Chapter IV: Part 4

The stand being thus made, prepare your rockets after the following method; take some common sky rockets, of any size, and head them as you please, then get some balls of lead, and tie to each a small wire, two, or two feet and a half long, and the other end of each wire, tie to the neck of a rocket; these balls answer the purpose of sticks, when made of a proper weight, which is about two thirds the weight of the rocket; but when they are of a proper size, they will ballance the rocket in the same manner as a stick, at the usual point of poize. To fire these sort of rockets, hang them, one at a time, between the tops of the wires, letting their heads rest on the points of the wires, and the balls hang down between them; if the wires should be too wide, for the rockets, press them together, till they sit, and if too close, force them open: the wires for this purpose, must be softened, so as not to have any spring, or they will not keep their position, when pressed close or opened.

Of Rain-falls for Sky Rockets, Double and Single.

Gold and silver rain composition, are drove in cases, that are pinched quite close at one end; if you roll them dry, four or five rounds of paper will be strong enough, but if the are pasted, three rounds will do, and the thin sort of cartridge paper is best for those small cases; which in rolling you must not turn down the inside edge, as in other cases, for a double edge would be too thick for so small a bore; the moulds for rain falls, should be made of brass, and turned very smooth in the inside; or the cases, which are so very thin, would tear in coming out, for the charge must be drove in tight; and the better the case sits the mould, the more driving it will bare. These moulds have no nipple, but instead of which they are made flat; as it would be very tedious and troublesome, to shake the composition out of such small ladles, as are used for these cases; it will be necessary to have a funnel made of thin tin, to fit on the top of the case, by the help of which you may fill them very fast; for single rain falls for four ounce rockets, let the diameter of the former be two sixteenths of an inch, and the length of the case two inches; for eight ounce rockets, four sixteenths, and two diameters of the rocket long; for one pound rocket five sixteenths, and two diameters of the rocket long; for two pound rockets, five sixteenths, and three inches a half long; for four pound rockets, six sixteenths, and four inches and a half long; and for six pounders, seven sixteenths diameter, and five inches long.

Of double rain falls, there are two sorts; as for example, some appear first like a star, and then as rain; and some appear first as rain and then like a star: when you would have stars first; you must fill the cases within half an inch of the top, with rain composition, and the remainder with star composition; but when you intend the rain should be first, drive the case half an inch with star composition, and the rest with rain. By this method, may be made many changes of fire; for in large rockets, you may make them first burn as stars, then rain, and then again as stars, or they may first shew rain, then stars, and afterwards finish with a report, but when they are thus managed, cut open the first rammed end, after they are filled and bounced, at which place prime them; the star composition for this purpose must be a little stronger than for rolled stars.

Of Strung Stars.

First take some thin paper, and cut it into pieces of an inch and a half square, or therabouts, then on each piece lay as much dry star composition as you think the paper will easily contain; then twist up the paper as tight as you can; when done, rub some past on your hands, and roll the stars between them, then set them to dry; your stars being thus made, get some flax or fine tow, and roll a little of it over each star, then paste your hands and roll the stars as before, and set them again to dry; when they are quite dry, with a piercer, make a hole through the middle of each, into which run a cotton quick-match, long enough to hold, ten or twelve stars, at three or four inches from one another: but any number of stars may be strung together by joining the match.

Of Tailed Stars.

Those sort of stars are called tailed stars, because there are a great number of sparks issue from them, which represent a tail like that of a comet; of those stars there are two sorts, which are rolled, and drove; when they are rolled they must be moistened, with a liquor made of half a pint of spirit of wine, and half a gil of thin size, of this as much as will wet the composition enough, to make it roll easy; when they are rolled, sift meal powder over them, and set them to dry.

When tailed stars are drove, the composition must be moistened with spirit of wine only, and not made so wet as for rolling; one and two ounce cases rolled dry, are best for this purpose; and when they are filled, unroll the case within three or four rounds of the charge, and all that you unroll cut off, then paste down the loose edge; two or three days after the cases are filled, cut them in pieces five or six eighths of an inch in length, then melt some wax, and dip one end of each piece into it, so as to cover the composition; the other end must be rubbed with meal powder wetted with spirit of wine.

Of Drove Stars.

Cases for drove stars, are rolled with paste, but are made very thin of paper; before you begin to fill them, damp the composition, with spirit of wine that has had some camphor dissolved in it; you may ram them indifferently hard, so that you do not break, or sack the case, and to prevent which they should fit tight in the mould: they are drove in cases of several sizes, from eight drams to four ounces; when they are filled in half ounce cases, cut them in pieces, of three quarters of an inch in length; if one ounce cases, cut them in pieces of one inch; if two ounce cases, cut them in pieces of one inch and a quarter in length, and if four ounce cases, cut them in pieces one inch and a half in length; having cut your stars of a proper size, prime them at both ends, with wet meal powder; stars of this sort are seldom put in rockets, they being chiefly intended for air ballóóns, and drove in cases, to prevent the composition from being broke by the force of the blowing powder in the shell.

