Part 8

When tailed stars are drove, the composition must be moistened with spirit of wine only, and not made so wet as for rolling; one and two ounce cases rolled dry, are best for this purpose; and when they are filled, unroll the case within three or four rounds of the charge, and all that you unroll cut off, then paste down the loose edge; two or three days after the cases are filled, cut them in pieces five or six eighths of an inch in length, then melt some wax, and dip one end of each piece into it, so as to cover the composition; the other end must be rubbed with meal powder wetted with spirit of wine.

Of Drove Stars.

Cases for drove stars, are rolled with paste, but are made very thin of paper; before you begin to fill them, damp the composition, with spirit of wine that has had some camphor dissolved in it; you may ram them indifferently hard, so that you do not break, or sack the case, and to prevent which they should fit tight in the mould: they are drove in cases of several sizes, from eight drams to four ounces; when they are filled in half ounce cases, cut them in pieces, of three quarters of an inch in length; if one ounce cases, cut them in pieces of one inch; if two ounce cases, cut them in pieces of one inch and a quarter in length, and if four ounce cases, cut them in pieces one inch and a half in length; having cut your stars of a proper size, prime them at both ends, with wet meal powder; stars of this sort are seldom put in rockets, they being chiefly intended for air ballóóns, and drove in cases, to prevent the composition from being broke by the force of the blowing powder in the shell.

Of Rolled Stars.

Rolled stars are commonly made about the size of a musket ball, though they are rolled of several sizes, from the bigness of a pistol ball, to one inch diameter; and sometimes they are made very small, but then they are called sparks; great care must be taken in making of stars, first, that the several ingredients be reduced to a fine powder; secondly, that the composition be well worked and mixed together. Before you begin to roll, take about a pound of composition, and wet it with the following liquid, enough to make it stick together and roll easy; spirit of wine, one quart, in which dissolve a quarter of an ounce of isinglass; if a great quantity of composition be wetted at once, the spirit, will evaporate, and leave it dry, before you can roll it into stars; having rolled up one proportion, shake the stars in meal powder, and set them to dry, which they will do in three or four days. But if you should want them for immediate use, dry them in an earthen pan over a slow heat, or, in an oven: it being very difficult to make the stars all of an equal size, when the composition is taken up promiscuously with the fingers; therefore I shall here set down a method by which you may make them very exact, which is thus: When the mixture is moistened properly, roll it on a flat smooth stone, and cut it into square pieces, making each square, large enough for the stars you intend; there is another method used by some to make stars, which is by rolling the composition, in long pieces, and then cutting off the star, so that each star will be of a cylindrical form; but this method is not so good as the former, for to make the composition roll this way, it must be made very wet, which makes the stars heavy as well as weaken them. All stars must be kept as much from air, as possible, otherwise they will grow weak and bad.

Of Scrolls for Sky Rockets.

Cases for scrolls, should be made four or five inches in length, and their interior diameter three eighths of an inch; one end of these cases must be pinched quite close, before you begin to fill, and and when filled, close the other end, then in the opposite sides make a small hole at each end, to the composition, in the same manner as in Tourbillons; and prime them with wet meal powder: you may put in the head of a rocket, as many of these cases as it will contain; these cases being fired turn very quick in the air, and form a scroll or spiral line. They are generally filled with a strong charge, as that of serpents, or brilliant fire.

Of Swarmers or small Rockets.

Rockets which go under the denomination of swarmers, are those from two ounces downards. These small rockets are fired sometimes, in flights, and in large water-works, &c. Swarmers of one and two ounces, are bored, and made in the same manner as large rockets, except when headed, their heads must be put on without a collar; the number of strokes, for driving one ounce rockets, must be eight; and for two ounce rockets, twelve.

All rockets under one ounce, are not bored, but must be filled to the usual height, with composition, which is generally composed, of fine meal prowder four ounces, and charcoal or steel dust two drams; the number of strokes for ramming these small swarmers, is not very material, so as they are rammed true, and moderately hard. The necks of unbored rockets, must be in the same proportion, as in common cases.

Of the cause of sky Rockets rising.

Having promised in the second section, to prove that the effect of sky rockets, and proportion of their charge, depends on the size of the cavity in the composition; I shall here endeavour to give a mathematical demonstration thereof.

Let ABC be the hollow cone for the fire, AYCZB, the superficies of that cone, all the lines OZ at right angles with BC, all the lines OY at right angles with AC: now all the angles ZOY being towards R, whether the angles ZOY are obtuse or acute, but the more acute the better. The rays of fire ZO and YO issuing from the sides of the cone BC and AC, and continually acting with the greater force one upon another at O, forcing the whole BCA upward from the point R; and the wider the cone is, (so as not to exceed one third at bottom, and one sixth at top, of the exterior diameter of the rocket,) the greater velocity will the rocket rise with.

