Chapter IV: Part 4

Fig. 52.
]

If, however, you think a shorter case sufficient, cut your sheets of paper into eight equal parts, thus (fig. 53), and your imperial board into sixteen pieces—that is, half the length of the strips of paper; this will give you cases about five and a-half inches in length. Both these divisions of paper and board are for the 1-oz. cases.

Fig. 53.
]

I will now speak of the smaller sizes, which are used only in fixed pieces, and which are generally called on that account, for the sake of distinction, _fixed cases_.

The former for these is a metal tube 12 inches long and seven-sixteenths of an inch in exterior diameter. For cases of this size you may either use paper and board cut as directed above for the longer 1-oz. cases, or you may divide each sheet of paper into six strips thus (fig. 54), and each sheet of board into twelve pieces half the length of the strips of paper.

For filling either the 1-oz. or the fixed cases it will be evident that you must have at least two drifts for each size that will pass _easily_ into their respective cases—one about 9 inches long in its straight part, and the other from 2 to 3 inches in length.

Fig. 54.
]

You must also have a nipple and point over which to ram each different size of case. The exact size of these nipples you will see in the pages of illustrations (figs. 45 and 46).

Use the same mallet and observe the same rules in filling these brilliant fire cases as in filling the cases with Chinese fire.

We are now ready for the compositions. The first given is by far the most beautiful, and most generally used; but being very rapid in its combustion, it must be very carefully and uniformly compressed in the case. No. 2 is of a much quieter character, and may be found useful for some purposes.

BRILLIANT FIRE.
No. 1.
Meal-powder 4 parts.
Bright steel filings 1 part.

Or,

No. 2.
Meal-powder 16 parts.
Nitre 8 „
Sulphur 3 „
Fine Charcoal 3 „
Bright steel filings 10 „

Neither of these compositions should on any account be mixed before their preparation is absolutely necessary, for their whole beauty depends upon the brightness of the filings at the time of firing.

COMMON AND SPARKLING FIRES.

42. I will now give a few formulas for common and sparkling fires, which will in all probability be found very useful for jets and fixed pieces.

COMMON AND SPARKLING
FIRES.
No. 1.
Meal-powder 4 parts.
Charcoal No. 2 1 part.

Or,

No. 2.
Meal-powder 16 parts.
Nitre 8 „
Sulphur 4 „
Charcoal No. 2 4 „

Or,

No. 3.
Meal-powder 16 „
Very fine glass dust 5 „

Or,

No. 4.
Meal-powder 8 „
Very finely powdered porcelain 3 „

These four compositions will be found effective for many purposes, but should not be used in cases under the _one-ounce size_. Their great advantage is that they are not in the least degree impaired by keeping. They are to be rammed into the cases in precisely the same manner as directed for Chinese fire.

BRILLIANT FIRE.—EFFECTIVE COMBINATION.

43. But now to return to _brilliant_ fire. I will suppose you to be using some of the first composition given, and to have completed the filling of a few cases. Let us see what we can do with these to put them into effective combination.

Fig. 54a.—Five-pointed star in brilliant fire.
]

Provide a circular disc of hard wood, 6 inches in diameter, and 1 inch thick. This is to form the centre of your piece. Nail to this five spokes of wood at equal distances from one another, and 15 inches long. Nail also to the back of the central disc a strip of wood about 2 feet long, 2 inches wide, and three-quarters of an inch thick (fig. 54). By means of this you can screw the whole piece conveniently to your firing post. On each of the five spokes tie a case of brilliant fire, reported at its end, and connect the mouths of these with quick-match. The effect produced by this piece is very surprising, when we take into account its extreme simplicity. Its beauty may, however, be much enhanced by the addition of a Chinese flyer to its centre; but the manufacture of this auxiliary has not yet been described, and must not be spoken of out of its place.

A simple large wheel of brilliant fire may be made by fastening two cases to each end of a strip of wood about 30 inches long, the centre of which strip is made thick enough to turn steadily on an iron spindle. The cases are tied on at an angle so as to throw a large circle of fire. The mouth of the case at one end is connected with that at the other by means of quick-match. When these two cases are consumed they communicate their fire to the two inner ones by a quick-match, which is led from the tail of the first to the mouth of the second. If two of these pieces are made to revolve on the same spindle _in opposite directions_ a very magnificent brilliant sun will be formed, throwing a circle of rays 20 feet in diameter. The accompanying sketch (fig. 55) will, I trust, make these directions sufficiently intelligible.

Fig. 55.—Brilliant wheel.
]

A fixed sun may be made with any number of brilliant cases arranged as the radii of a circle, and connected at their mouths with quick-match. But since pieces of this kind may be rendered so much more effective by the addition of other fireworks, it will be useless for me to give drawings of them here. At the point I have sufficiently advanced in this subject to enable you to complete these exhibition pieces in all their beauty I have furnished some designs, from which you may perhaps derive a few useful hints.

I have now, I think, opened to you a wide field for experiment, your success in which depends now upon a careful following out of my directions, and upon the amount of taste and ingenuity of which you are master.

