PYROTECHNY. 



These admit of no other variet 



and the management is the same fur 



l'yrolrh- half cracker. 

 "y- in their Sim 



' , ' all. 



To make a single case of this kind, it must be of 

 sufficient strength to resist the explosion of the powder, 

 and that is all which is requisite, as no choke is want- 

 ed, and as they are closed at the bottom, and require 

 no driving. They must be considered, in fact, merely 

 as mortars or pieces of ordnance ; and, if of large si/e, 

 and likely to be wanted again, it is better that they 

 should be made of metal or wood. They need not be 

 much longer than the cases which they are to con- 

 tain, if they are intended to fire serpents ; but, it' 

 to throw stars, the length will depend on the views of 

 the operator. 



The smallest sizes are used by the Chinese to throw 

 serpents, and these serpents do not exceed the sixth of 

 an inch in the interior diameter. A case of three 

 inches in diameter, and two inches in length is suffi- 

 cient for these. But as serpents even of four ounce 

 dimensions may be thrown in the same way, the sizes 

 must be increased accordingly. In loading them, a 

 small quantity of mealed powder, not above a quarter 

 of an inch in thickness, must first be laid on the bottom 

 of the case, and rammed down tight, to prevent it from 

 being shaken in the carriage. Upon this the serpents 

 are to be placed with their mouths downwards, and so 

 that they may not be too tight in the case, which 

 would prevent them from flying easily out. As these 

 have sufficient force of recoil themselves, they do not 

 require a large charge in the case, unless it is intended 

 to throw them very high into the air. Should this be 

 desired, the case must have a load of powder in grains 

 first, on which is to be fitted a loose cover of paste- 

 board to serve as a wadding. Above this must then 

 be placed as much mealed powder as will be sufficient 

 to inflame the serpents ; and thus the desired effect will 

 be obtained. The same rule may be attended to, if 

 saucissons, or crackers, are to be used instead of simple 

 serpents. But we must here caution the artist against 

 making these too long, as, if they are, they will over- 

 set and fall down. Five diameters are quite sufficient, 

 and even less may answer. 



If stars are to be projected, either alone, or with ser- 

 pents and crackers, a sufficient charge of grain powder 

 for the intended purpose is also required ; and it is to 

 be managed in the same manner. To prevent dis- 

 turbance in the carriage, the pasteboard division or 

 wadding may be pasted at the margin slightly to the 

 case, by means of a bit of thin paper ; but it is a gene- 

 ral rule to avoid oversetting these fireworks in the 

 carriage, as the mealed powder might get into the 

 chokes of the serpents, and cause them to burst in the 

 cases. For stars, this is of no consequence. It may 

 indeed be preferable generally to keep these cases filled, 

 all excepting the mealed powder, which may be intro- 

 duced just before the time of firing. In this way, the 

 , paper which is to cover and secure the serpents, must 

 be pasted in a cylindrical manner round the case, so as 

 to be twisted up at the top loosely. Otherwise it may 

 be fastened down like the head of a drum ; but in 

 every way it must be made slender, so that it may 

 easily blow up. 



Such cases as we have now described, if used alone, 

 may be fired by a leader of quick match inserted into 

 the top, and furnished at the extremity with a bit of 

 slow match, so as to allow the operator time to retire. 

 But it is usual in public displays to fire many at once ; 

 in which case all the leaders must communicate with a 



VOL. XVII. PART I. 



common one, which may alto be conveniently attached 

 >rne case of ordinary fire that may burn first, and 

 Clhus give time. 



It is further easy to see how these may be united t< 

 Roman candles, or gerbes, or white lights, or any other 

 class of fires. But for this purpose they must all be 

 fixed together in frames ; and the leaders, which are to 

 communicate to the pots of serpents, should enter by a 

 hole at the bottom. A conical, hard, but loose cup 

 should also be placed over the mouths, to prevent any 

 chance of a spark falling into them and inflaming them 

 before their time. All these pots may be until in the 

 water by means of proper floats, and the serpents when 

 thrown on the water have a good effect if they are 

 made light enough to swim. 



OfBalloont. 



These are contrivances for carrying squibs, or ser- 01 ui- 

 pents, or stars, or crackers, high up into the air before loom, 

 bursting. Being thus dispersed from a single point, 

 they produce a strong effect. Directions have already 

 been given for making the cases, and those for the 

 fuses will be found under the head of military fire- 

 works. A sufficient quantity of powder must be in- 

 troduced to burst the shell and inflame the contents, 

 and the mortar used to fire them must be regulated in 

 the same way to throw them as high as may be de- 

 sired. 



Balloons may also be used upon the water ; but 

 without any particular advantage. It is recommended 

 in the books of pyrotechny to sink them under the 

 water and inflame them by means of a projecting case. 

 But so far from any thing being gained in this way, 

 the contents will be half lost by sinking in the water. 

 This is one of the schemes so common in the books on 

 this art, which seem to have been entered among others 

 without any consideration. 



Single Crackers and Maroons. 



These are an essential part of all fireworks, and may Single 

 be attached in various ways to other kinds of cases, as crackers 

 we have already suggested. The one or two-ounce and ma- 

 case, is sufficiently large for ordinary purposes ; but r oon. 

 crackers may be made of any dimensions which the 

 operator may think fit. The length may vary from 

 two inches to four, and the cases must be unusually 

 strong, as the effect depends entirely on that circum- 

 stance. They must be filled with grain powder, pressed 

 in, but not bruised. When full, the cases are to be 

 choked at the upper end in the engine as closely as 

 possible ; introducing a bit of wood at the same time 

 to preserve a touch hole. They are then primed with 

 a bit of quick match, fastened in by a bit of pasted 

 paper, when they are ready to be attached wherever 

 they may be wanted. 



This is the practice for crackers that are to be fastened 

 to other fireworks. But if they are required to be 

 thrown out of pots or mortars, about a diameter of the 

 case above the vent must be left unfilled when it is 

 choked. Into this a slow charcoal composition is to be 

 introduced, and rammed firmly down, that it may burn 

 for a second after the cracker has been thrown out, o 

 as to allow it time to explode in the air ; and no priming 

 is required in this case, as it is lighted by the blast of 

 the explosion. 



When crackers are required for separate firing, and 



merely for the sake of the reports, they are made much 



stronger, and are then called maroons. The case facing 



filled in the same manner as before, the ends of the 



2 i 



