134 Dr. Cutbush on the Chinese Fire, <^c. 



der is scattered over the surface, and a match is inserted. 

 Pots thus prepared, are covered with paper or parchment, 

 ito prevent the access of moisture, which is removed before 

 the composition is inflamed. Blue lights, or blue fire, is a 

 preparation in which zinc and sulphur, or sulphur alone 

 are used. The particular colour is communicated by the 

 zinc or sulphur. The most perfect blue is made as fol- 

 lows : 



Meal powder, - 4 parts, or Meal powder, - 4 parts. 



Salt-petre, - - 2 do. " Salt-petre, - - 8 do. 



Sulphur, - - 3 do. " Sulphur, - - . 4 do. 



Zinc filings, - - 3 do. "Zinc, - - - 17 do. 



The representation of cascades and parasols are made 

 with the above or similar compositions as already noticed ; 

 but the ordinary blue lights, used sometimes for signals, 

 and adapted to any calibre of a case, is composed of six- 

 teen parts of meal powder, two parts of salt-petre, and eight 

 parts of sulphur. Copper and zinc in the alloy of brass are 

 added in the sparkling and green fire. To prepare which 

 about three parts of brass filings are mixed with sixteen 

 par's of meal powder. The amber lights are constituted 

 of amber and meal powder, in the proportion of three of the 

 former to nine of the latter. Copper communicates a green 

 colour to flame. Verdigrease and antimony are frequently 

 joined for that purpose. In the green match, for cyphers, 

 devices, and decorations, the rule is to melt one pound of 

 sulphur, and add one ounce of pulverized verdigrease, and 

 half an ounce of crude antimony; cotton loosely twisted is 

 soaked in the mixture when melted. When used, it is 

 fastened to wire, and the wire is bent in the particular 

 shape required. It \s primed with a mixture of meal pow- 

 der and alcohol, and a quick match is tied along the whole 

 length, so that the fire may communicate to every part at 

 the same time. A strong decoction of jujube, treated with 

 sulphur, imparts to cotton the property of burning with 

 a violet coloured flame. Sulphur alone, or zinc and sul- 

 phur, gives a blue device. 



As to rocket compositions, more attention has been paid 

 than to any other. The formulas are, therefore, numerous. 

 M. Morel, who has made many experiments with sun- 

 dry compositions, has given the following as the most ap- 

 proved. 