Mr. Newman will supply you with any of the tools mentioned, and either Mr. Darby, or Messrs. Bolton & Co., with any of the ingredients for your compositions; and if you have not fairly astonished your friends on some festive occasion, I do not think the cause will rest with me.

]

Do not forget the preparatory half-ladleful of slow composition in your cases of brilliant and Chinese fire.

Do not be careless about the manner in which your cases are _primed_. You would feel very foolish if, in firing a five-pointed brilliant star, for instance, like the one sketched above, one or two of your cases were not ignited by the quick-match.

Do not be in a hurry about making your frames. A framework for any piece, once well made, will last for ever. Remember that the concussion from your reports will be an excellent test of the strength of your woodwork.

Lastly, run no risks. Strong compositions have a way of behaving in a very awkward manner if they take fire unexpectedly, or at the wrong time; never, therefore, make compositions till the cases are ready to receive them, and you have time to ram them. And, above all, never leave batches of composition about, for the temptation is very strong to inquiring minds to experiment upon their powers of combustion.

WHEELS OF VARIOUS DEVICES, HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL.

44. You will do well to remember that the remarks that I have already made, under other heads, concerning _device_ are especially applicable to the subject of wheels. I am not giving you designs to lead you to suppose that this or that is _the_ way of accomplishing any one object. There is no limit to the methods by which you may work out any plan, and this you will discover by degrees, as your knowledge of the art of pyrotechny grows riper, and your hands become more dexterous, and your manipulation consequently more easy.

But in the outset of our subject, let me advise you not to attempt to make catherine-wheels—that is, those small spiral wheels which are made by the professionals to sell on the Fifth of November, and seem to be intended for little girls to fire. You have nothing to do with such pieces as these. Your object is to provide _an exhibition_, and you will find it worth your while to bear in mind that the fireworks made by professionals are of two kinds—those made for their _retail_ business, which consists for the most part of _small_ single pieces, and which are papered up very neatly for sale, and those which they prepare for their large exhibitions, and which are in many instances made in an entirely different way from the former. Catherine-wheels cannot, as far as I can see, be employed in combination, and on this account they can form no part of our present work. I am very ready to allow that, when properly made, they are very pretty little things, but, not being available for our immediate purpose, they must be passed over here. In case, however, any one of my readers may happen to be so prejudiced in their favour that he cannot consider his exhibition perfect without them, I may as well say that he can procure them of Mr. Darby quite as economically as he can make them himself, for the rolling and the filling of their cases involves an expenditure of time and the acquisition of a certain “knack,” which, when we consider that the wheel _will only do one thing_ after all, seems like a wilful waste of such perseverance as might be directed much more profitably to some worthier object.

Now, the wheels of which I am about to treat are such as are made by tying on choked cases, filled with a strong composition, to frames of various forms, in such a manner that the recoil of the case during combustion shall have the effect of driving the wheel. The preparation of the composition for this purpose, and the making and filling the cases are exceedingly simple: and, in fact, the only part of wheel-making which requires any degree of nicety is the preparation of the woodwork; for, unless the framework of the wheel be tolerably well balanced, and made to run easily and smoothly on its axis, much of the intended effect of your piece will be lost.

But we had better begin with the cases and compositions, and then proceed to consider the various modes of combination in which they can be employed.

The cases that I use for wheel purposes are of two sizes only—the 2-oz. and the 1-oz. size; and of these two sizes, the one far most commonly useful is the 1-oz. Cases of the 2-oz. size are necessary only for large wheels, where a considerable weight of material has to be set in motion. I make both these sizes of cases of the same length—that is, about 5½ inches long.

Fig. 56.
]

Fig. 57.
]

The paper for the 2-oz. wheel-cases is to be cut as follows:—Divide each sheet of 70-lb. brown paper into eight equal pieces (see fig. 56), and then divide each sheet of imperial board into ten equal strips. Then proceed to make your cases, pasting and rolling them in precisely the same manner as previously directed, taking especial care that the inner fold of the paper, which lies next the former, is thoroughly saturated with paste, so that it is not loose when the former is drawn out of the case. If this inner edge be left loose, the composition will get behind it, and, upon firing the case, will act as a quick-match, and infallibly burst the whole, and destroy your piece, and not only your piece of pyrotechny, but also your peace of mind; so do not fail to remember this hint.

Your 1-oz. cases for wheels must be made in the same manner, and with the same care. But your imperial board must be cut differently. Cut your 70-lb. paper in the same manner as directed above for 2-oz. cases—into eight equal strips—and your board into pieces of half that size—that is, into sixteen pieces. These divisions will give you cases quite thick enough for all purposes. Of course, each case is to consist of one piece of board and one strip of paper.

You will require no more tools for the filling of these cases than those already mentioned. The operations of choking and ramming are to be performed in the same manner as directed for cases of brilliant and Chinese fire, and the same blocks and nipples are to be employed.

We now come to the compositions with which the cases are to be filled. For these I give you several formulæ, in order that you may be able to vary your fires according to taste.

No. 1.
Meal-powder 16 parts.
Steel filings 4 „

This is the brilliant composition given in paragraph 41, which is used also for wheels with excellent effect.

