264 



PYROTECHNY. 



The Palm and the Cypress Tree. 



16 P alm This is a very pleasing way of arranging cases of 

 cypress brilliant fire, particularly on a large scale. For this 

 tree. purpose, the frame must be regularly constructed with 



a support for each case, as the artist must not trust to 

 his eye for arranging them, when the beauty of the ef- 

 fect depends upon the accuracy of the angles at which 

 they are placed. Nineteen cases will form a regular 

 figure of this kind, in the following manner : Let the 

 perpendicular part of the frame work be divided into 

 Fig. 23. nine equal parts, at any distances which the artist may 

 think proper, and which may be conveniently a foot, if 

 the cases are to be a foot long. At the lowest point is 

 to be fixed, a horizontal bar, capable of supporting a 

 case on each side. At the next point above, the bar 

 must form an angle of ten degrees with the horizon, 

 the following one twenty, the next thirty, and so on to 

 the top ; and the same is to be done on the opposite 

 *ide of the perpendicular. When the cases are attached 

 to these, there are of course nine on each side, exactly 

 corresponding in their angles, together with one at the 

 top ; and when it is fired, all these form curves succes- 

 sively radiating towards the ground. The artist may, 

 if he pleases, crowd the cases more towards the top 

 than the bottom ; but this must be done in a regularly 

 diminishing manner, by a proper arrangement of the 

 frame work, which is too easily understood to require 

 description. 



The effect of this firework may be varied by placing 

 the cases on each side of two posts, inclined in such a 

 manner that they may diverge at the bottom, taking 

 care that the same angles with the perpendicular be 

 nevertheless preserved. In both ways lights, either 

 single or in the form of stars, may be introduced along 

 the perpendicular, or at the bottom. 



This tree may also be doubled, in which case, like 

 the double cascade, it must be exhibited at a consider- 

 able elevation. For this purpose, the same operations 

 are repeated below the horizontal cases as above, as 

 may easily be understood. Further, it is varied by 

 Fig. 24. making the upper cases at wide angles upwards, and 

 the lower in small ones successively diminishing and 

 looking downwards, when it is properly the palm tree. 



Checkered Fires. 



Checkered These have also a very brilliant effect, and that in 

 proportion to their numbers and complication. 



To produce a simple checkered fire, two perpendi- 

 cular posts must be placed at a proper distance, such 

 as three or four feet, for one foot cases, and on these 

 are to be placed as many cases as the artist may choose, 

 in angles of from 40 to 60 degrees, with their mouth 

 opened, and upwards. Thus, when lighted, the fires 

 intersect each other so as to produce a network, the 

 nature of which may be varied by altering the angles 

 of the cases, or by placing them at greater or less dis- 

 tances from each other. This is also called a double tree. 



A reticulating fire may also be produced in a differ- 

 ent manner, by placing a number of cases in a radiating 

 form upwards, on a horizontal bar, and opposing them 

 to the same number radiating downwards from a bar 

 above. 



Such fires as this admit of being multiplied with 

 great effect. Thus, instead of two perpendicular or 

 two horizontal bars, there may be four or more, and 

 thus an immense mass of net work may be produced. 



But, in these attempts, care must be taken that all the 1'yrotech- 

 bars are at a sufficient distance, to prevent the several n y- 

 fires from confusing each other. This is a point which """V""* 1 

 the artist must regulate according to his cases; it being 

 easy, by burning one, to ascertain precisely how far 

 it throws its stream of fire. 



We need not here add any thing respecting the man- 

 ner in which all these fireworks may be varied by the 

 addition of lights or stars, as it would be merely to re- 

 peat what has been said before on that subject. Neither 

 need we do more than barely suggest, that by a proper 

 disposition of cases, any of these may be caused to 

 throw up stars or serpents at any period that the artist 

 may choose. 



But we may as well suggest that a good way of ter- 

 minating all these fireworks is by discharges of sky- 

 rockets, which, for this purpose, may easily be secured 

 out of danger behind a proper board, and so as to com- 

 municate by means of leaders with the last portion of 

 the fixed work. Sky rockets may also appear to be 

 thrown up by these at any time. For that purpose, it 

 is best to have a case of some slow fire, like a port-fire, 

 which gives little light, and the burning of which is 

 accurately known. Proper holes being then made in 

 it, at regulated distances, with a leader to each rocket, 

 they can be discharged in succession at any intertal 

 which the operator pleases, and without the least dif- 

 ficulty. It is only necessary to take care that, while 

 the leaders are so well secured to the mouths of the 

 rockets as to prevent the entrance of any accidental 

 fire, these may at the same time be so weak as to be 

 easily detached by the blast of the rocket, so as not to 

 impede its ascent. 



Of Complicated Fireworks. 



To attempt to describe even a very small part of'Of compii- 

 what may be effected by complicating different kinds of cated fire- 

 fireworks, would in itself require a volume, both of de- work - 

 scriptions and plates ; as, without the latter, no words 

 could render them intelligible. We shall therefore li- 

 mit ourselves to a few, which, either from their being 

 in common use, or from their beauty, or from their 

 suggesting hints for the construction of others, may 

 appear most deserving of description. We must also 

 confine ourselves to the simpler complications ; because, 

 as these may again be combined without end, there 

 would be no limits to such a treatise. It is an art in 

 which no one will succeed well on a great scale who 

 has not some invention and taste of his own ; and 

 therefore minute and numerous directions would be 

 nearly as superfluous to one class of readers as they 

 would be useless to another. 



The general rules for all complications of this nature 

 are the following : An agreeable general outline, in 

 the form of the fire, should always be studied ; as a 

 great deal more than is supposed by vulgar artists de- 

 pends on picturesque beauty in these cases. All pyra- 

 midal or angular shapes are therefore preferable to pa. 

 rallel or square ones, which generally look heavy. 

 Circles and ellipses exceed all other forms in beauty ; 

 but the latter has been very much neglected by pyro- 

 technists, who are too apt to proceed according to old 

 routines. No firework of this kind should therefore 

 be constructed without previously making a drawing 

 of it ; as also of its effects, which, for greater security, 

 should be done in colours, so as to resemble the intend- 

 ed fire as nearly as possible in its colours, as well as in 

 its form. 



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