B A L 



atmofplii-re. But even when it is allowed that a great many 

 foreign fublhnces are difTolvcd in the atmofphere, the quan- 

 tity of them, efpecially in regions at the dillancc of cij;hty 

 miles or more, from which fueh fne-balls are feen to fall in 

 the form of a luminous point, is too fmall to admit of our 

 fuppofing fuch large mafTei to be formed of it. Should the 

 folid particles, which may perhaps be diflolvtd in the atmo- 

 fphere, precipitate themfclves, it would be rather in the 

 form of a fine powder. I confider it, therefore, with Ana.'C- 

 agoras, Maflielyne, Halley, &c. as more probable that 

 thefe maffcs come to our regions from the common expanfe 

 of the univerfe ; and that, btfidcs planetary bodies, there 

 are fmaller accumulations of matter, wliich when they ap- 

 proach too ntar our earth miift fall down. That material 

 bodies aftually exift in the remoteil regions, is Ihewn both 

 by the fingle and accumulated luminous fparks wliich Dr. 

 Schroter faw pafs over the field of his ttlefcopc ; as alfo by 

 the (hooting ftars which pafs by our earth, probably at a 

 greater diftance and with greater velocity than to allow their 

 being attrafted by it, and made to fall to its furfacc ; and to 

 which fire-balls, on their lirll appearance, when they jecm 

 to approach like a luminous point, iiave a perfeft refem- 

 blancc. There are many reafons for inducing us to believe 

 that (hooting liars cannot be mere elcftric phenomena, with- 

 out the prefciice of iome coarfcr fubltanccs. 



The paradox'cah'.efs of this mode of explanation, which 

 is contrary to no known obfervations of nature, is rather 

 apparent than real, and conlills only in this, that people 

 have not been accullomcd to it ; or that, on account of 

 the rarity of thele pheromena, many fafts of this kind have 

 been denird, or have efeaped notice. For this reafon, after 

 I had written the Trcatife on the Mafs of Iron d fcovered 

 by Proftffor Pallas, I hclitated whether I (liould pubhfh it, 

 becaufe I expected that it would meet with confidcrakle op- 

 polition. Tne more I e! deavoured however to compare, 

 without partiality for any fy'Um, the oblervations already 

 inade, which co'rcfpond fo m.uch with each other, the more 

 I f lund that thefe phenomena could not be properly ex- 

 plained in any other manner, without either contradidiing 

 obfervations already made, or well-known laws of nature : 

 fo tliat I lee no grounds for retradting any thing 1 have ad- 

 vanced on this fubjedt." See Height of tht Atmosphere, 

 and Meteor. 



KiLL, in the MUitary and P yroterhnical Arts., is a com- 

 pofition of divers ingredients, genei"al]y of the combudible 

 kinds, ferving to burn and dcftioy, give light, fmoke, ftench, 

 or the Hke. 



In this fenfc we read of fire-balls, light-balls, fmoke- 

 balls, (link-halls, (kv-balls, water-bails, land-balls, &c. 



Bells are likewife ufed for all forts of fire-arms ; thofe for 

 cannon are made of iron, and are dillinguidicd by their re- 

 fpeftive calibres; and thofe for mufkets, S:c. of lead. 



Balls, Fire, are bags of canvas filled with gunpowder, 

 fulphur, faltpetre, pitch, &c. to be thrown by the foldiers, 

 or out of mortars, in order to fire hoiifcs, incommode 

 trenches, advanced polls, or the hke. 



The Greeks had divers kinds of fire-balls made of wood, 

 fometimes a foot, or even a cubit long ; their heads being 

 armed with (pikes of iron, beneath which were hemp, 

 pitch, and other coir.bufti'ales, which being fet on fire, 

 were cad among the enemy. 



The preparation's of fire-balls, among the moderns, con- 

 fifts of feveral operations, viz. mnking the bag, preparing 

 the compofitfi n, tying, and, laftly, dipping the ball. 



Th> bags for ths purpofe are either oval or round. 