WHITE FIRE.
No. 2.
Meal-powder 16 parts.
Sulphur 3 „

Or,

No. 3.
Meal-powder 16 parts.
Nitre 4 „
Sulphur 2 „
Charcoal (No. 2) 2 „

Or,

No. 4.
Meal-powder 20 „
Charcoal (No. 2) 4 „

Or,

No. 5.
Meal-powder 16 „
Fine litharge 3 „

Or,

No. 6.
Meal-powder 40 „
Nitre 20 „
Sulphur 4 „
Charcoal 3 „
Bright steel filings 6 „
Litharge 2 „

Or,

No. 7.
Meal-powder 16 „
Nitre 2 „
Sulphur 2 „
Charcoal (No. 2) 2 „
Glass dust 2 „

Of the above compositions, Nos. 1, 2, and 4 will be found the most generally useful; and of these I prefer No. 4 for all ordinary purposes.

Remember that the compositions for wheel-cases are by far the strongest that are used in the whole range of pyrotechny, and that they must on that account be compressed very evenly and completely in the cases, or they will burn too rapidly, and explode when ignited.

You will find it very advisable to ram a small quantity of the preparatory composition, recommended in paragraph 40, into the cases before putting in the wheel-case composition which you have selected. The cases should be filled till the composition rises to about half-an-inch from their ends—that is, half-an-inch at the end of the case should be left unoccupied by the composition. They should be primed with wetted meal-powder as soon after they are filled as convenient, care being taken that the space which the point of the nipple occupied during the operation of ramming is filled up by the priming.

Fig. 58.
]

When the filling and priming of all your cases is accomplished, you will next have to cover them with paper which shall project about an inch beyond each end of the case. The object of this is to enable you to tie in the quick-match which is to connect one case with another. This operation is very easily performed. Cut some ordinary newspaper into strips wide enough to project an inch over each end of your case—that is, _about eight inches wide_—and long enough to go two or three times round the case. It will not be necessary to paste the newspaper strips _all over_. If they are pasted slightly _at each end_ it will be quite enough. The paste at one end of the strip will stick it to the case, and that at the other end will fasten it down so as to prevent it from coming unrolled. The annexed sketch (fig. 58) will show you how the case ought to be covered.

COMMON SINGLE TRIANGLE WHEEL.

45. Now, the first form of wheel of which I shall speak is that usually known by the name of the “_Common Single Triangle Wheel_.” Its manufacture is very simple. Provide a piece of light beech wood, of hexagonal form, each of whose sides is two inches in length (fig. 59).

Fig. 59.
]

Fig. 60.
]

Fig. 61.
]

This hexagonal piece of wood may be about half-an-inch thick. Then bore through its true centre a hole about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, into which glue firmly a piece of wood turned or cut to the shape given in the drawing (fig. 60). Through this piece bore, _in its exact centre_, a hole about a quarter of an inch in diameter, and, when bored, burn it through with a piece of quarter inch iron rod, red hot. This is the hole through which the spindle is to pass which is to form the axle of the wheel. When the operation is finished, the side view of your framework will be like the accompanying sketch (fig. 61). The object of this centre is twofold; first, to obtain a greater steadiness in the motion of the wheel, by increasing the length of the hole through which the spindle runs; and, secondly, to keep the wheel, during its revolutions, from touching against the post into which the spindle is driven—_a precaution never to be forgotten in the case of vertical wheels of all descriptions_.

I must next suppose you to have three cases of the 1-oz. size ready filled and primed and papered. Before fastening these on your framework _take especial care that the one which is to burn last has its end stopped up with some incombustible material_. The best plan is to ram some powdered clay upon the composition before removing the case from the nipple, in the same manner as recommended for the ends of rockets. If some precaution of this kind be not taken, the fire issuing from the mouth of the first of your three cases will be communicated to the tail of the third, and thus bring your wheel to a most inglorious end.

Having, then, taken this precaution, proceed to tie on your cases to the edge of your wooden framework. This is easily done if you bore two holes, through which your string can pass, close to each of those sides of the frame on which the cases are to lie. A reference to the sketch of the framework (fig. 59) will show you where these holes should be made.

Fig. 62.
]

In tying on your cases, be quite sure that the mouths or choked ends of them lie all in the same direction, in such a manner that the tail of the first case reaches almost to the mouth of the second; the tail of the second to the mouth of the third; the tail of the third to the mouth of the first. When you have secured them firmly in their places with string, you can then proceed to connect them with quick-match—or _clothe_ them, as it is called—so that when one case is burned out it will communicate its fire to the mouth of the next, and so on till they are all consumed.

In cutting your quick-match, bear in mind that about an inch of the black match itself must project uncovered beyond each end of the paper tubes in which it burns. This is to insure its taking and communicating its fire. In the annexed sketch (fig. 63) you will see represented a piece of quick-match as it should be cut for connecting cases. At fig. 64 is represented a wheel-case, such as is to burn second in your single triangle, and has a piece of quick-match, like fig. 63, at each of its ends, to connect it with the first and third case on the wheel. You will observe that the newspaper which projected beyond the ends of the case is simply tied in tightly round the quick-match. You will, after a few trials, be able to get through this “clothing” operation very easily, and with no unnecessary wasting of quick-match.

