CHINESE AND BRILLIANT PI&E. 



223 



larger than radish seed : then sift them through six graduated 

 sieves, to separate the different sizes, and preserve these six dif. 

 ferenl kinds in a very dry place, to secure them from rust, which 

 would render this sand absolutely unfit for the proposed end. We 

 must here remark, that the grains which pass through the closest 

 sieve, are called sand of the first order; those which pass through 

 the next in size, sand of the second order ; and so on. 



This sand, when it inflames, emits a light exceedingly vivid. It 

 is very surprising to see fragments of this matter no bigger than a 

 poppy seed, form all of a sudden luminous flowers or stars, 12 and 

 15 lines in diameter. These flowers are also of different forms, 

 according to that of the inflamed grain, and even of different colonrs 

 according to the matters with which the grains are mixed. But 

 rockets into which this composition enters, cannot be long pre- 

 served, as those which contain the finest sand will not keep longer 

 than eight days, and those which contain the coarsest, fifteen. The 

 following tables exhibit the proportions of the different ingredients 

 for rockets of from 12 to 36 pounds. 



For red Chinese fire. 



For zchitc Chinese Jire. 



When these materials have been weighed, the saltpetre and char- 

 coal must be three times sifted through a hair sieve, in order that 

 they may be well mixed : the iron sand is then to be moistened with 

 good brandy, to make the sulphur adhere, and they must b 