Of Rolled Stars.

Rolled stars are commonly made about the size of a musket ball, though they are rolled of several sizes, from the bigness of a pistol ball, to one inch diameter; and sometimes they are made very small, but then they are called sparks; great care must be taken in making of stars, first, that the several ingredients be reduced to a fine powder; secondly, that the composition be well worked and mixed together. Before you begin to roll, take about a pound of composition, and wet it with the following liquid, enough to make it stick together and roll easy; spirit of wine, one quart, in which dissolve a quarter of an ounce of isinglass; if a great quantity of composition be wetted at once, the spirit, will evaporate, and leave it dry, before you can roll it into stars; having rolled up one proportion, shake the stars in meal powder, and set them to dry, which they will do in three or four days. But if you should want them for immediate use, dry them in an earthen pan over a slow heat, or, in an oven: it being very difficult to make the stars all of an equal size, when the composition is taken up promiscuously with the fingers; therefore I shall here set down a method by which you may make them very exact, which is thus: When the mixture is moistened properly, roll it on a flat smooth stone, and cut it into square pieces, making each square, large enough for the stars you intend; there is another method used by some to make stars, which is by rolling the composition, in long pieces, and then cutting off the star, so that each star will be of a cylindrical form; but this method is not so good as the former, for to make the composition roll this way, it must be made very wet, which makes the stars heavy as well as weaken them. All stars must be kept as much from air, as possible, otherwise they will grow weak and bad.

Of Scrolls for Sky Rockets.

Cases for scrolls, should be made four or five inches in length, and their interior diameter three eighths of an inch; one end of these cases must be pinched quite close, before you begin to fill, and and when filled, close the other end, then in the opposite sides make a small hole at each end, to the composition, in the same manner as in Tourbillons; and prime them with wet meal powder: you may put in the head of a rocket, as many of these cases as it will contain; these cases being fired turn very quick in the air, and form a scroll or spiral line. They are generally filled with a strong charge, as that of serpents, or brilliant fire.

Of Swarmers or small Rockets.

Rockets which go under the denomination of swarmers, are those from two ounces downards. These small rockets are fired sometimes, in flights, and in large water-works, &c. Swarmers of one and two ounces, are bored, and made in the same manner as large rockets, except when headed, their heads must be put on without a collar; the number of strokes, for driving one ounce rockets, must be eight; and for two ounce rockets, twelve.

All rockets under one ounce, are not bored, but must be filled to the usual height, with composition, which is generally composed, of fine meal prowder four ounces, and charcoal or steel dust two drams; the number of strokes for ramming these small swarmers, is not very material, so as they are rammed true, and moderately hard. The necks of unbored rockets, must be in the same proportion, as in common cases.

Of the cause of sky Rockets rising.

Having promised in the second section, to prove that the effect of sky rockets, and proportion of their charge, depends on the size of the cavity in the composition; I shall here endeavour to give a mathematical demonstration thereof.

Let ABC be the hollow cone for the fire, AYCZB, the superficies of that cone, all the lines OZ at right angles with BC, all the lines OY at right angles with AC: now all the angles ZOY being towards R, whether the angles ZOY are obtuse or acute, but the more acute the better. The rays of fire ZO and YO issuing from the sides of the cone BC and AC, and continually acting with the greater force one upon another at O, forcing the whole BCA upward from the point R; and the wider the cone is, (so as not to exceed one third at bottom, and one sixth at top, of the exterior diameter of the rocket,) the greater velocity will the rocket rise with.

Of Stands for Sky Rockets.

Care must be taken, in placing the rockets, when they are to be fired, in order to give them a vertical direction at their first setting out; which may be managed thus. Have two rails of wood, of any length, supported, at each end, by a perpendicular leg, so that the rails be horizontal, and let the distance from one to the other, be almost equal to the length of the sticks of the rockets, intended to be fired; then in the front of the top rail, drive square hooks at eight inches distance from one another, with their points turning sideways, so that when the rockets are hung on them, the points will be before the sticks, and keep them from falling, or being blown off by the wind; in the front of the rail at bottom, must be staples, drove perpendicular under the hooks at top; through these staples, put the small ends of the rocket sticks. Rockets are fired by applying a lighted port fire, to their mouths.