Fig. 63.
]

Fig. 64.
]

The mouth of your first case may either be finished off with touch-paper, or may have a short piece of quick-match put into it, to be lighted with a portfire.

Your wheel is now completed and ready for firing. But I may as well suggest here that its beauty and effectiveness will be very much enhanced if the three cases on it be filled with different compositions. For instance, fill the case _which is to burn first_ with composition No. 2; that which is to burn second with No. 4; and the third case with No. 1. This plan of varying the compositions, or any other that suggests itself, may be adopted in the case of _all_ wheels. It is necessary, however, that you should be well acquainted with the character of each composition, in order that you may be able to produce the exact effect that you require at the right time.

Composition No. 1 gives only brilliant sparks, and must be prepared as shortly as possible before use.

Composition No. 2 will give a whitish circle of fire fringed with red sparks.

Composition No. 3 produces less white flame and more sparks than No. 2.

No. 4 is a sparkling composition; by far the best for general use, in my opinion.

No. 5 gives reddish sparks, which fly off in very straight lines from the wheel, and form rays, as it were.

No. 6 gives rays, brilliant sparks, and a centre circle of white fire.

No. 7 gives a moderately good centre, with drossy red sparks of a peculiar shape.

Those compositions which throw out the greatest number of sparks during combustion are the best for larger wheels, but will be found also very effective in the common single triangle.

Those which have a tendency to produce a _flame_, rather than a _jet of sparks_, are very effective as a variety for _small_ wheels, but produce an effect comparatively poor when employed for those of greater dimensions.

For _horizontal_ wheels, _sparkling_ compositions alone are effective, because in them everything depends upon the form that the fire assumes _in its outline_, and not upon the shape of the wheel itself. Compositions which produce but few sparks would be entirely out of place if used to turn horizontal wheels.

DOUBLE TRIANGLE WHEELS.

46. I will now offer a few remarks with respect to the construction of the _Double Triangle Wheel_. This piece may be made by employing two hexagonal frames of wood of the same size, in a centre twice as long as that described in fig. 60. But it may also be made in such a framework as Mr. Darby will supply, which is a nave made of light wood, with six spokes, cut at their ends in such a manner as will allow the cases to be firmly attached. But whether you use the one form or the other, the principle is precisely the same, and the cases must be arranged as shown in the adjoining diagram (fig. 65).

Fig. 65.
]

The performance of this wheel is, of course, the same as that of the single triangle wheel, and differs from it only in the matter of duration. But it must be borne in mind that a double triangle wheel, having six cases upon it, would be a very slow sample of pyrotechnic beauty _if all these cases were filled with the same composition_. It would, indeed, be a most meaningless performance. You must therefore take care that some variation is made, using at least two varieties of composition. You will then have an effective piece, capable of lasting a long time in proportion to its size.

VERTICAL WHEELS.

47. Leaving now the triangular form of wheels, we will pass on to those which are called _Vertical_. All triangle wheels are vertical wheels, but all vertical wheels are not triangular; it is of non-triangular vertical wheels that I am now about to speak. These are made with a nave, spokes, and felloe in the same manner as a carriage wheel. The cases may be fastened to the felloe, or the wheel may be made without a felloe, and the cases fastened, in any way that occurs to you, to the extremities of the spokes; either by nailing to their ends pieces of wood at right angles with the spokes, or by cutting a groove in the end of each spoke and tying a case into it with string. As long as the cases be properly arranged and secured firmly to the framework it matters very little which of the above plans is adopted. Select the plan which can most easily be carried out by the means that you have at command, and carry it out in the simplest possible way. Complications are not only unnecessary, but very likely to deprive your pieces of what would otherwise have been their complete success. The accompanying sketch (fig. 66) gives you a representation of another arrangement of six cases, which is, in my opinion, productive of a better effect than the double triangle. The wheel here represented is vastly improved by the addition of a coloured fire placed somewhere near its centre; but I have not yet given any directions or instructions for the preparation of colours for such a purpose, and the making of these additions must be reserved for its proper place.

Fig. 66.
]

But perhaps the most satisfactory arrangement of six cases on a vertical wheel is that which the next sketch represents. By the plan adopted there—_that of making the cases incline outwards_—a much larger circle of fire is produced, and the general effect is considerably improved. It will be perceived that the mode of “clothing,” and tying on the cases, for all these different forms of wheels is the same, the only difference being in the shape of the framework. The cases may be fired singly or doubly in this wheel—that is, you may make them burn one at a time till all are consumed by putting the quick-match to them just as my sketch (fig. 67) represents, or you may connect with quick-match the first and fourth cases, so that these take fire simultaneously. By this arrangement the first and fourth cases will work together, the second and fifth, and the third and sixth. Of course the first and fourth cases are the only _pair_ that need be connected by quick-match, for they will severally convey their fire to the second and fifth, and these to the third and sixth. The framework of this wheel may be made of deal or beech (the latter I should prefer) about three-eighths of an inch thick; the wheel altogether should be from 15 to 18 inches in diameter. It should by all means have some centre, like that described at fig. 60, to secure its steady and true movement. This wheel also will be vastly improved by the addition of a coloured fire to its centre.

