See also the words _Platforms_ and _Battery_.
_ROCKETS._—_Composition._
_Old Proportion._ | _New Proportion._
lbs. oz. | lbs. oz.
Saltpetre 4 0 | — 4 4
Sulphur 1 0 | — 0 12
Charcoal 1 8 | — 2 0
---------------------------------+----------------------
_Composition for the Stars._ |
Mealed powder 0 lb. 8 oz.|
Saltpetre 8 0 | Composition for rains
Sulphur 2 0 | to head sky rockets
Antimony 2 0 | is the same as the
Isinglass dissolved 0 3½ | above for the
Spirits of wine 1 pint. | rockets.
Vinegar 1 quart. |
---------------------------------+----------------------
_General Table of Sky Rockets._
+---------------------------+--------+---------+--------+--------+
| |2 Pound.|1 Pound. |½ Pound.|¼ Pound.|
+---------------------------+--------+---------+--------+--------+
| | Inch. | Inch. | Inch. | Inch. |
| Exterior diameter | 2.13 | 1.69 | 1.34 | 1.06 |
|Case Interior diameter | 1.529 | 1.214 | 0.961 | 0.761 |
| Length before driving| 15.97 | 12.67 | 10.05 | 8.25 |
+---------------------------+--------+---------+--------+--------+
|Length of guage | 1.5 | 1.25 | 1.0 | 0.75 |
| for the choke | | | | |
+---------------------------+--------+---------+--------+--------+
|Cylinders for Diameter | 2.84 | 2.25 | 1.79 | 1.39 |
| heading Length | 4.26 | 3.38 | 2.68 | 2.12 |
|Cones for Diameter | 2.84 | 2.25 | 1.79 | 1.39 |
| heading Height | 4.26 | 3.38 | 2.68 | 2.18 |
+---------------------------+--------+---------+--------+--------+
|Mallet for driving.—Weight | 4 lb. | 3 8 oz.| 2 1 | 1 10 |
|Nᵒ. of Strokes | 31 | 21 | 18 | 13 |
+---------------------------+--------+---------+--------+--------+
_Copper Ladles for filling Sky Rockets._
_Length_, 1½ the exterior diameter of the case.
_Diameter_, equals the interior diameter of case.
_Circumference_, ¾ the interior caliber of the case.
Sky rockets are driven with composition up to 4½ exterior diameters of
the case from the choke; and ⅕ of a diameter above the composition with
good clay. They are bored and reamed up to 3½ diameters.
_Dimensions of Sticks for Rockets._—General rules.
For rockets from ½ an ounce to one pound, the stick must be 60
diameters of the rocket in length: for rockets from one pound and
upwards fifty or fifty two diameters. Their thickness at top about ½ a
diameter, and their breadth very little more. Their square at bottom
equal to ½ the thickness at top.
+-------------+-------+------+------+-----+-------+-------+-------+
| Nature of | 6 Pr. | 4 Pr.| 2 Pr.|1 Pr.| ½ Pr. | ¼ Pr. | ⅛ Pr. |
| Rockets. | | | | | | | |
+-------------+-------+------+------+-----+-------+-------+-------+
| |Ft. In.| F. I.| F. I.|F. I.| F. I. | F. I. | F. I. |
|Distance of | | | | | | | |
| poise from | 4 1½ | 3 9 | 2 9 |2 1 | 1 10½ | 1 8 | 1 3 |
| the point | | | | | | | |
| of the cone | | | | | | | |
+-------------+-------+------+------+-----+-------+-------+-------+
Rockets of between 3 and 4 inches diameter have been observed to ascend
as high as 1000 or 1200 yards; but the height of common rockets is
between 450 and 600 yards; and their flight usually short of 7 seconds.