N. B. When sky rockets are made to perfection, and fired, they will stand two or three seconds on the hook before they rise, and then mount up briskly, with a steady motion, carrying a large tail from the ground all the way up, and just as they turn, break and disperse the stars.

Of Girandole Chests, for flights of Rockets.

Girandole chests, are generally composed of four sides, of equal dimensions, but may be made of any diameter, according to the number of rockets, designed to be fired; its height must be in proportion to the rockets, but must always be a little higher than the rockets, with their sticks; when the sides are joined, six in the top, as far down the chest as the length of one of the rockets with its cap on. In this top, make as many square or round holes, to recieve the rocket sticks, as you intend to have rockets, but let the distance between them, be sufficient for the rockets to stand without touching one another; then from one hole to another, cut a groove, large enough for a quick-match to lay in: the top being thus fixed, put in the bottom, at about one foot and a half distance from the bottom of the chest; in this bottom must be as many holes, as in the top, and all to correspond, but these holes need not be so large, as those in the top.

To prepare your chest, you must lay a quick-match, in all the grooves, from hole to hole; then take some sky rockets, and rub them in the mouth, with wet meal powder, and put a bit of match up the cavity of each, which match, must be long enough, to hang, a little below the mouth of the rocket; your rockets and chest being prepared, according to the above directions, put the sticks of the rockets, through the holes in the top and bottom of the chest, so that their mouths may rest on the quick-match in the grooves; by which all the rockets, will be fired at once; for by giving fire to any part of the match, it will communicate to all the rockets, in an instant. As it would be rather troublesome, to direct the sticks from the top, to the proper holes in the bottom, it will be necessary to have a small door in one of the sides, which when opened, you may see how to place the sticks. Flights of rockets, being seldom fired at the beginning of any fireworks, for which reason, they are in danger of being fired, by the sparks from wheels, &c. Therefore to preserve them, a cover should be made to sit on the chest, and the door in the side kept shut.

Of Serpents or Snakes for Pots des Aigrettes, Small Mortars, Sky Rockets, &c.

Serpents for this use, are made from two inches and an half, to seven inches in length, and their formers from three sixteenths, to five eights of an inch diameter, but the diameter of the cases, must always be equal to two diameters of the former: they are rolled and choaked like other cases, and filled with composition from five eights of an inch, to one inch and an half high, according to the size of the mortars, or rockets, they are designed for, and the remainder of the cases, bounced with corn-powder, and afterwards their ends pinched and tied close: before they are used their mouths must be primed with wet meal-powder.

Of Leaders, or Pipes of Communication.

The best paper for leaders, is a large sort of white paper, called Elephant, which you cut into long slips, two or three inches broad, so that they may go three or four times round the former, (but not more) for when they are very thick, they are too strong for the paper which fastens them to the works, and will sometimes fly off, without leading the fire: the formers for these leaders, are made from two, to six sixteenths of an inch diameter, but four sixteenths is the size generally made use of; the formers are made of smooth brass wire; when you use them, rub them over with grease, or keep them wet with paste, to prevent their sticking to the paper, which must be pasted all over; in rolling of pipes, make use of a rolling board, but use it lightly; having rolled a pipe, draw out the former with one hand, holding the pipe, as light as possible with the other, for if it press against the former, it will stick and tear the paper.

N. B. Make your leaders of different lengths, or in cloathing of works, you will cut a great many to waste. Leaders for marron Batteries must be made of strong cartrige paper.

SECT. V.

Of Aquatick Fireworks.

All works that shew themselves in the water, are much admired by most people who are fond of fireworks, particularly water rockets; but as these seem of a very extraordinary nature to those who are acquainted with this art, I shall endeavour to explain the method of making them, in as full and easy a manner as possible, as well as other devices for the water.

Of Water Rockets.

Water rockets may be made from four ounces, to two pound, but if larger they are too heavy, so that it will be difficult to make them keep above waters without a cork float, which must be tied to the neck of the case, but the rockets will not dive so well with, as without floats.

Cases for water rockets, are made in the same manner and proportion as sky rockets, only a little thicker of paper; when you fill these rockets which are drove solid, put in first, one ladle full of slow fire, then two of the proper charge, and on that one or two ladles of sinking charge, then the proper charge, then the sinking charge again, and so on, till you have filled the case within three diameters; then drive on the composition, one ladle full of clay, through which make a small hole to the charge, then fill the case, within half a diameter with corn powder, on which turn down two or three rounds of the case in the inside, then pinch and tie the end very tight; having filled your rockets, (according to the above directions) dip their ends in melted rosin, or sealing wax, or else secure them well with grease. When you fire these rockets, throw in six, or eight at a time; but if you would have them all sink, or swim, at the same time, you must drive them with an equal quantity of composition, and fire them all together.