Of Stands for Sky Rockets.

Care must be taken, in placing the rockets, when they are to be fired, in order to give them a vertical direction at their first setting out; which may be managed thus. Have two rails of wood, of any length, supported, at each end, by a perpendicular leg, so that the rails be horizontal, and let the distance from one to the other, be almost equal to the length of the sticks of the rockets, intended to be fired; then in the front of the top rail, drive square hooks at eight inches distance from one another, with their points turning sideways, so that when the rockets are hung on them, the points will be before the sticks, and keep them from falling, or being blown off by the wind; in the front of the rail at bottom, must be staples, drove perpendicular under the hooks at top; through these staples, put the small ends of the rocket sticks. Rockets are fired by applying a lighted port fire, to their mouths.

N. B. When sky rockets are made to perfection, and fired, they will stand two or three seconds on the hook before they rise, and then mount up briskly, with a steady motion, carrying a large tail from the ground all the way up, and just as they turn, break and disperse the stars.

Of Girandole Chests, for flights of Rockets.

Girandole chests, are generally composed of four sides, of equal dimensions, but may be made of any diameter, according to the number of rockets, designed to be fired; its height must be in proportion to the rockets, but must always be a little higher than the rockets, with their sticks; when the sides are joined, six in the top, as far down the chest as the length of one of the rockets with its cap on. In this top, make as many square or round holes, to recieve the rocket sticks, as you intend to have rockets, but let the distance between them, be sufficient for the rockets to stand without touching one another; then from one hole to another, cut a groove, large enough for a quick-match to lay in: the top being thus fixed, put in the bottom, at about one foot and a half distance from the bottom of the chest; in this bottom must be as many holes, as in the top, and all to correspond, but these holes need not be so large, as those in the top.

To prepare your chest, you must lay a quick-match, in all the grooves, from hole to hole; then take some sky rockets, and rub them in the mouth, with wet meal powder, and put a bit of match up the cavity of each, which match, must be long enough, to hang, a little below the mouth of the rocket; your rockets and chest being prepared, according to the above directions, put the sticks of the rockets, through the holes in the top and bottom of the chest, so that their mouths may rest on the quick-match in the grooves; by which all the rockets, will be fired at once; for by giving fire to any part of the match, it will communicate to all the rockets, in an instant. As it would be rather troublesome, to direct the sticks from the top, to the proper holes in the bottom, it will be necessary to have a small door in one of the sides, which when opened, you may see how to place the sticks. Flights of rockets, being seldom fired at the beginning of any fireworks, for which reason, they are in danger of being fired, by the sparks from wheels, &c. Therefore to preserve them, a cover should be made to sit on the chest, and the door in the side kept shut.

Of Serpents or Snakes for Pots des Aigrettes, Small Mortars, Sky Rockets, &c.

Serpents for this use, are made from two inches and an half, to seven inches in length, and their formers from three sixteenths, to five eights of an inch diameter, but the diameter of the cases, must always be equal to two diameters of the former: they are rolled and choaked like other cases, and filled with composition from five eights of an inch, to one inch and an half high, according to the size of the mortars, or rockets, they are designed for, and the remainder of the cases, bounced with corn-powder, and afterwards their ends pinched and tied close: before they are used their mouths must be primed with wet meal-powder.

Of Leaders, or Pipes of Communication.

The best paper for leaders, is a large sort of white paper, called Elephant, which you cut into long slips, two or three inches broad, so that they may go three or four times round the former, (but not more) for when they are very thick, they are too strong for the paper which fastens them to the works, and will sometimes fly off, without leading the fire: the formers for these leaders, are made from two, to six sixteenths of an inch diameter, but four sixteenths is the size generally made use of; the formers are made of smooth brass wire; when you use them, rub them over with grease, or keep them wet with paste, to prevent their sticking to the paper, which must be pasted all over; in rolling of pipes, make use of a rolling board, but use it lightly; having rolled a pipe, draw out the former with one hand, holding the pipe, as light as possible with the other, for if it press against the former, it will stick and tear the paper.

N. B. Make your leaders of different lengths, or in cloathing of works, you will cut a great many to waste. Leaders for marron Batteries must be made of strong cartrige paper.

SECT. V.

Of Aquatick Fireworks.

All works that shew themselves in the water, are much admired by most people who are fond of fireworks, particularly water rockets; but as these seem of a very extraordinary nature to those who are acquainted with this art, I shall endeavour to explain the method of making them, in as full and easy a manner as possible, as well as other devices for the water.

Of Water Rockets.

Water rockets may be made from four ounces, to two pound, but if larger they are too heavy, so that it will be difficult to make them keep above waters without a cork float, which must be tied to the neck of the case, but the rockets will not dive so well with, as without floats.

