Simple Stars or Fireballs. Take of saltpetre 16 parts, sulphur 8 parts, fine gunpowder 3 parts; mix them with gum and only just enough spirits of wine to make a very stiff paste. Cut this up into small squares, and roll into balls covered with gunpowder. When properly dry they are ready for use.
Marroons. These are small cubical boxes filled with an explosive composition which explodes suddenly, making a loud report. They are generally used in combination with other fireworks. The boxes are made of pasteboard, the corners being made tight by pasting paper over them, but leaving the top open until they are filled. They are filled with coarse gunpowder, when the top is closed with strong paper well cemented, and the whole box is wrapped round two or three times with lind cord dipped in strong glue. A hole is made in one of the corners, into which a quick-match is introduced, and the marroon is ready for action.
The reader who may be desirous of further information on the subject of Pyrotechny, cannot do better than consult the article on the subject in ‘Knapp’s Chemical Technology,’ edited by Messrs. Richardson and Watts.[124]
[124] Vol. 1, part 4, No. 1. Ballière & Co.
To this work we are indebted for much of the material contained in the present papers. See Coloured fires.
PYROXYL′IC SPIRIT. See Spirit (Pyroxylic).
PYROX′YLIN. Syn. Fulminating cotton, Gun-cotton. A highly inflammable and explosive
compound, discovered by Schönbein. It is obtained by the action of nitric acid on cotton (cellulin, C6H10O5), in the presence of sulphuric acid.
By varying the strength of the nitric acid three kinds of gun-cotton may be obtained, called respectively mononitro-cellulin [C6H9(NO2)O5], dinitro-cellulin [C6H8(NO2)2O5], and trinitro-cellulin [C6H7(NO2)3O5]. The first is but slightly explosive; the second is not sufficiently explosive to be used as a substitute for gunpowder, but is best adapted for the preparation of collodion; the third is highly explosive, and is the variety employed in mining and military operations, &c.
Prep. 1. (B. P., Dinitro-cellulin.) Cotton-wool, 1; sulphuric acid, 5; nitric acid, 5; mix the acids, immerse the cotton, and stir with a glass rod for three minutes, or until it is thoroughly wetted, then remove it, and thoroughly wash out the acid, so that the washings cease to produce a precipitate with chloride of barium. Drain on filtering paper, and dry in a water bath. Used in the preparation of Collodion.