Slow portfires burn from three to four hours.

Portfires were made during the Siege of Gibraltar in the following manner: Two ounces of nitre were dissolved in a gallon of water, and sheets of soft brown paper dipped in the solution; these, when dry, were rolled up to about the size of common portfires.

Portfires may be made by boiling square rods of lime, birch, or poplar, in a solution of nitrate of lead for six hours (a quart of water to every pound of the nitrate); the matches are then dried, and afterwards boiled in spirits of turpentine; they are then wiped and dried. A yard of this match will burn three hours.

COAST GUARD PORTFIRES.

Composition.

Saltpetre 8 lb. Sulphur 4 lb. Cylinder mealed powder 1 lb.

QUOINS.

Nature.Length.Width.Thickness.
ft.in.inches.inches.
42 Pr.2 310·756·75
32 ”2 310·756·75
24 ”2 9 9·56·75
18 ”2 9 9·56·75
12 ”111 9·256·25
9 ”111 9·156·

ROCKETS.

There are two descriptions of Rockets:—