No. 5.
Meal-powder 16 parts.
Nitre 6 „
Sulphur 3 „
Iron borings 10 „
Or,
No. 6.
Meal-powder 16 „
Nitre 4 „
Sulphur 2 „
Iron borings 6 „
Or,
No. 7.
Meal-powder 16 „
Iron borings 5 „
It is an understood rule among pyrotechnists that the smaller the
diameter of the case employed the quicker must be the composition with
which it is filled; or, in other words, a quick composition which
answers well in a case of small diameter will burn too rapidly, or
explode, in a case of larger dimensions. My readers must therefore first
determine the size of the case that they intend to use. It will not be
well to adopt any size of case smaller than the _two-ounce_ for Chinese
fire. If, however, the ¼ lb. size be chosen, I should recommend the
compositions No. 1, No. 3, or No. 5. Nos. 2, 4, 6, 7 will answer very
well in a case of the 2-oz. size.
But if it be thought advisable to have recourse to a case of the ½ lb.
size, a still weaker composition will be required, in which case the
following formulas may be used:—
No. 8.
Nitre 16 parts.
Sulphur 3 „
Charcoal 4 „
Iron borings 7 „
Or,
No. 9.
Nitre 20 „
Sulphur 4 „
Charcoal 4 „
Iron borings 12 „
For general purposes, cases of the 2-oz. size will be found quite large
enough, particularly when used in combination, and not fired singly.
The most effective of all the compositions that I have given is No. 7,
which consists of meal-powder and iron borings only, but it is very
rapid and fierce in its combustion, and will burst the cases into which
it is put unless great care be taken in the ramming. A very little of
the composition must be rammed at a time, in order to insure a
thoroughly equal and solid compression throughout the case. If properly
managed a two-ounce case filled with this composition will throw a very
brilliant jet of large flowers of fire from eight to ten feet in height.
I have sometimes thought that the moistening of composition No. 7 with a
little turpentine, so that it becomes less dusty, has the effect of
preserving the iron or steel from rust to some extent. At all events, it
greatly facilitates the uniform mixing of the ingredients. It must,
however, be especially borne in mind that _neither spirits of wine nor
gin must be used to moisten any composition containing iron or steel_.
The iron borings which Mr. Darby will supply are very effective for the
preparation of Chinese fire.
You should take care that the other ingredients are thoroughly mixed
before you add the iron borings, and then that the iron be equally
distributed throughout the mixture.
The next operation is the filling of the cases. For this you will
require some tools not before mentioned, which I will now proceed to
describe.
You should get Mr. Newman to make you three solid drifts which will pass
very easily into your 2-oz. cases. The first of these should be about
_nine inches long_, the second about five inches long, and the third two
inches long. These tools will always be found convenient for many
purposes in pyrotechny, and not only for the filling of Chinese fire
cases. The two longest of these drifts should be about _nine-sixteenths
of an inch in diameter_; the third may be nearly five-eighths of an
inch.
Your mallet should be, in the measurement of its head, five inches long
and three in diameter. It should be made either of ash or beech.
In the next place you will require a block with a nipple and point, such
as is drawn in the page of illustrations, figs. 44, 45 and 46. This may
be made of wood, with its point only of metal; but I much prefer a metal
nipple and point. Mr. Newman has made for me a set of nipples and
settles in gun-metal, _all of which fit into the same block_. They
answer all purposes, and take up very little room; whereas you will find
a multiplicity of blocks very inconvenient, if your accommodation is as
scanty as mine.
You must, of course, have a scoop of a proper size for filling 2-oz.
cases, and this, I think, will complete your tools.
Your case must now be pressed over the point of your nipple, and by this
means its aperture will be made of the proper size. You will find it
very convenient to have a ring of iron fixed into your block, through
which the case must be passed, which will steady it and keep it in a
perpendicular position while being filled (fig. 47).
[Illustration:
Fig. 47.
]
And this is in reality more than a matter of convenience, for unless the
case be perpendicular while the operation of filling is going on, the
blows of the mallet will not have their proper effect, and the
composition will not be thoroughly consolidated; or, what is worse, the
neck of the case may be wrenched or injured in some manner, and will in
all probability give way and burst upon the combustion of the
composition.
Now drive in your composition, a ladleful at a time, and, after putting
in each ladleful, give the drift twelve blows with the mallet. Fill the
cases till there remains a space of _two inches only_ unoccupied at the
end. Into this end put _a gun-charge and a-half_ of gunpowder. Then with
a bradawl separate one or two of the inner folds of the paper of the
case, and turn these down on the top of the powder.
