Endless Amusement Part 26

lb. oz.

Meal-powder 0 3-1/2 Saltpetre 0 4 Sulphur vivum 0 2 Camphor 0 2

BRILLIANT STARS.

lb. oz.

Saltpetre 0 8-1/2 Sulphur 0 1-1/2 Meal-powder 0 0-3/4

Worked up with spirits of wine only.

COMMON STARS.

lb. oz.

Saltpetre 1 0 Brimstone 0 4 Antimony 0 4-3/4 Isingla.s.s 0 0-1/2 Camphor 0 0-1/4 Spirits of wine 0 0-1/4

TAILED STARS.

lb. oz.

Meal-powder 0 2 Brimstone 0 2 Saltpetre 0 2 Charcoal (coa.r.s.ely ground) 0 0-3/4

STARS OF A FINE COLOUR.

lb. oz.

Sulphur 0 1 Meal-powder 0 1 Saltpetre 0 1 Camphor 0 0-1/4 Oil of turpentine 0 0-1/4

RAINS.

GOLD RAIN FOR SKY-ROCKETS.

lb. oz.

Saltpetre 0 8 Brimstone 0 2 Gla.s.s-dust 0 1 Antimony 0 0-3/4 Bra.s.s-dust 0 0-1/4 Saw-dust 0 0-1/4

SILVER RAIN.

lb. oz.

Saltpetre 0 8 Brimstone 0 2 Charcoal 0 4 Steel-dust 0 0-1/4

_To fix one Rocket on the top of another._--When sky-rockets are fixed one on the top of another, they are called _towering rockets_, on account of their mounting so very high. Towering rockets are made after this manner: Fix on a pound rocket a head without a collar; then take a four-ounce rocket, which may be headed or bounced, and rub the mouth of it with meal-powder wetted with spirit of wine: this done, put it in the head of a large rocket with its mouth downwards; but before it is put in, stick a bit of quick-match in the hole of the clay of the pound rocket, which match should be long enough to go a little way up the bore of the small rocket, to fire it when the large rocket is burnt out. As the four-ounce rocket is too small to fill the head of the other, roll round it as much tow as will make it stand upright in the centre of the head: the rocket being thus fixed, paste a single paper round the opening of the top of the head of the large rocket. The large rocket must have only half a diameter of charge rammed above the piercer; for, if filled to the usual height, it would turn before the small one takes fire, and entirely destroy the intended effect: when one rocket is headed with another, there will be no occasion for any blowing powder; for the force with which it goes off will be sufficient to disengage it from the head of the first fired rocket. The sticks for these rockets must be a little longer than for those headed with stars, rains, &c.

_Caduceous Rockets._--They are such as, in rising, form two spiral lines, by reason of their being placed obliquely, one opposite to the other; and their counterpoise in the centre, which causes them to rise in a vertical direction. Rockets for this purpose must have their ends choked close, without either head or bounce; for a weight at the top would be a great obstruction to their mounting. No caduceous rockets ascend so high as single, because of their serpentine motion, and likewise the resistance of air, which is much greater than two rockets of the same size would meet with if fired singly.

The sticks for this purpose must have all their sides equal, and the sides should be equal to the breadth of a stick proper for a sky-rocket of the same weight as those you intend to use, and made to taper downwards as usual, long enough to balance them, one length of a rocket from the cross stick, which must be placed from the large stick six diameters of one of the rockets, and its length seven diameters; so that each rocket, when tied on, may form, with the large stick, an angle of 60 degrees. In tying on the rockets, place their heads on the opposite side of the cross stick; then carry a leader from the mouth of one into that of the other. When these rockets are to be fired, suspend them between two hooks, or nails, then burn the leader through the middle, and both will take fire at the same time. Rockets of 1 lb.

are a good size for this use.

_Honorary Rockets._--These are the same as sky-rockets, except that they carry no head nor report, but are closed at top, on which is fixed a cone; then on the case, close to the top of the stick, is tied on a two-ounce case, about five or six inches long, filled with a strong charge, and pinched close at both ends; then in the reverse side, at each end, bore a hole in the same manner as in tourbillons, to be presently described; from each hole carry a leader into the top of the rocket. When the rocket is fired, and arrived to its proper height, it will give fire to the case at top; which will cause both rocket and stick to spin very fast in their return, and represent a worm of fire descending to the ground.