To make Pipes of Communication, which may be used under Water.

Pipes for this purpose, must be a little thicker of paper, than those for land works; having rolled a sufficient number of pipes, and kept them till thoroughly dry, wash them over with drying oil, and set them to dry; but when you oil them, leave about an inch and a half, at each end dry, for joints; for if they were oiled all over, when you come to join them, the paste would not stick, where the paper is greasy; after the leaders are joined, and the paste dry, oil the joints. These sort of pipes will lay many hours under water, without receiving any damage.

Of Horizontal Wheels for the Water.

First get a large wooden bowl without a handle, then have an octogon wheel made of a flat board, eighteen inches diameter, so that the length of each side will be near seven inches; in all the sides cut a groove for the cases to lie in, this wheel being made, nail it on the top of the bowl, then take eight four ounce cases, filled with a proper charge, each about six inches in length. Now to cloath the wheel with these cases, get some whitish-brown paper, and cut it into slips, four or five inches broad, and seven or eight long, these slips being pasted all over on one side, take one of the cases, and roll one of the slips of paper, about an inch and a half on its end, so that there will remain about two inches and a half of the paper hollow from the end of the case, this case tie on one of the sides of the wheel, near the corners of which, must be holes bored, through which you put the pack-thread to tie the cases; having tied on the first case at the neck and end, put a little meal-powder in the hollow paper, then paste a slip of paper on the end of another case, the head of which put into the hollow paper on the first, allowing a sufficient distance from the tail of one, to the head of the other, for the pasted paper, to bend without tearing; the second case tie on as you did the first, and so on with the rest, except the last, which must be closed at the end, unless it is to communicate to any thing on top of the wheel; such as fire-pumps or brilliant fires, fixed in holes, cut in the wheel, and fired by the last or second case, as the fancy directs: six, eight, or any number may be placed on the top of the wheel, so that they are not too heavy for the bowl.

Before you tie on the cases cut the upper part of all their ends, except the last, a little shelving, that the fire from one, may play over the other, without being obstructed by the case. Wheel cases, have no clay drove in their ends nor pinched, but are always left open, only the last, or those which are not to lead fire, which must be well secured.

Of Mines for the Water.

For these sort of mines you must have a bowl, with a wheel on it, made in the same manner, as the water wheel, only in the middle of the wheel must be a hole, of the same diameter you design to have the mine; those mines are nothing more than a tin pot, with a strong bottom, and a little more than two diameters in length; your mine must be fixed in the hole in the wheel, with its bottom resting on the bowl; then loaded with serpents, crackers, stars, small water rockets, &c. In the same manner as pots des aigrettes, but in their center, fix a case of Chinese fire, or a small gerbe, which must be lighted at the beginning of the last case on the wheel. These sort of wheels are to be cloathed as usual.

Of Fire Globes for the Water.

Bowls for water globes, must be very large, and the wheels on them of a decagon form, on each side of which nail a piece of wood four inches long, and on the outside of each piece cut a groove, wide enough to receive about one fourth of the thickness of a four ounce case; these pieces of wood must be nailed, in the middle of each face of the wheel, and fixed in an oblique direction, so that the fire from the cases may incline upwards; the wheel being thus prepared, tie in each groove a four ounce case, fill’d with a grey charge, then carry a leader from the tail of one case to the mouth of the other.

Globes for these wheels, are made of two tin hoops, with their edges outwards, fixed one within the other, at right angles. The diameter of these hoops must be somewhat less than that of the wheel. Having made a globe, drive in the center of a wheel, an iron spindle, which must stand perpendicular, and its length, four or six inches more than the diameter of the globe.

This spindle serves for an axis, on which the globe is fixed, which, when done, must stand four or six inches from the wheel; round one side of each hoop, must be soldered, little bits of tin, two inches and a half distance from each other, which pieces must be two inches in length each, and only fastened at one end, the other ends being left loose, to turn round the small port fires and hold them on: these port fires must be made of such a length, as will last out the cases on the wheel. You are to observe that there need not be any port fires, at the bottom of the globe within four inches of the spindle, for if there were, they would have no effect, but only burn the wheel; all the port fires, must be placed perpendicular from the center of the globe, with their mouths outwards; and must all be cloathed with leaders, so as all to take fire with the second case of the wheel; which cases must burn two at a time, one opposite the other. When two cases of a wheel begin together, two will end together; therefore the two opposite end cases, must have their ends pinched and secured from fire. The method of firing wheels of this sort, is, by carrying a leader from the mouth, of one of the first cases, to that of the other, which leader being burnt through the middle, will give fire to both at the same time.