My method of filling in the ends of the cases is the following:—Melt in
an earthen pipkin a mixture of two parts of common resin and one of wax.
This may be poured into the ends of the cases upon the paper that has
been turned down. It will harden in a few minutes, and will be found to
insure you a good report from the powder.
It only remains now to prime these cases. This is an operation requiring
some care, although it may be performed in a very simple manner. If the
point of your nipple is not too long—that is, is only long enough to
_reach_ the composition _without penetrating it_—all that you need do is
to press into the mouth of the case some meal-powder paste; but if a
cavity has been left in the composition, this must be filled up before
priming, or the case will inevitably burst.
It is an excellent plan to take for your first ladleful, not any of the
compositions for Chinese fire, but a ladleful of some slower fire
containing no iron borings. You may use a mixture consisting of
Nitre 6 parts.
Sulphur 1 part.
Charcoal 1 „
The advantage of attending to this piece of advice will be very apparent
to you, and I strongly recommend the plan to your notice in the case of
_brilliant_, as well as of Chinese, fires.
[Illustration:
Fig. 48
]
Having now described the manufacture of the cases of Chinese fire, I
shall proceed to point out to you some of the combinations in which they
may be used. The simplest is the ordinary Prince of Wales Feather, the
framework of which any blacksmith can make in thin iron rod, having a
couple of holes drilled in it, through which screws may be driven to
fasten it to your post. I give you two sketches (figs. 48 and 49), the
former of which has, in my opinion, rather the advantage. The mouths of
the cases must, of course, be connected with quick-match, so that they
all take fire simultaneously. By having a framework made of iron it will
be liable to no injury from the explosions at the end of the cases. The
same framework may be used with three Roman candles, instead of Chinese
fire cases, and with excellent effect.
[Illustration:
Fig. 49.—Prince of Wales’ Feathers.
]
[Illustration:
Fig. 50.
]
The next most simple combination is that which is called the Bouquet of
Chinese Fire. It should be made with, at least, five cases, and will
then be found very effective in its performance. Its framework is of
very simple construction, and may be made in a few minutes by any boy.
The accompanying sketch (fig. 50), will prevent the necessity of any
further explanation.
A very pretty piece may be made, representing a tree of silver flowers.
Procure a straight piece of deal of any length that you require (the
length must be determined by the number of cases that you intend to
use). This will answer for the trunk of the tree. To this nail some
pieces of lath in the shape given in the adjoining woodcut (fig. 51). On
each of these, and at the top of the straight piece, tie a case of
Chinese fire, and connect all the mouths of the cases by means of
quick-match. When ignited, this piece will present a very beautiful
appearance, and may be made a highly satisfactory conclusion to a small
exhibition.
[Illustration:
Fig. 51.
]
It is worthy of remark that all pieces in which Chinese fire is used
should be raised to a considerable height from the ground, otherwise
they will lose much of their beauty, for the sparks produced by the
particles of iron are thrown much farther, and remain visible much
longer, on account of their superior size, than those produced by steel,
and if they have not a certain distance through which to fall, much of
their effect will be thrown away. The post on which I fire nearly all my
pieces _stands ten feet out of the ground_. It is made of deal painted
with lead-colour, and is about three inches square. It can be taken down
or put up at a moment’s notice, as it fits into an oak box sunk in the
ground, of the same kind as those used in drying grounds. If you have a
post of this kind made, see that the part which fits into the box is
_not straight_, but slightly tapered. This will allow of a better fit,
and enable you to remove it far more easily when required.
There are many combinations which it will not be at all necessary for me
to notice here, for the firing of one of these cases of Chinese fire is
not only a beautiful thing in itself, but is also very suggestive of
different devices under which this valuable preparation may be employed.
If any of my readers should hit upon any unusually good device I shall
be glad to hear of it through the publishers of this book; and if my
readers, in the course of their experiments, should stumble upon a
really good plan for preparing iron borings and steel filings so that
they become incorrodible, they will confer a great favour upon the
pyrotechnic world by making it known.
Be sure not to forget to first ram into your cases half-a-ladleful of
the preparatory fire given above: it will save you many a
disappointment. If you prefer a composition a little quicker, add some
meal-powder to it.
Having said all that is necessary to make the manufacture of Chinese
Fire intelligible, I pass on to consider, in the next place, the subject
of Brilliant Fire.