There is another method of placing the small case, which is by letting the stick rise a little above the top of the rocket, and tying the case to it, so as to rest on the rocket: these rockets have no cones.

A third method by which they are managed is this: in the top of a rocket fix a piece of wood, in which drive a small iron spindle; then make a hole in the middle of the small case, through which is put the spindle; then fix on the top of it a nut, to keep the case from falling off; when this is done, the case will turn very fast, without the rocket: but this method does not answer so well as either of the former.

_To make a Rocket form an Arch in rising._--Having some rockets made, headed according to fancy, and tied on their sticks, get some sheet tin, and cut it into round pieces about three or four inches diameter; then on the stick of each rocket, under the mouth of the case, fix one of these pieces of tin 16 inches from the rocket's neck, and support it by a wooden bracket, as strong as possible: the use of this is, that when the rocket is ascending, the fire may play with greater force on the tin, which will divide the tail in such a manner that it will form an arch as it mounts, and will have a very good effect when well managed; if there is a short piece of port fire, of a strong charge, tied to the end of the stick, it will make a great addition; but this must be lighted before the rocket is fired.

_To make several Rockets rise together._--Take six, or any number of sky-rockets, of any size; then cut some strong packthread into pieces of three or four yards long, and tie each end of these pieces to a rocket in this manner:

Having tied one end of the packthread round the body of one rocket, and the other end to another, take a second piece of packthread, and make one end of it fast to one of the rockets already tied, and the other end to a third rocket, so that all the rockets, except the two on the outside, will be fastened to the two pieces of packthread: the length of thread from one rocket to the other may be what the maker pleases; but the rockets must be all of a size, and their heads filled with the same weight of stars, rains, &c.

Having thus done, fix in the mouth of each rocket a leader of the same length; and when about to fire them, hang them almost close; then tie the ends of the leaders together, and prime them; this prime being fired, all the rockets will mount at the same time, and divide as far as the strings will allow; and this division they keep, provided they are all rammed alike, and well made. They are sometimes called chained rockets.

_To fix several Rockets to the same Stick._--Two, three, or six sky-rockets, fixed on one stick, and fired together, make a grand and beautiful appearance; for the tails of all will seem but as one of an immense size, and the breaking of so many heads at once will resemble the bursting of an air-balloon. The management of this device requires a skilful hand; but if the following instructions be well observed, even by those who have not made a great progress in this art, there will be no doubt of the rockets having the desired effect.

Rockets for this purpose must be made with the greatest exactness, all rammed by the same hand, in the same mould, and filled with the same proportion of composition: and after they are filled and headed, must all be of the same weight. The stick must also be well made (and proportioned) to the following directions; first, supposing the rockets to be half-pounders, whose sticks are six feet six inches long, then if two, three, or six of these are to be fixed on one stick, let the length of it be nine feet nine inches; then cut the top of it into as many sides as there are rockets, and let the length of each side be equal to the length of one of the rockets without its head; and in each side cut a groove (as usual;) then from the grooves plane it round, down to the bottom, where its thickness must be equal to half the top of the round part. As their thickness cannot be exactly ascertained, we shall give a rule, which generally answers for any number of rockets above two; the rule is this: that the stick at top must be thick enough, when the grooves are cut, for all the rockets to lie, without pressing each other, though as near as possible.

When only two rockets are to be fixed on one stick, let the length of the stick be the last given proportion, but shaped after the common method, and the breadth and thickness double the usual dimensions. The point of poise must be in the usual place (let the number of rockets be what it will;) if sticks made by the above directions should be too heavy, plane them thinner; and if too light, make them thicker; but always make them of the same length.

