WATER ROCKETS. 233 



duce their effect even in the water; but a they are then brlow the 

 water, the pleasure of seeing then- is lost ; for thi- reason, hen it 

 is required to cause rockets to burn as th< y float on the water, it 

 wiil be necessary to make >oniO change in the proportions of the 

 moulds, and the materi; s of which they are composed. 



In regard to the mould, i my be eight or nine inches in length, 

 and an inch in diameter: the form* r, on which the cartridge is 

 rolled up, may be nine lines in thickness, and th>- rod for loading 

 the cartridge must as usual be soim what less. For loading the 

 cartridge, there is no need 'or a pifn'* r \\^' ; < \ nipple. 



The composition nr-iy l>e maJe ii r w vvaj - } for if it be required 

 that the rocket, while burning on the water, should appear as 

 bright as a candle, it must be composed of three materials mixed 

 together, viz. three ounces of pulverised and sifted gunpowder, one 

 pound of saltpetre, and eight ounces of sulphur. But if you are 

 desirous that it should appear on the water with a beautiful tail, the 

 composition must consist of eight ounces of gunpowder pulverised 

 and sifted, one pound of saltpetre, eight ounces of pounded and 

 sifted sulphur, and two ounces of charcoal. 



When the composition has been prepared according to these pro. 

 portions, and the rocket has been tilled in the manner above de. 

 scribed, apply a saticisson to the end of it ; and having covered the 

 rock< i with wax, black pitch, resin, or any other substance ca. 

 pable of preventing the paper from being spoilt d in the water, 

 attach to it a small rod ot white willow, about two feet in length, 

 that the rocket may conveniently float. 



If it be required that these rockets should plunge down, and 

 again rise up ; a certain quantity of pulverised gunpowder, with, 

 out any mixture, must be introduced into them, at certain dis- 

 tances, such for example, as two, three, or four lines, according 

 to the size of the cartridge. 



REMARKS. 



1. Small rockets of this kind maybe made, without changing the 

 mould or composition, in several different ways, which, for the 

 sake of brevity, we are obliged to omit. Such of our readers as 

 are desirous of further information on this subject, may consult 

 those authors who have written expressly on pyrotechny, some of 

 whom we shall mention at the end of this book. 



2. It is possible also to make a rocket which) after it has burnt 