Fig. 67.
]

We will now proceed to speak of

HORIZONTAL WHEELS.

48. These, like the vertical wheels, may be made of almost any shape or design. They have a hole bored in the exact centre of their nave, and up this hole the spindle passes on which they revolve.

The annexed fig. 68 gives you one of the simplest forms of the horizontal wheel. A wheel made according to this plan will require four wheel-cases and a case of Chinese fire long enough to last during the combustion of two of the wheel-cases. The quick-match is put to it in the following manner:—Simply connect the first and second wheel-cases by carrying a quick-match from the tail of the first to the mouth of the second. Then from the tail of the second carry two “leaders” (as these pieces of quick-match are called), one to the third wheel-case and the other to the perpendicular case of Chinese fire, which will thus be ignited at the same moment with the third wheel-case; and to complete the wheel carry a leader from the tail of the third to the mouth of the fourth case.

Fig. 68.
]

The case of Chinese fire which I should recommend you to make for this and for other horizontal wheels is one of the 2-oz. size, nine or ten inches in length, and filled with composition No. 4, given in paragraph 41. It is to be affixed to the wheel thus:—There must be a small projecting piece of wood left by the turner at the top of the nave of the wheel, about an inch in height and five-eighths of an inch in diameter, and if an inch of the case be left unoccupied by the composition at its unchoked end, this end can be squeezed over the wooden point mentioned above, or can be glued on to it if you think it desirable.

Another and very amusing variety of the horizontal wheel is that which my next illustration represents, and which is sometimes called the “capricious” wheel. This carries six wheel-cases and one Chinese fire case. The wheel-cases are arranged in the following manner:—All the cases are placed at an angle with the plane of the wheel’s revolution; the three upper ones have their mouths inclined upwards, the three lower ones downwards. Care of course must be taken that all the mouths, whether inclining upwards or downwards, be turned _in the same direction_. They are connected thus:—Make one of the lower cases the first to be fired; from the tail of this carry a leader to the nearest of the upper cases, which will then burn second; from the second carry a leader to another of the lower cases; then from this to another of the upper ones. From this fourth case carry three leaders—one to the remaining upper case, one to the remaining lower case, and one to the case of Chinese fire.

Fig. 69.
]

The effect of this wheel is exceedingly laughable. It does not revolve so rapidly as the simple horizontal wheel mentioned above, the cases of which are perfectly horizontal. The impression that its performance always gives one is, that it is determined to do something violent: that if one direction of fire will not answer it will try another. Each succeeding case sends it round more rapidly than the last, on account of the decreasing weight as the cases burn out; and if the two cases which are to burn with the case of Chinese fire be filled with composition No. 1, given in paragraph 44, the fury of the wheel will at the last seem to know no bounds.

It is necessary, however, to see that the hole into which the iron spindle is to pass is truly bored and is long enough, and that the spindle _at the top_ of the post is straight and strong. This spindle should pass into the nave of the wheel five inches at least.

Let me press upon you one or two important hints. _The case, or cases, that burn last on each wheel must always have their ends closed with clay, or some incombustible substance._ If this advice be neglected your wheel is pretty certain to fail.

I have drawn at fig. 70, a fac-simile of the spindle which I use for all vertical wheels. It is made to screw into an iron which is represented at fig. 71, which iron is fixed by screws to my post in the manner shown at fig. 72. The post I employ stands about ten feet out of the ground. Into its top is driven another spindle, on which my horizontal wheels turn. Both these iron spindles should be made of quarter inch iron rod.

You will find the spindle drawn at fig. 70 very much more convenient than one simply driven into the post, and having a “nut” at its end to screw and unscrew; for it is more than probable that on a dark night, when you are taking down one wheel that has been fired, and putting up another, you will drop the “nut,” and feel considerably at a loss without it. And besides this, you can by this means always remove the spindle, and protect it from rust. Your post should be very steady.

Mr. Darby will supply you with any frameworks of wheels, made to any pattern that you please.

I shall speak of some other wheels when we are sufficiently advanced in pyrotechnic proficiency to be able to attempt the manufacture of _all_ their component parts.

LANCES—WHITE AND COLOURED.

49. We have now, in the course of our pyrotechnic investigations, arrived at a point where it becomes necessary to know something more than we have already learned about _coloured fires_. I have spoken hitherto only of those coloured compositions which are employed in the manufacture of rocket and Roman-candle stars. These compositions must for the most part be confined in their use to that purpose, because they are, in almost all cases, far too rapid in their combustion for the purposes of which I am now about to speak.

I now proceed to treat of Lances, white and coloured, for making up devices, such as names, crests, mottoes, wreaths, &c., &c.

Now, there are a great many formulæ given for compositions employed to decorate other fireworks, or to form designs of any kind in white or coloured fire, with which it may be advisable for my readers to be acquainted, in order that they may have the opportunity of selecting for themselves, and of providing themselves with, a colour of that particular shade and character which is best adapted for the working out of the design determined upon.

In the first place I will speak of those fireworks which are properly called “lances.” These are small cases, generally made about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, that is round a piece of glass or brass rod or tube of that size (tubes are always best for these small formers). The cases are about two or two and a-half inches long, with one end pinched or turned in. Two rounds of thin demy or double crown white paper, pasted, will give sufficient thickness and substance for the case. The cases, when dry, are to be filled with either of the following compositions by means of the funnel and wire apparatus illustrated at figs. 34 and 35:—

COMPOSITIONS FOR LANCES.

