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thoroughly incorporated. The sand thus sulphured must be spread over the mixture of saltpetre and charcoal, and the whole must be mixed together by spreading it over a table with a spatula.

CHAP. V.

OF THE FURNITURE OF ROCKETS.

THE upper part of rockets is generally furnished with some composition, which taking fire when it has reached to its greatest height, emits a considerable blaze, or produces a loud report, and very often both these together. Of this kind are saucissons, marroons, stars, showers of fire, &c.

To make room for this artifice, the rocket is crowned with a part of a greater diameter, called the pot. The method of making this pot, and connecting it with the body of the rocket, is as follows.

The mould for forming the pot, though of one piece, must consist of two cylindric parts of different diameters. That on which the pot is rolled up, must be three diameters of the rockets in length, and its diameter must be three fourths that of the rocket; the length of the other ought to be equal to two of these diameters, and its diameter to that of the rocket.

Having rolled the thick paper intended for making the pot, and which ought to be of the same kind as that used for the rocket, twice round the cylinder, a portion of it must be pinched in that part of the cylinder which has the least diameter: this part must be pared in such a manner, as to leave only what is necessary for making the pot fast to the top of the rocket, and the ligature must be covered with paper.

To charge such a pot, attached to a rocket: having pierced three or four holes in the double paper which covers the vacuity of the rocket, pour over it a small quantity of the composition with which the rocket is filled, and by shaking it, make a part enter these holes; then arrange in the pot the composition with which it is to be charged, taking care not to introduce into it a quantity heavier than the body of the rocket.

The whole must then be secured by means of a few small balls of

paper, to keep every thing in its place, and the pot must be covered with paper cemented to its edges: if a pointed summit or cap be then added to it, the rocket will then be ready for use.

We shall now give an account of the different artifices with which such rockets are loaded.

SECTION 1.

Of Serpents.

SERPENTS are small flying rockets, without rods, which instead of rising in a perpendicular direction, mount obliquely, and fall back in a zig-zag form without ascending to a great height. The composition of them is nearly the same as that of rockets; and therefore nothing more is necessary than to determine the proportion and construction of the cartridge, which is as follows.

The length of the cartridge may be about 4 inches; it must be rolled round a stick somewhat larger than the barrel of a goose quill, and after being choaked at one of its ends, fill it with the composition a little beyond its middle, and then pinch it so as to leave a small aper. ture. The remainder must be filled with grained powder, which will make a report when it bursts. Lastly, choak the cartridge entirely towards the extremity; and at the other extremity place a train of moist powder, to which, if fire be applied, it will be communicated to the composition, and cause the whole to rise in the air. The serpent, as it falls will make several turns in a zig-zag direction, till the fire is communicated to the grained powder; on which it will burst with a loud report before it falls to the ground.

If the serpent be not choaked towards the middle, instead of moving in a zig-zag direction, it will ascend and descend with an undulating motion, and then burst as before.

The cartridges of serpents are generally made with playing cards. These cards are rolled round a rod of iron or hard wood, a little larger, as already said, than the barrel of a goose quill. To con. fine the card, a piece of strong paper is cemented over it.

The length of the mould must be proportioned to that of the cards employed, and the piercer of the nipple must be three or four lines in length. These serpents are loaded with bruised pow. der, mixed only with a very small quantity of charcoal. To in. troduce the composition into the cartridge, a quill, cut into the

VOL. VI.

form of a spoon, may be employed: it must be rammed down by means of a small rod, to which a few strokes are given with a small mallet.

When the serpent is half loaded, instead of pinching it in that part, you may introduce into it a vetch seed, and place granulated powder above it to fill up the remainder. Above this powder place a small pellet of chewed paper, and then choak the other end of the cartridge. If you are desirous of making larger serpents, cement two playing cards together; and, that they may be managed with more ease, moisten them a little with water. The match consists of a paste made of bruised powder, and a small quantity of

water.

SECTION 11.

Marroons.

MARROONS are small cubical boxes, filled with a composition proper for making them burst, and may be constructed with great

ease.