When more than two rockets are tied on one stick, there will be some danger of their flying up without the stick, unless the following precaution is taken: For cases being placed on all sides, there can be no notches for the cord which ties on the rockets to lie in: therefore, instead of notches, drive a small nail in each side of the stick, between the necks of the cases, and let the cord, which goes round their necks, be brought close under the nails; by this means the rockets will be as secure as when tied on singly. The rockets being thus fixed, carry a quick-match, without a pipe, from the mouth of one rocket to the other; this match being lighted will give fire to all at once.

Though the directions already given may be sufficient for these rockets, we shall here add an improvement on a very essential part of this device, which is, that of hanging the rockets to be fired; for before the following method was contrived, many attempts proved unsuccessful. Instead, therefore, of the old and common manner of hanging them on nails or hooks, make use of the following contrivance: Have a ring made of strong iron wire, large enough for the stick to go in as far as the mouths of the rockets; then have another ring supported by a small iron, at some distance from the post or stand to which it is fixed; then have another ring fit to receive and guide the small end of the stick. Rockets thus suspended will have nothing to obstruct their fire; but when they are hung on nails or hooks, in such a manner that some of their mouths or against or upon a rail, there can be no certainty of their rising in a vertical direction.

_To fire Rockets without Sticks._--You must have a stand, of a block of wood, a foot diameter, and make the bottom flat, so that it may stand steady: in the centre of the top of this block draw a circle two inches and a half diameter, and divide the circ.u.mference of it into three equal parts; then take three pieces of thick iron wire, each about three feet long, and drive them into the block, one at each point made on the circle; when these wires are driven in deep enough to hold them fast and upright, so that the distance from one to the other is the same at top as at bottom, the stand is complete.

The stand being thus made, prepare the rockets thus: Take some common sky-rockets of any size, and head them as you please; then get some b.a.l.l.s 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 b.a.l.l.s 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 balance the rocket in the same manner as a stick, at the usual point of poise. To fire these, hand them one at a time, between the tops of the wires, letting their heads rest on the point of the wires, and the b.a.l.l.s hang down between them: if the wires should be too wide for the rockets, press them together till they fit; 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.

_Scrolls for Rockets._--Cases for scrolls should be made four or five inches in length, and their interior diameters three-eighths of an inch: one end of these cases must be pinched quite close before beginning to fill; and when filled, close the other end; then in the opposite sides make a small hole at each end, to the composition, as in tourbillons, and prime them with wet meal-powder. You may put in the head of the rocket as many of these cases as it will contain: being fired, they 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.

_Stands for Rockets._--Care must be taken, in placing the rockets, when they are to be fired, 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 may 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, with their points turned sidewise, 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, driven perpendicularly 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.

_Table-Rockets._--Table-rockets are designed merely to show the truth of driving, and the judgment of a fire-worker; they having no other effect, when fired, than spinning round in the same place where they began, till they are burnt out, and showing nothing more than a horizontal circle of fire.

The method of making these rockets is thus:--Have a cone turned out of hard wood two inches and a half in diameter, and as much high; round the base of it drive a line; on this line fix four spokes, each two inches long, so as to stand one opposite the other; then fill four nine-inch one-pound cases with any strong composition, within two inches of the top: these cases are made like tourbillons, and must be rammed with the greatest exactness.

The rockets being filled, fix their open ends on the short spokes; then in the side of each case bore a hole near the clay; all these holes, or vents, must be so made that the fire of each case may act the same way; from these vents carry leaders to the top of the cone, and tie them together. When the rockets are to be fired, set them on a smooth table, and light the leaders in the middle, and all the cases will fire together and spin on the point of the cone.

These rockets may be made to rise like tourbillons, by making the cases shorter, and boring four holes in the under side of each at equal distances; this being done they are called _double tourbillons_.

_Note._--All the vents in the under side of the cases must be lighted at once, and the sharp point of the cone cut off; at which place make it spherical.

WHEELS.

Wheel-cases are made to any length; which must always depend on the size of the wheel, but must not exceed the length of each angle.

Charge for wheel-cases, from 2 oz. to 4 lb.

lb. oz.

Meal-powder 4 0 Saltpetre 1 0 Brimstone 0 8 Charcoal 0 4

The filings in this composition may be varied by using a portion of sea-coal, gla.s.s-dust, saw-dust, &c., or a combination of the whole.