_White._

No. 1.
Nitre 16 parts.
Sulphur 8 „
Meal-powder 6 „

Or,

No. 2.
Nitre 16 „
Sulphur 4 „
Meal-powder 6 „

Or,

No. 3.
Nitre 12 „
Sulphur 4 „
Sulphide of antimony 3 „

Or,

No. 4.
Nitre 72 „
Sulphur 18 „
Regulus of antimony 33 „
Realgar 1 part.
Shellac 1 „

Or,

No. 5.
Nitre 96 parts.
Sulphur 24 „
Regulus of antimony 48 „
Realgar 6 „
Shellac 1 part.

These for the most part give a bluish-white flame, and when employed in cases of the size mentioned above, burn slowly, and will last as long as this species of firework is required to last.

_Yellow._

No. 6.
Chlorate of potash 72 parts.
Oxalate of soda 60 „
Stearine 6 „
Sulphur 6 „

Or,

No. 7.
Chlorate of potash 40 „
Oxalate of soda 16 „
Shellac 8 „
Stearine 3 „

_Green._

No. 8.
Chlorate of potash 60 „
Nitrate of baryta 41 „
Calomel 49 „
Powdered sugar 30 „
Shellac 1 part.

Or,

No. 9.
Chlorate of potash 63 parts.
Nitrate of baryta 50 „
Calomel 50 „
Sugar 32 „
Shellac 1 part.

The green colour is never very decided when the compositions are employed in cases so small as those spoken of above. But by far the best composition to be used in these small cases is one containing a rather costly ingredient, which is the chlorate of baryta. The usual price of this salt is about 8s. per lb., or rather less. It gives a magnificent colour if it is pure, but if not, it is not worth buying. I give you the formulæ in which it may be employed, in case you should require a very brilliant emerald green in these small lances. They are—

No. 10.
Chlorate of baryta 18 parts.
Calomel 7 „
Shellac (very fine) 3 „

Or,

No. 11.
Chlorate of baryta 24 „
Stearine 3 „
Sugar (very fine) 1 part.

Compositions containing chlorate of baryta are perfectly safe _where no sulphur is employed_. The salt itself is not at all deliquescent. A very good formula besides the above is one containing three proportions of chlorate of baryta, and one of powdered sugar. We will next speak of RED LANCES.

_Red Lances._

No. 12.
Chlorate of potash 13 parts.
Nitrate of strontia 10 „
Calomel 8 „
Shellac 3 „
Dextrine 1 part.
Chertier’s copper 1 „

Or,

No. 13.
Chlorate of potash 12 parts.
Nitrate of strontia 12 „
Calomel 6 „
Shellac 4 „
Chertier’s copper 1 part.
Charcoal (fine) 1 „

A good rose-coloured fire may be produced by a composition containing the oxalate of strontia, which, though not to be met with everywhere, is a valuable salt on account of its extreme dryness and fineness. The formula given next has the merit of being rapid in its combustion. Should it be thought _too quick_, decrease the proportion of chlorate of potash, or increase that of calomel. The increase of calomel has the effect of deepening the colour, but, at the same time, of diminishing the reflective power of the light.

_Rose-coloured Lances._

No. 14.
Chlorate of potash 24 parts.
Sulphur 2 „
Stearine 3 „
Oxalate of strontia 4 „

This composition will remain good for any length of time, and has therefore a great advantage over those which contain the nitrate of strontia. And here I may as well remind you of the importance and necessity of having this latter salt perfectly dry and fine, otherwise you will be disappointed of your intended effect in the ordinary red-fire compositions.

For the blue lances you may use composition No. 8, given in paragraph 23.

But there are also two other formulæ which you will find very serviceable and effective:—

No. 15.
Chlorate of potash 32 parts
Chertier’s copper 12 „
Calomel 40 „
Sugar 25 „

Or,

No. 16.
Chlorate of potash 6 „
Chertier’s copper 1 part.
Calomel 5 parts.
Sugar 4 „

For the preparation of a purple fire for these little cases, you cannot do better than use that given for Purple Rocket Stars.

There are still two other colours which you may perhaps find useful and ornamental, and without which my list would not be complete. They are the violet and the lilac tints. The violet is at No. 17, and the lilac at No. 18:—

No. 17.
Chlorate of potash 26 parts.
Calomel 24 „
Carbonate of strontia 4 „
Chertier’s copper 3 „
Sugar 14 „

Or,

No. 18.
Chlorate of potash 12 „
Prepared chalk 4 „
Sulphur 5 „
Calomel 3 „
Sulphide of copper 10 „