The compolition wherewith fire-balls are filled is various, 



7 



B A L 



To ten pounds of meal gunpowder, add *.wo of faltpetro 

 one of fulphur, and one of colophor.y : or, to fix pc.nds 

 of gunpo'Ader, add four of faltpetre, four of fulphur, onr: 

 of powdered glafs, half a pound of antimony, as mechcam- 

 paor, an ounce of fal ammoniac, and four of commun fait, 

 all pulverized. Sometimes they even fill fire-balls w th hand 

 granadoes. For tying the fire-balls, they prepare two iron 

 rings, one fitted round the aperture, where the ball is to 

 be lighted, the other near its bafe. A cord is titd to 

 thelc rings in fuch manner as that the feveral tunis repre- 

 fent femicirclcs, or meridians of the fpbere, cutting the 

 globe through the poles : over the cords, extended accord- 

 ing to the length of the bah, others are tied, cultii g the 

 former at right angles, and parallel to each other, making a 

 knot at each interftflion. Lailly, putting m a leaden bul- 

 let, the reft of the fpace is filled with tow or paper. Thus 

 completed, the fire-ball remains to be dipped in a compofi- 

 tion of melted pitch, colophony, and lin(eed oil, or oil of 

 turpentine ; after dipping, they cover it round with tow, 

 and dip again, till it be brought to the jufl diameter re- 

 quired. 



Balls, Land, thofe which, being thrown out of a mor- 

 tar, fall to the ground, burn, and buHl there. The in- 

 gredients are much the fame as in the water-balls, only 

 the fpecific gravity is not attended to. 



Balls, Li^ht, are fuch as diffufe an intenfe light around : 

 or they are balls which, being caft out of a mortar, or the 

 hand, burn for fome time, and illuminate the adjacent 

 parts. 



Thofe .for the hand are made of ground poteder, falt- 

 petre, brimftone, camphor, and borax, all fprinkled with 

 oil, and moulded into a mafs with fuet, common and Greek 

 pitch, to the fize of an ordinary granado : this is wrapped 

 up in tojiv, witii a (heet of ftrong paper over it. To fire it, 

 a hole is made into it with a bodkin, into which is put 

 fome priming that will bum (lowly. Its ufe is, to caft into 

 any works that are to be difcovertd in the night time. 



For the larger light-balls, or thofe to be thrown to a 

 greater diftance, they are prepared by melting equal quan- 

 tities of fulphur, turpentine, and pitch ; and by dipping 

 in this compofition an earthen or ftone ball, of a diameter 

 much lets than that of the mortar out of which the fire-ball 

 is to be call ; then rolling it in gun-powder, and covering 

 it round with gauze, the dipping is repeated till it comes to 

 fit the cavity of the mortar; lalbly, it is fprinkled around 

 with gun-powder. This being once kindled, will ftrongly 

 illuminate all round the place where it is thrown, and give 

 opportunity for examining the ftate and condition thereof. 

 Balls, Sty, thofe call on high out of monars, and 

 which, when arrived at their height, burft like rockets, and 

 afford a fpcftacle of decoration. Sky-balls are made iT a 

 wooden fliell, filled with various compoCtions, particularly 

 that of the ftars of rockets. 



Thefe are fometimes intermixed with crackers and Other 

 combullibles, making rains of fire, &c. 



Bali. s, Srioie, or Dark, thofe which fill the air with 

 fmoke, and thus darkoi a place, to prevent difcoveries. 

 To prepare a darkening ball, make an oval or fpherical bag ; 

 melt rofin over the ccals, and add an equal part of faltpetre 

 not purified, alfo of (ulphur, and a filth part of charcoal. 

 The whole being well incorporated, put iii tow firtl fhred, 

 and fill the bag with this comp-'Ction, aud dip it after the 

 fame manner as a fire-ball. 



Balls, SlinL, thofe which yield a great ftink where fired 

 to annoy the enemy. 



Their preparation is thus ; melt ten pounds of pitch, (:x 



of 