Of Odoriferous Water Ballóóns.

These sort of Ballóóns, are made in the same manner, as air Ballóóns, but very thin of paper, and in diameter one inch and three quarters, with a vent of half an inch diameter. The shells being made, and quite dry, fill them with any of the following compositions, which must be rammed in tight: these sort of Ballóóns, must be fired at the vent, and put into a bowl of water. Odoriferous works, are generally fired in rooms.

Composition I.

Salt petre two ounces, flower of sulphur one ounce, camphor half an ounce, yellow-amber half an ounce, charcoal-dust, three quarters of an ounce, flower of benjamin, or assa odorata half an ounce, all powdered very fine; and mixed well together.

Composition II.

Salt petre twelve ounces, meal powder three ounces, frankincense one ounce, myrrh half an ounce, camphor half an ounce, charcoal three ounces, all moistened with the oil of spike.

Composition III.

Salt petre two ounces, sulphur half an ounce, antimony half an ounce, amber half an ounce, cedar raspings a quarter of an ounce, all mixed with the oil of roses, and a few drops of bergamot.

Composition IV.

Salt petre four ounces, sulphur one ounce, saw-dust of juniper half an ounce, saw-dust of cypress one ounce, camphor a quarter of an ounce, myrrh two drams, dryed rosemary a quarter of an ounce, cortex-elaterii half an ounce, all moistened a little with the oil of roses.

N. B. Water rockets, may be made with any of the above compositions, with a little alteration, to make them weaker, or stronger, according to the size of the cases.

Of Water Ballóóns.

Having made some thin paper shells, of what diameter you please, fill some with the composition for water ballóóns, and some after this manner. Having made the vent of the shells pretty large, fill them almost full with water rockets, marrons, squibs, &c. Then put in some blowing powder, sufficient to burst the shells, and afterwards fix in the vent a water rocket, long enough to reach the bottom of the shell, and its neck to project a little out of the vent; this rocket must be open at the end, in order to fire the powder in the shell, which will burst the shell, and disperse the small rockets, &c. in the water. When you have well secured the large rocket, in the vent of the shell; take a cork float, with a hole in its middle, which fit over the head of the rocket, and fasten it to the shell: this float, must be large enough to keep the ballóón above water.

Of water Squibs.

Water squibs, are generally made of one ounce serpent cases, seven or eight inches long, filled two thirds with charge, and the remainder bounced; the common method of firing them, is thus: Take a water wheel, with a tin mortar in its center, which load with squibs, after the usual method, but the powder in the mortar, must be no more than will just throw the squibs out, (easily into the water), you may place the cases on the wheel, either obliquely, or horizontally; and on the top of the wheel, round the mortar, fix six cases of brilliant fire, perpendicular to the wheel; these cases, must be fired, at the beginning of the last case of the wheels and the mortar, at the conclusion of the same.

To represent a sea fight with small ships, and to prepare a fire-ship for the same.

Having procured four, or five, small ships, of two, or three feet in lenghth, (or as many as you design to fight) make a number of small reports, which are to serve for guns. Of these, range as many as you please, on each side of the upper decks; then at the head and stern of each ship, fix a two ounce case, eight inches long, filled with a slow port-fire receipt, but take care to place it, in such a manner, that the fire may fall in the water, and not burn the rigging; in these cases, bore holes at unequal distances, from one another, but make as many in each case, as half the number of reports, so that one case may fire the guns, on one side, and the other those on the opposite. The method of firing the guns, is, by carrying a leader, from the holes in the cases, to the reports on the decks; you must make these leaders very small, and be careful in calculating the burning of the slow fire, in the regulating cases, that more than two guns, be not fired at a time. When you would have a broad-side given, let a leader be carried to a cracker, placed on the outside of the ship, which cracker must be tied loose, or the reports will be too slow; in all the ships put artificial guns, at the port holes.

Having filled, and bored holes, in two port fires, for regulating the guns, in one ship; make all the rest exactly the same; then when you begin the engagement, light one ship first, and set it a sailing, and so on with the rest, sending them out singly, which will make them fire regularly, at different times, without confusion, for the time between the firing of each gun, will be equal to that of lighting the slow fires.