Cases for water rockets, are made in the same manner and proportion as sky rockets, only a little thicker of paper; when you fill these rockets which are drove solid, put in first, one ladle full of slow fire, then two of the proper charge, and on that one or two ladles of sinking charge, then the proper charge, then the sinking charge again, and so on, till you have filled the case within three diameters; then drive on the composition, one ladle full of clay, through which make a small hole to the charge, then fill the case, within half a diameter with corn powder, on which turn down two or three rounds of the case in the inside, then pinch and tie the end very tight; having filled your rockets, (according to the above directions) dip their ends in melted rosin, or sealing wax, or else secure them well with grease. When you fire these rockets, throw in six, or eight at a time; but if you would have them all sink, or swim, at the same time, you must drive them with an equal quantity of composition, and fire them all together.

To make Pipes of Communication, which may be used under Water.

Pipes for this purpose, must be a little thicker of paper, than those for land works; having rolled a sufficient number of pipes, and kept them till thoroughly dry, wash them over with drying oil, and set them to dry; but when you oil them, leave about an inch and a half, at each end dry, for joints; for if they were oiled all over, when you come to join them, the paste would not stick, where the paper is greasy; after the leaders are joined, and the paste dry, oil the joints. These sort of pipes will lay many hours under water, without receiving any damage.

Of Horizontal Wheels for the Water.

First get a large wooden bowl without a handle, then have an octogon wheel made of a flat board, eighteen inches diameter, so that the length of each side will be near seven inches; in all the sides cut a groove for the cases to lie in, this wheel being made, nail it on the top of the bowl, then take eight four ounce cases, filled with a proper charge, each about six inches in length. Now to cloath the wheel with these cases, get some whitish-brown paper, and cut it into slips, four or five inches broad, and seven or eight long, these slips being pasted all over on one side, take one of the cases, and roll one of the slips of paper, about an inch and a half on its end, so that there will remain about two inches and a half of the paper hollow from the end of the case, this case tie on one of the sides of the wheel, near the corners of which, must be holes bored, through which you put the pack-thread to tie the cases; having tied on the first case at the neck and end, put a little meal-powder in the hollow paper, then paste a slip of paper on the end of another case, the head of which put into the hollow paper on the first, allowing a sufficient distance from the tail of one, to the head of the other, for the pasted paper, to bend without tearing; the second case tie on as you did the first, and so on with the rest, except the last, which must be closed at the end, unless it is to communicate to any thing on top of the wheel; such as fire-pumps or brilliant fires, fixed in holes, cut in the wheel, and fired by the last or second case, as the fancy directs: six, eight, or any number may be placed on the top of the wheel, so that they are not too heavy for the bowl.

Before you tie on the cases cut the upper part of all their ends, except the last, a little shelving, that the fire from one, may play over the other, without being obstructed by the case. Wheel cases, have no clay drove in their ends nor pinched, but are always left open, only the last, or those which are not to lead fire, which must be well secured.

Of Mines for the Water.

For these sort of mines you must have a bowl, with a wheel on it, made in the same manner, as the water wheel, only in the middle of the wheel must be a hole, of the same diameter you design to have the mine; those mines are nothing more than a tin pot, with a strong bottom, and a little more than two diameters in length; your mine must be fixed in the hole in the wheel, with its bottom resting on the bowl; then loaded with serpents, crackers, stars, small water rockets, &c. In the same manner as pots des aigrettes, but in their center, fix a case of Chinese fire, or a small gerbe, which must be lighted at the beginning of the last case on the wheel. These sort of wheels are to be cloathed as usual.

Of Fire Globes for the Water.

Bowls for water globes, must be very large, and the wheels on them of a decagon form, on each side of which nail a piece of wood four inches long, and on the outside of each piece cut a groove, wide enough to receive about one fourth of the thickness of a four ounce case; these pieces of wood must be nailed, in the middle of each face of the wheel, and fixed in an oblique direction, so that the fire from the cases may incline upwards; the wheel being thus prepared, tie in each groove a four ounce case, fill’d with a grey charge, then carry a leader from the tail of one case to the mouth of the other.

Globes for these wheels, are made of two tin hoops, with their edges outwards, fixed one within the other, at right angles. The diameter of these hoops must be somewhat less than that of the wheel. Having made a globe, drive in the center of a wheel, an iron spindle, which must stand perpendicular, and its length, four or six inches more than the diameter of the globe.