Cut a piece of pasteboard, according to the method taught in geometry to form the cube; join these squares at the edges, leaving only one to be cemented, and fill the cavity of the cube with grained powder; then cement strong paper in various directions over this body, and wrap round it two rows of pack-thread, dipped in strong glue; then make a hole in one of the corners, and introduce into it a match.

If you are desirous to have luminous marroons, that is to say maroons which, before they burst in the air, emit a brilliant light, cover them with a paste the composition of which will be given hereafter for stars; and roll them in pulverised gunpowder, to serve as a match or communication.

SECTION 111.

Saucissons.

MARROONS and saucissons differ from each other only in their form. The cartridges of the latter are round, and must be only four times their exterior diameter in length. They are choaked at

one end in the same manner as a rocket; and a pellet of paper is driven into the aperture which has been left, in order to fill it up. They are then charged with grained powder, above which is placed a ball of paper gently pressed down, to prevent the powder from being bruised; the second end of the saucisson being afterwards choaked, the edges are pared on both sides, and the whole is co. vered with several turns of pack-thread, dipped in strong glue, and then left to dry.

When you are desirous of charging them, pierce a hole in one of the ends; and apply a match, in the same manner as to marroons.

SECTION IV.
Stars.

STARS are small globes of a composition which emits a brilliant light, that may be compared to the light of the stars in the heavens. These balls are not larger than a nutmeg or musket bullet, and when put into the rockets must be wrapped up in tow, prepared for that purpose. The composition of these stars is as follows.

To a pound of fine gunpowder well pulverised, add four pounds of saltpetre, and two pounds of sulphur. When these ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, take about the size of a nutmeg of this mixture, and having wrapt it up in a piece of linen rag, or of paper, form it into a ball; then tie it closely round with a packthread, and pierce a hole through the middle of it, sufficiently large to receive a piece of prepared tow, which will serve as a match. This star, when lighted, will exhibit a most beautiful appearance; besides the fire, as it issues from the two ends of the hole in the middle, will extend to a greater distance, and make it appear much larger.

If you are desirous to employ a moist composition in the form of a paste, instead of a dry one, it will not be necessary to wrap up the star in any thing but prepared tow; because, when made of such paste, it can retain its spherical figure. There will be no need also of piercing a hole in it, to receive the match; because, when newly made, and consequently moist, it may be rolled in pulverised gunpowder, which will adhere to it. This powder, when kindíed, will serve as a match, and inflame the composition of the star, which in falling will form itself into tears.

Another method of making Rockets with Stars.

MIX three ounces of saltpetre, with one ounce of sulphur, and two drams of pulverised gunpowder; or mix four ounces of sulphur, with the same quantity of saltpetre, and eight ounces of pul. verised gunpowder. When these materials have been well sifted, besprinkle them with brandy, in which a little gum has been dis. solved, and then make up the star in the following manner.

Take a rocket mould, eight or nine lines in diameter, and intro. duce into it a nipple, the piercer of which is of a uniform size throughout, and equal in length to the height of the mould. Put into this mould a cartridge, and by means of a pierced rod load it with one of the preceding compositions; when loaded, take it from the mould, without removing the nipple, the piercer of which passes through the composition, and then cut the cartridge quite round into pieces of the thickness of three or four lines. The cartridge being thus cut, draw out the piercer gently, and the pieces, which resemble the men employed for playing at drafts, pierced through the middle, will be stars, which must be filed on a match thread, which, if you choose, may be covered with tow.

To give more brilliancy to stars of this kind, a cartridge thicker than the above dimensions, and thinner than that of a flying-rocket of the same size, may be employed; but, before it is cut into pieces, five or six holes must be pierced in the circumference of each piece to be cut. When the cartridge is cut, and the pieces have been filled, cement over the composition small bits of card, each having a hole in the middle, so that these holes may correspond to the place where the composition is pierced.

REMARKS.

1. There are several other methods of making stars, which it would be too tedious to describe. We shall therefore only shew how to make étoiles à pet, or stars which give a report as loud as that of a pistol or musket.

Make small saucissons, as taught in the third section; only, it will not be necessary to cover them with pack-thread: it will be sufficient if they are pierced at one end, in order that you may tie to it a star constructed according to the first method, the composition of which is dry; for if the composition be in the form of a