The fire ship, may be of any size, and need not be very good, for it is always lost in the action. To prepare a ship for this purpose, make a port fire equal in size, with them in the other ships, and place it at the stern; in every port, place a large port fire, filled with a very strong composition, and painted in imitation of a gun, and let them all be fired at once by a leader from the slow fire, within two, or three diameters of its bottom; all along both sides, on the top of the upper deck, lay star composition about half an inch in thickness, and one in breadth, which must be wetted with thin size, then primed with meal powder, and secured from fire, by pasting paper over it; in the place where you lay this composition, drive some little tacks with flat heads, in order to hold it fast to the deck, this must be fired just after the sham guns, and when burning will shew a flame all round the ship; at the head take up the decks, and put in a tin mortar loaded with crackers, which mortar must be fired by a pipe, from the end of the slow fire; the firing of this mortar will sink the ship, and make a pretty conclusion. The regulating port fire of this ship, must be lighted at the same time, with the first fighting ship.

Having prepared all the ships for fighting; we shall next proceed with the management of them, when on the water. At one end of the pond, just under the surface of the water, fix two running blocks, at what distance you chuse the ships should fight; and at the other end of the pond, opposite to each of these blocks, under the water, fix a double block; then on the land, by each of the double blocks, place two small windlass’s; round one of them, turn one end of a small cord, and the other end, put through one of the blocks; then carry it through the single one, at the opposite end of the pond, and bring it back through the double block, again, and, round the other windlass; to this cord, near the double block, tie as many small strings, as half the number of the ships, at what distance you think proper, but these strings, must not be more than two feet in length each; the loose end of each of these cords, make fast, to a ship, just under her bow-sprit; but if tied to the keel, or too near the water, it will overset the ship. Half the ships, being thus prepared, near the other double block, fix two more windlass’s, to which fasten a cord, and to it tie the other half of the ships, as before directed: when you fire the ships, pull in the cord, with one of the windlass’s, in order to get all the ships together; and when you have set fire to the first, turn that windlass, which draws them out, and so on with the rest, till they are all out, in the middle of the pond; then by turning the other windlass, you will draw them back again, by which method you may make them change sides, and tack about, backwards and forwards, at pleasure. For the fire-ship, fix the blocks and windlass’s, betwixt the others, so that when she sails out, she will be between the other ships: you must not let this ship, advance, till the guns, at her ports take fire.

To fire Sky Rockets under water.

To fire sky rockets, under water, you must have stands made as usual, only the rails must be placed flat, instead of edge ways, and have holes in them for the rocket sticks to go through; for if they were hung upon hooks, the motion of the water, would throw them off; the stands being made, if the pond is deep enough, sink them at the sides, so deep, that when the rockets are in, their heads, may just appear above the surface of the water; to the mouth of each rocket, fix a leader, which put through the hole with the stick; then a little above the water, must be a board, supported by the stand, and placed along one side of the rockets, then the ends of the leaders, are turned up through holes made in this board, exactly opposite the rockets. By this means, you may fire them singly, or all at once. Rockets may be fired by this method, in the middle of a pond, by a Neptune, a swan, a water wheel, or any thing else you chuse.

To represent Neptune in his Chariot.

In order to represent this, to perfection, you must have a Neptune made (of wood, or basket work), as big as life, fixed on a float, large enough to bear his weight; on which must be two horses heads, and necks, so as to seem swiming, as they are shown by Fig. 35. For the wheels of the chariot, there must be two vertical wheels, of black fire, and on Neptune’s head a horizontal wheel, of brilliant fire, with all its cases to play upwards. When this wheel is made, cover it with paper, or, paste board, cut and painted like Neptune’s coronet; then let the trident be made without prongs, but instead of them, fix three cases of a weak grey charge, and on each horse’s head, put an eight ounce case of brilliant fire, and on the mouth of each, fix a short case of the same diameter, filled with the white flame receipt, enough to last out all the cases on the wheels; these short cases must be open at bottom, that they may light the brilliant fires; for the horses eyes, put small port fires, and in each nostril, put a small case filled half with grey charge, and the rest with port fire composition.

If Neptune is to give fire, to any building on the water; at his first setting out, the wheels of the chariot, and that on his head, together with the white flames on the horses head, and the port fires in their eyes and nostrils, must all be lighted at once; then from the bottom of the white flames, carry a leader, to the trident. As Neptune is to advance by the help of a block and cord, you must manage it so as not to let him turn about, till the brilliant fires on the horses, and the trident, begins, for it is by the fire from the horses, (which plays almost upright) that the building, or work, is lighted; which must be thus prepared. From the mouth of the case, which is to be first fired, hang some loose quick match, to receive the fire from the horses. When Neptune, is only to be shewn by himself, without setting fire to any other works; let the white flames on the horses, be very short, and not to last longer than one case of each wheel, and let two cases of each wheel burn at a time.

To represent Swans and Ducks in the water.

