foot, and rivet it at the bottom. Fig. 7. is a former or rowler for the cases, whose length, from the handle, is seven diameters and a half, and its diameter two thirds of the bore A B; 8. the end of the former, which is of the same thickness and one diameter and two thirds long, the small part; which fits into the hole In the end of the rowler when the case is pinching, is one sixth and a half of the mould’s diameter thick. Fig. 9, the first drift, which must be six diameters from the handle, and this as well as all other rammers must be a little thinner than the former, to prevent the sacking of the paper, when you are driving in the charge: in the end of this rammer is a hole to fit over the piercer; the line K marked on this is two diameters and one third from the handle, so that when you are filling the rocket, this line appears at top of the case; you must then take the second rammer, 10, which from the handle is four diameters; and the hole for the piercer is one diameter and a half long. Fig. 11. is the short and solid drift which you use when you have filled the case as high as the top of the piercer.

It is to be observed, that all rammers must have a collar of brass at the bottom, to keep the wood from spreading or splitting; and that the same proportion be given to all moulds, from one ounce to six pound. I mentioned nothing concerning the handles of the rammers; however, if their diameter be equal to the bore of the mould, and two diameters long, it will be a very good proportion; but the shorter you can use them the better, for the longer the drift, the less will be the pressure on the composition, by the blow given with the mallet.

A Table of Dimensions for Rocket Moulds, in which the Rockets are rammed solid.

Weight |Length of the |Interior diameter|Height of the of rockets.|moulds without| of the moulds. | nipples. | their feet. | | -----------+--------------+-----------------+------------- lb. oz. | Inches. | Inches. | Inches. -----------+--------------+-----------------+------------- 6 0 | 34·7 | 3·5 | 1·5 4 0 | 38·6 | 2·9 | 1·4 2 0 | 13·35 | 2·1 | 1·0 1 0 | 12·25 | 1·7 | 0·85 0 8 | 10·125 | 1·333 &c. | 0·6 0 4 | 7·75 | 1·125 | 0·5 0 2 | 6·2 | 0·9 | 0·45 0 1 | 4·9 | 0·7 | 0·35 0 ½ | 3·9 | 0·55 | 0·25 6 drams | 3·5 | 0·5 | 0·225 4 drams | 2·2 | 0·3 | 0·2

The diameter of the nipple must always be equal to that of the former.

I have omitted the thickness of the moulds, it being very immaterial, provided they are substantial and strong.

I would not advise any one who makes rockets for his private amusement, to ram them solid, for it requires a very skilful hand, and an expensive apparatus for boring them, which will be shewn herereafter. Driving of rockets solid is the most expeditious method, but not so certain as ramming them over a piercer, which I have found by experience.

Of Moulds for Wheel Cases, or Serpents.

Fig. 12. represents a mould in which the cases are drove solid; L the nipple[3], with a point[4] at top, which, when the case is filling, serves to stop the neck, and prevent the composition from falling out, which without this point it would do; and, in consequence, the air would get into the vacancy in the charge, and at the time of firing cause the case to burst. These sort of moulds are made of any length or diameter, according as the cases are required, but the diameter of the rollers must be equal to half the bore, and the rammers made quite solid.

How to roll Rocket and other Cases.

Sky rocket cases are to be made six and a half of their exterior diameter long, and all other cases that are to be filled in moulds must be as long as the moulds, within half its interior diameter.