With regard to the use of sugar in pyrotechnic compositions it must be borne in mind that it is a substance which readily attracts damp, so that it must be kept in a closely-corked or stoppered bottle. It should be reduced to powder in a very dry mortar, and then sifted through very fine muslin, to fit it for pyrotechnic uses. And the mention of muslin here reminds me of a fact which experience has brought to light, and which you will find it highly convenient to remember. All those powdered salts and pyrotechnic ingredients which clog the meshes of a wire sieve will easily pass through a sieve made of muslin. For instance, powdered stearine, shellac, sugar, and the salts of strontia and baryta will be found to sift much more readily through muslin, _provided the muslin be dry and clean_. This will enable the amateur pyrotechnist to fit himself up with sieves of any fineness at a very small cost. He will require only a tin or zinc drum, about 6 inches in diameter, and 4 inches high, with a wire ring round each end. Over one of these ends he can stretch a piece of muslin of the required thickness, and fasten it with a strong elastic band. Or he may have a metal ring made large enough to fit over the muslin and round one end of the drum, which he can remove when a change of muslin is necessary. I do not by any means recommend this kind of sieve for sifting such things as meal-powder, charcoal, or sulphur; for I consider a receiver, made to fit on to the sieve, indispensable in the case of sifting these articles. The dust arising from this operation will otherwise find its way into your eyes, and nose, and clothes, and over everything in your room.

It is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to add that all the above compositions must be made up with the greatest exactness, and no ingredients must be used but such as are thoroughly dry and in the finest powder. The most successful pyrotechnists have never been able to produce proper effects, even with the purest and best materials and chemicals, unless those materials have been first reduced to the necessary state of fineness and dryness, and then mixed till they have become most intimately incorporated.

We will now suppose a sufficient number of these lances to be filled with the selected compositions. They must be primed precisely in the manner described under the head of “Golden Rains.” When finished they will be about two and a-half inches long, and about equal in size to an ordinary drawing-pencil.

Fig. 73.
]

The first thing to be done is to decide upon your design. This, I presume, will not be very large. I need not furnish you with a series of suggestions for these designs, for the chance is, that, after all I can say, the one which you wish to execute will be one of your own conception, or at all events, one which you would rather carry out in your own way. But I give here a plain sample of the work (fig. 73), which is merely intended to make clearer my verbal directions. _The letters should not be less than ten inches high._

In the first place you must either procure a board of sufficient size for your design, or you must make a wooden framework of the shape that you require. Suppose the design to be a V.R.: now either sketch this out upon one side of your board, or, if you wish to have it larger than a board will allow, make a plain rough framework describing the letters. When this is done, decide upon the distance at which you can place the lances one from another. This distance is generally about two inches, but no exact rule can be laid down, for so much depends upon the sort of design that you think of executing, and upon the scale of its size.

I will now suppose that you have your design carefully drawn upon the board or framework. Upon the outlines of your sketch make little pencil circles wherever you intend to place a lance; and, as far as it is possible, arrange that the lances shall be equidistant one from another. Of course the prime object of the arrangement must be to make the outline of the letters, figures, &c., as plain and bold as possible. Now with a centre-bit, or, what is better, a pin-bit, _bore a hole about a quarter of an inch deep_ where your circles are pencilled. These holes must be of such a size that the closed ends of the lances will fit easily into them. When you have completed this operation, get either some glue or some of the mixture of size and red lead which I have recommended before; and when it is liquid, dip into it the closed end of each of the lances. Enough of the mixture will adhere to the lances to allow of their being secured firmly in the holes that you have bored. In a very short time all will be hard and dry, and you will then have a series of lances projecting at right angles with your board or framework, each having its mouth primed, and all being of the same length.

The only thing that remains now to be done is to clothe these primed mouths with quick-match. This is by no means difficult, but requires a certain amount of patience. Take a length of match in its case, and, having exposed one end of the black match itself, put a small pin through it into the priming of one of the lances. This will fasten it down, and at the same time will insure its ignition. Then lead the quick-match on to the next lance, cutting away with scissors a piece of the under side of its case, to allow the match in passing to touch its priming. Put a pin through the match into the priming of this lance also, and so on till all are clothed. If more of the casing of the match has been cut away than is necessary, it will be well to paste small strips of paper wherever this has happened, as any exposure of the black match will endanger the piece, rendering it liable to ignition from the sparks of other fireworks. This piece of caution must be carefully attended to, because lance-work is generally employed with the finale of an exhibition, when a great many pieces are going off at once, and when the effect of the whole may be easily spoiled by the untimely firing of one part.

The arrangement of colours in lance-work must, of course, be left entirely to the artist himself. It matters not what the arrangement is, if the colours be only properly contrasted. Remember that the most effective and striking contrasts are blue with yellow, red with green, purple with red, white with violet or red.

In the case of letters, or a monogram, a border of an oval or circular shape adds very much to the effect. This border should be of a different colour to that used for the letters, &c.

Lance-work is not very largely used in pyrotechnic exhibitions; one specimen of it in each display is quite as much as is generally seen. But it certainly is a pyrotechnic feature, and on that account must not be passed over. Lance-work is generally accompanied in its exhibition with Roman candles, or with some arrangement of gerbes to take off what would otherwise be its bare appearance. When introduced as a centre to some framework of sparkling fire it is very beautiful, particularly if colours be employed in it.

I need hardly add that when it is fired the framework is to be placed vertically, and _the lances are to burn horizontally_. It is a good plan to paint the framework black.

COLOURED LIGHTS.