If you would have the swans, or ducks, discharge rockets into the water, they must be made hollow, and of paper, and filled with small water rockets, with some blowing powder, to throw them out; but if this is not done, they may be made of wood, which will last many times. Having made and painted some swans, fix them on floats, then in the places where their eyes should be, bore holes, two inches deep, inclining downwards, and wide enough to receive a small port fire; the port fire cases for this purpose, must be made of brass, two inches in length and filled with a slow bright charge; in the middle of one of these cases, make a little hole, then put the port fire, in the eye hole of the swan, leaving about half an inch to project out, and in the other eye put another port fire, with a hole made in it; then in the neck of the swan, within two inches of one of the eyes, bore a hole slantways, to meet that in the port fire; in this hole put a leader, and carry it to a water rocket, that must be fixed under the tail with its mouth upwards; on the top of the head, place two one ounce cases, four inches in length each, drove with brilliant fire; one of these cases must incline forwards, and the other backwards; these must be lighted at the same time as the water rocket; to do which, bore a hole between them, in the top of the swans head, down to the hole in the port fire, to which carry a leader; if the swan be filled with rockets, they must be fired, by a pipe, from the end of the water rocket under the tail. When you set the swan a swiming light the two eyes.

Of fire Fountains for the Water.

To make a fire fountain, you must first have a float made of wood, three feet diameter, then in the middle of it, fix a round perpendicular post, four feet in height, and two inches diameter; round this post, fix three circular wheels, made of thin wood, without any spokes. The largest of these wheels must be placed, within two, or three inches of the float, and must be nearly of the same diameter. The second wheel must be two foot two inches diameter, and fixed at two feet distance from the first wheel. The third wheel must be one foot four inches diameter, and fixed within six inches of the top of the post: the wheels being fixed, take eighteen four, or eight ounce cases, of brilliant fire, and place them round the first wheel, with their mouths outwards, and inclining downwards; on the second wheel place, thirteen cases of the same sort, and in the same manner, as those on the first wheel; on the third wheel, place eight more of this sort of cases, in the same manner as before, and on the top of the post, fix a gerbe, then cloath all the cases, with leaders, so that both they and the gerbe may take fire at the same time. Before you fire this work, try it in the water, to see if the float be properly made, so as to keep the fountain upright.

SECT. VI.

To make Crackers.

Cut some cartridge paper, into pieces, three inches and a half broad, and one foot long; one edge of each of these pieces, fold down lengthwise about three quarters of an inch broad; then fold the double edge down a quarter of an inch, and turn the single edge back half over the double fold; then open it, and lay all along the channel which is formed, by the folding of the paper, some meal powder, then fold it over and over, till all the paper is doubled up, rubbing it down every turn; this being done, bend it backwards and forwards, two inches and a half, or thereabouts, at a time, as often as the paper will allow; then hold all these folds flat and close, and with a small pinching cord, give one turn round the middle of the cracker, and pinch it close, then bind it with pack-thread, as tight as you can then in the place where it was pinched, prime one end of it, and cap it with touch paper. When these crackers are fired they will give a report, at every turn of the paper: if you would have a great number of bounces, you must cut the paper longer, or join them after they are made; but if they are made very long before they are pinched, you must have a piece of wood, with a groove in it, deep enough to let in half the cracker, this will hold it straight, while it is pinching. Fig. 36. represents a cracker compleat.

Of Single Reports.

Cases for reports are generally rolled on one and two ounce formers, and are seldom made larger, but on particular occasions; they are made from two, to four inches long, and very thick of paper; having rolled a case, pinch one end quite close, and drive it down, then fill the case with corn powder, only leaving room to pinch it at top, but before you pinch it, put in a piece of paper at top of the powder: Reports are fired, by a vent, bored in the middle, or at one end, just as required.

Of Marrons.

Formers for marrons, are from three quarters of an inch, to one and a half diameter; cut the paper for the cases, twice the diameter of the former broad, and long enough to go three times round; when you have rolled a case, paste down the edge, and tie one end close, then with the former drive it down to take away the wrinkles and make it flat at bottom, then fill the case with corn powder one diameter and a quarter high, and fold down the rest of the case tight on the powder; the marron being thus made, wax some strong pack-thread, with shoemakers wax; this thread wind up in a ball, then unwind two, or three yards of it, and that part which is near the ball, make fast to a hook; then take a marron, and stand as far from the hook as the pack-thread will reach, and wind it lengthwise round marron, as close as you can, till it will hold no more that way; then turn it, and wind the pack-thread on the short way, then lengthwise again, and so on till the paper is all covered; then make fast the end of the pack-thread, and beat down both ends of the marron, to bring it in shape. The method of firing marrons, is by making a hole at one end with an awl and putting in a piece of quick-match, then take a piece of strong paper, in which wrap up the marron, with two leaders, which must be put down to the vent, and the paper tied tight round them with small twine; these leaders are bent on each side, and their loose ends tied to other marrons, and are nailed in the middle to the rail of the stand, as may be seen by Fig. 37. The use of winding the pack-thread in a ball, is, that you may let it out as you want it, according to the quantity, the marron may require; and that it may not be tied in knots, which would spoil the marron.

