PYROTECHNY. 



order; thore which pafs through the next fievc in fi/.f, fand 

 of the fccoiid onkr, and fo on. Tiiis la. id, when it in- 

 flames, emits an rxcecdinj^ly vivid hglit, forming alnnoft in- 

 rtantaneoiidy himinoiis fl.iwcrs and liars of various ajiparciit 

 magiiitud'-s. It Ihould be obfervcd that roelcets, into the 

 compofition of \v!iich iron-filings and iron-fand enter, can- 

 not be long jireferved, owing to their rcadinefs in attraft- 

 ing the moillure wiiich the fallpetrc gives out. The lol- 

 lowing tables exhibit the proportions of th.e diftercnt in- 

 gredients for rockets of this kind of from 12 to 33 lbs. 



When thefe materials have been accurately weighed, the 

 faltpetre and charcoal muft be three times fitted through a 

 hair fieve, in order to their bemg well mixed : the iron- 

 fand is then to be moiftened with brandy to make the ful- 

 phur adhere, and then they are to be thoroughly incor- 

 porated. 



The upper part of rockets is generally furnifhed with 

 fome compofition, which takes fire when it has reached to 

 its greateit: height, emits a confiderable blaze, or produces 

 a loud report and whizzing noife. Of this kind are fau- 

 ciilons, maroons, ftars, Ihowers of fire, &c. To make 

 room for an artifice of this kind, the rocket is crowned 

 with what is called a pot, which is larger than the rocket. 

 (See_/^. 3.) Tlie following is the method of making this 

 pot, and connefting it with the body of the rocket. 



The mould for forming the pot, though of one piece, 

 muft conliil of two cylindric parts of different diameters. 

 That on which the pot is rolled up muft be three diameters 

 of the rocket in length, and its diameter muft be three 

 fourths that of the rocket ; the length of the other ought to 

 be equal to two of thefe diameters, and its diameter to 

 l-ths that of the rocket. Having rolled the thick paper, in- 

 tended for making the pot, twice round the cylinder, a 

 portion of it muft be pinched in that part of the cyhnder 

 which has the Icaft diameter : this part m.uft be pared in 

 fuch a manner, as to leave only what is neceliary for making 

 the pot faft to the top of the rocket, and the ligature muft 

 be covered with paper. 



To charge fuch a pot, attached to a rocket. Having 

 pierced three or four holes in the double paper which covers 

 the vacuity of the rocket, pour over it a imall quantity of 

 the compofition with which the rocket is filled, and by 

 Shaking it, make a part enter thefe holes ; then arrange, 

 in the pot, the compofition with which it is to be ciiarged, 

 taking care not to introduce into it a quantity he.ivier than 



the body of the rocket. The whole muft be fecured by 

 means of a few fmall balls of paper, to keep eve ry thing 

 in its place, and the pot muft be covered with paper ce- 

 mented to its edges : if a pointed funmiit be added to it, the 

 rocket is fit for ufe. 



Serpents Tk-fc are fmall flying rockets, without rods, 



which, inllead of rifing in a perpendicular direftion, mount 

 obliquely, and defccnd in a zigzag form, without afcending 

 to a gn-at height. The compolition of thefe is nearly 

 the fame as that of rockets, and the coiiilrudtion is as fol- 

 lows. The length, A C, </^. 4.) of the cartridge is about 

 four inches ; it muft be rolled on a ftick fomewhat larger 

 than a goofe-quill, and after being choaked at one of its 

 ends, it is filled beyond the middle, as to B, with the com- 

 pofition ; then it is to be pinched fo as to leave a fmall 

 aperture. The remainder, B C, muft be filled with grained 

 powder, which will occafion a report when it burfts. 

 Laftly, choak the cartridge entirely towards the extremity 

 C ; and at the other extremity. A, place a train of moift 

 powder, to which, if fire be applied, it will be communi- 

 cated to the compofition in the part A B, and caufe the 

 whole to rife in the air. The ferpent, as it falls, will make 

 feveral turns in a zigzag diredtion, till the fire is commu- 

 nicated to the grained powder in the part B C ; on which 

 the ferpent will burft with a loud report before it falls to 

 the ground. The ferpent cartridges are generally made of 

 playing cards. Thefe are rolled round a rod of iron or 

 hard wood, and to confine the card a piece of Itrong paper 

 is cemented over it. Larger ferpents may be made by 

 cementing two playing cards together, firft moiftened with 

 water. 



Maroons are fmall cubical boxes, filled with a com- 

 pofition proper for making them burft. To conftruft thefe, 

 cut a piece of palleboard according to the method taught 

 in geometry to form the cube (feej%-. 5.) ; join thefe fquares 

 at the edges, leaving one only to be cemented, and fill the 

 cavity of the cube with grained powder ; then cement ftrong 

 paper in various diredlions over the body, and wrap round it 

 two rows of packthread, dipped in ftrong glue : then make 

 a hole in one of the corners, and introduce into it a match. 

 If the maroons are to be luminous, that is, which are 

 to give out a brilliant light before they burft, they 

 muft be covered with a pafte, tiie compofition of which 

 will be noticed below under Stars, and then rolled in meal 

 powder to fervs as a match or communication. 



Sduciffons differ from maroons only in form. The car- 

 tridges of the latter are round, and muft be only four times 

 their exterior diameter in length. They are choaked at one 

 end in the fame manner as a rocket, and a pellet of paper 

 is driven into the aperture which has been left, in order 

 to fill it up. They are then charged with corn powder, 

 above which is placed a ball of paper, gently prefled down 

 to prevent the powder from being bruifed ; the fecond end 

 of the faucdfon being now choaked, the edges are to be 

 pared on both fides, and the M'hole is covered with feveral 

 turns of packthread, dipped in ilrong glue, and then left 

 to dry. 



Stars are fmall globes which emit a moft brilliant light., fo 

 that, momentarily, they may be compared to the light of 

 the ftars in the heavens. Thefe balls are not larger than 

 a mufliet-ball, and when put into rockets they mult be 

 wrapped up in tow, prep.ired for the piirpofe. The com- 

 pofition of thefe ftars is as follows : To a pound of fine 

 mealed gunpowder, add four pounds of ialtpetre, and two 

 pounds of fulphur. When theie ingredients are thoroughly 

 mixed, take a piece as large as a fmall nutmeg, and having 



wrapped 