50. We may now go on to deal with another branch of this part of our subject—viz., that which concerns the manufacture of coloured lights for illuminating wheels, or set-pieces, or any larger kind of firework. This species of colour is perhaps more useful in exhibition work than any single firework that can be named, for there are few set-pieces, or wheels, or designs of any pretensions to which these coloured lights cannot be adapted, and adapted, too, with a very enhancing effect.

Their preparation is exceedingly simple. They are generally made in two sizes only; these are the two-ounce and the one-ounce sizes. The cases are made of cartridge or foolscap paper and are about two inches long for the two-ounce size and one inch and three-quarters for the one-ounce size. Used-up copy-books furnish excellent paper for making these coloured light cases. Three or four rounds of the paper will give you ample thickness for the case. The paper should be pasted _all the way along the strips_. When the cases are thoroughly dry, ram into the bottom of them some dry powdered clay; this will make a close end, and will also furnish an incombustible part by which the case may be tied or fastened to its place. The clay is often rammed so as to fill the case nearly half-way up; but, of course, the space left for the composition will depend upon the length of time that you wish the colour to burn.

There is some exactness and nicety, besides a certain amount of actual experience, required for the proper adjustment of these colours to the cases in combination with which they are to burn. The coloured light should be under control, so that it makes its appearance and introduces its intended effect at the right time, and lasts only as long as it is required to last. I will now give a few formulæ for these larger coloured lights. These, if made up with ordinary care and their ingredients thoroughly mixed will produce magnificent colours, both as regards depth of tint and brilliancy of reflective power. The compositions given above for lances are for the most part of too rapid combustion to answer well in these larger and more open cases, but the following will be found to succeed admirably if the chemicals used be only pure and dry, and properly incorporated:—

WHITE LIGHTS FOR DECORATION.
No. 19.
Nitre 4 parts.
Sulphur 1 part.
Sulphide of antimony 1 „

Or,

No. 20.
Nitre 4 parts.
Sulphur 1 part.
Meal-powder 1 „

These will give the ordinary bluish-white light, and compositions made from them will remain good for any length of time.

The yellow lights may be made from the formulæ given under the head of Lances.

The following will produce the _green_:—

No. 21.
Nitrate of baryta 80 parts.
Chlorate of potash 32 „
Sulphur 24 „
Calomel 16 „
Charcoal (fine) 3 „
Shellac 2 „

The drawback to all green colours burnt in cases is that the combustion of the case itself impairs to some extent the purity of the tint of the flame. Cases, therefore, which are to contain green fire must not be made unnecessarily thick. Composition No. 21 gives by far the best colour that I have yet seen for this purpose, and when contrasted with a good red is all that one need desire.

The two next compositions will furnish exceedingly beautiful red colours. It is best to make them up only a short time before using them, as their effect is much more brilliant when quite freshly mixed; and, besides, the nitrate of strontia becomes damp after a time, particularly in the autumn and winter months, in which case it will produce only the effect of disappointing you. The compositions are both perfectly safe, since they contain no sulphur, and are on that account entirely free from all liability to spontaneous combustion:—

_Red Lights._
No. 22.
Chlorate of potash 32 parts.
Nitrate of strontia 48 „
Calomel 20 „
Shellac 12 „
Chertier’s copper 4 „
Charcoal (fine) 1 part.

Or,

No. 23.
Chlorate of potash 84 parts.
Nitrate of strontia 80 „
Calomel 51 „
Dextrine 22 „
Shellac 18 „
Chertier’s copper 4 „

Of these two formulæ, No. 22 is the one that I generally employ. It produces a very brilliant colour, which is _almost scarlet_, and forms, in my opinion, the best contrast both to the green and purple lights. No. 23 gives a deep rich crimson, which may also be found very effective occasionally. Dextrine, which enters into its composition, is always to be had in very fine powder, and therefore it will give you no trouble to bring it into the proper condition for use. It is very cheap, being sold generally at from 1s. to 1s. 6d. per pound. You will require only a very small quantity of it.

We now come to the last of our colours for making these decorating lights, and that is the purple.

_Purple._
No. 24.
Chlorate of potash. 28 parts.
Chertier’s copper 28 „
Calomel 13 „
Shellac 8 „
Stearine 1 part.

Or,

No. 25.
Chlorate of potash 40 parts.
Calomel 28 „
Chertier’s copper 28 „
Dextrine 10 „
Stearine 3 „

No. 26.
Chlorate of potash 26 „
Chertier’s copper 24 „
Calomel 14 „
Shellac 7 „

All of these three formulæ produce good colours. I think that I am rather inclined to give the preference to No. 25, on account of the very effective contrast that it makes when employed to burn with the red at No. 22. These three colours are perfectly safe, for the same reason that I stated above when speaking of the red lights.

I trust that the formulæ which I have now given will be found to supply all that you will require in this department of pyrotechny. The compositions have all been used by me, and I can therefore speak from actual experience of their respective merits, and so you will be pleased to remember that if they do not succeed in your hands the fault will lie either in the condition, perhaps the impurity, of your chemicals, or in your own manipulation. I can answer for the receipts; all that is necessary on your part is a scrupulous attention to my directions.