Of Marron Batteries.

Those batteries, if well managed, will keep time to a march, or a slow piece of musick. Marron batteries are made of several stands, with a number of cross rails, for the marrons, which are regulated by leaders, by cutting them of different lengths, and nailing them tight, or loose, according to the time of the musick. In marron batteries you must use the large and small sort of marrons, and the nails for the pipes, must have flat heads.

Of Line Rockets.

Line rockets are made and drove in the same manner as sky rockets, but have no heads, and the cases must be cut close to the clay; they are sometmies made with six, or seven changes, but in general not more than four, or five; the method of managing those rockets, is as follows; first have a piece of light wood, the length of one of the rockets, turned round about two inches and a half diameter, with a hole through the middle lengthwise, large enough for the line to go easily through; if you design four changes, have four grooves cut in the swivel, one opposite the other, to lay the rockets in.

The mouths of the rockets being rubbed with wet meal powder, lay them in the grooves, head to tail, and tie them fast; from the tail of the first rocket, carry a leader to the mouth of the second, and from the second to the third, and so on to as many as there are on the swivel, making every leader very secure, but in fixing these pipes take care, that the quick-match does not enter the bores of the rockets; the rockets being fixed on the swivel, and ready to be fired, have a line of a hundred yards in length, stretched and fixed up tight, at any height from the ground, but be sure to place it horizontal; this length of line will do for rockets of half a pound, but if larger, the line must be longer, before you put up the line, put one end of it through the swivel, and when you fire the line rocket, let the mouth of that rocket which you fire first, face that end of the line where you stand, then the first rocket will carry the rest to the other end of the line, and the second will bring them back again, and so they will run out and in according to the number of rockets: at each end of the line, there must be a piece of flat wood, for the rocket to strike against, or its force would cut the line. Let the line be well soaped, and the hole in the swivel very smooth.

Of the different Decorations for Line Rockets.

To line rockets may be fixed many sorts of things, such as flying dragons, mercuries, ships, &c. Or they may be made to run on the line like a wheel, which is done in this manner; have a flat swivel, made very exact, and on it, tie two rockets obliquely, one on each side, which will make it turn round all the way it goes, and form a circle of fire; the charge for these rockets, should be a little weaker than common; if you would shew two dragons fighting, get two swivels made square, and on each tie three rockets together, on the under side; then have two flying dragons made of tin, and fix one of them on the top of each swivel, so as to stand upright; in the mouth of each dragon put a small case of common fire, and another at the end of the tail; you may put two or three port fires of a strong charge, on one side of their bodies, in order to shew them. This being done put them on the line, one at each end; but let there be a swivel in the middle, of the line, to keep the dragons from striking together; before you fire the rockets light the cases on the dragons, and if care be taken in firing both at the same time, they will meet in the middle of the line, and seem to fight. Then they will run back, and return again, with great violence, which will have a very pleasing effect. The line for these rockets must be very long, or they will strike too hard together.

Of Chinese Flyers.

Cases for flyers, may be made of different sizes, from one to eight ounces; they must be made thick of paper, and eight interior diameters long; they are rolled in the same manner as tourbillons, with a straight pasted edge, and pinched close at one end; the method of filling them is thus; the case being put in a mould, whose cylinder, or foot, must be flat at top, without a nipple; fill it within half a diameter of the middle, then ram in half a diameter of clay, and on that as much composition as before, on which drive half a diameter of clay, then pinch the case close, and drive it down flat; after this is done, bore a hole, exactly through the center of the clay in the middle, then in the opposite sides at both ends make a vent, and in that side you intend to fire first make a small hole to the composition near the clay in the middle, from which carry a quick match covered with a single paper, to the vent at the other end; then when the charge is burnt on one side, it will, by means of the quick match communicate to the charge in the other, (which may be of a different sort). The flyers being thus made, put an iron pin, that must be fixed in the work on which they are to be fired, and on which they are to run; through the hole in the middle, on the end of this pin, must be a nut to keep the flyer from running off. If you would have them turn back again after they are burnt; make both the vents at the ends on the same side, which will alter its course, the contrary way.

Of Table Rockets.

Table rockets are designed merely to shew the truth of driving, and the judgment of a fireworker, they having no other effect, when fired, than spinning round in the same place, where they begin; till they are burnt out, and shewing nothing more than an horizontal circle of fire.