This spindle serves for an axis, on which the globe is fixed, which, when done, must stand four or six inches from the wheel; round one side of each hoop, must be soldered, little bits of tin, two inches and a half distance from each other, which pieces must be two inches in length each, and only fastened at one end, the other ends being left loose, to turn round the small port fires and hold them on: these port fires must be made of such a length, as will last out the cases on the wheel. You are to observe that there need not be any port fires, at the bottom of the globe within four inches of the spindle, for if there were, they would have no effect, but only burn the wheel; all the port fires, must be placed perpendicular from the center of the globe, with their mouths outwards; and must all be cloathed with leaders, so as all to take fire with the second case of the wheel; which cases must burn two at a time, one opposite the other. When two cases of a wheel begin together, two will end together; therefore the two opposite end cases, must have their ends pinched and secured from fire. The method of firing wheels of this sort, is, by carrying a leader from the mouth, of one of the first cases, to that of the other, which leader being burnt through the middle, will give fire to both at the same time.

Of Odoriferous Water Ballóóns.

These sort of Ballóóns, are made in the same manner, as air Ballóóns, but very thin of paper, and in diameter one inch and three quarters, with a vent of half an inch diameter. The shells being made, and quite dry, fill them with any of the following compositions, which must be rammed in tight: these sort of Ballóóns, must be fired at the vent, and put into a bowl of water. Odoriferous works, are generally fired in rooms.

Composition I.

Salt petre two ounces, flower of sulphur one ounce, camphor half an ounce, yellow-amber half an ounce, charcoal-dust, three quarters of an ounce, flower of benjamin, or assa odorata half an ounce, all powdered very fine; and mixed well together.

Composition II.

Salt petre twelve ounces, meal powder three ounces, frankincense one ounce, myrrh half an ounce, camphor half an ounce, charcoal three ounces, all moistened with the oil of spike.

Composition III.

Salt petre two ounces, sulphur half an ounce, antimony half an ounce, amber half an ounce, cedar raspings a quarter of an ounce, all mixed with the oil of roses, and a few drops of bergamot.

Composition IV.

Salt petre four ounces, sulphur one ounce, saw-dust of juniper half an ounce, saw-dust of cypress one ounce, camphor a quarter of an ounce, myrrh two drams, dryed rosemary a quarter of an ounce, cortex-elaterii half an ounce, all moistened a little with the oil of roses.

N. B. Water rockets, may be made with any of the above compositions, with a little alteration, to make them weaker, or stronger, according to the size of the cases.

Of Water Ballóóns.

Having made some thin paper shells, of what diameter you please, fill some with the composition for water ballóóns, and some after this manner. Having made the vent of the shells pretty large, fill them almost full with water rockets, marrons, squibs, &c. Then put in some blowing powder, sufficient to burst the shells, and afterwards fix in the vent a water rocket, long enough to reach the bottom of the shell, and its neck to project a little out of the vent; this rocket must be open at the end, in order to fire the powder in the shell, which will burst the shell, and disperse the small rockets, &c. in the water. When you have well secured the large rocket, in the vent of the shell; take a cork float, with a hole in its middle, which fit over the head of the rocket, and fasten it to the shell: this float, must be large enough to keep the ballóón above water.

Of water Squibs.

Water squibs, are generally made of one ounce serpent cases, seven or eight inches long, filled two thirds with charge, and the remainder bounced; the common method of firing them, is thus: Take a water wheel, with a tin mortar in its center, which load with squibs, after the usual method, but the powder in the mortar, must be no more than will just throw the squibs out, (easily into the water), you may place the cases on the wheel, either obliquely, or horizontally; and on the top of the wheel, round the mortar, fix six cases of brilliant fire, perpendicular to the wheel; these cases, must be fired, at the beginning of the last case of the wheels and the mortar, at the conclusion of the same.

To represent a sea fight with small ships, and to prepare a fire-ship for the same.

Having procured four, or five, small ships, of two, or three feet in lenghth, (or as many as you design to fight) make a number of small reports, which are to serve for guns. Of these, range as many as you please, on each side of the upper decks; then at the head and stern of each ship, fix a two ounce case, eight inches long, filled with a slow port-fire receipt, but take care to place it, in such a manner, that the fire may fall in the water, and not burn the rigging; in these cases, bore holes at unequal distances, from one another, but make as many in each case, as half the number of reports, so that one case may fire the guns, on one side, and the other those on the opposite. The method of firing the guns, is, by carrying a leader, from the holes in the cases, to the reports on the decks; you must make these leaders very small, and be careful in calculating the burning of the slow fire, in the regulating cases, that more than two guns, be not fired at a time. When you would have a broad-side given, let a leader be carried to a cracker, placed on the outside of the ship, which cracker must be tied loose, or the reports will be too slow; in all the ships put artificial guns, at the port holes.

Having filled, and bored holes, in two port fires, for regulating the guns, in one ship; make all the rest exactly the same; then when you begin the engagement, light one ship first, and set it a sailing, and so on with the rest, sending them out singly, which will make them fire regularly, at different times, without confusion, for the time between the firing of each gun, will be equal to that of lighting the slow fires.