Brilliant, and diversified displays of fireworks may be readily exhibited by means of speckie, or lances. Illuminated designs of figures, &c., are represented by affixing on a black board small cases filled with various coloured compositions, to which leaders must be attached. The cases are fastened on with glue, and red lead mixed together.
| Compositions. | ||||||||||
| White. | Yellow. | Blue. | Yellow. | Yellow. | ||||||
| lb. | oz. | lb. | oz. | lb. | oz. | lb. | oz. | lb. | oz. | |
| Saltpetre | 2 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Sulphur | 8 | 1 | 4 | 8 | ½ | |||||
| Mealed powder | 4 | 12 | 10 | 8 | ||||||
| Antimony, crude | 4 | |||||||||
| Gum Succum | 8 | |||||||||
| Antimony, prepared | 8 | |||||||||
| Basket salt | 6 | |||||||||
| Gamboge | 3 | |||||||||
Stars, crosses, revolving suns, &c., being fixed on the wooden frame with the speckie, will form a brilliant display.
SPUR FIRE.
| Composition. | |||
| 1. | lb. oz. | 2. | lb. oz. |
| Saltpetre | 4 8 | 1 | |
| Sulphur | 2 | 8 | |
| Lamp black | 1 8 | 4 quarts. | |
The saltpetre and sulphur must be first sifted together, and then put into a marble mortar with the lamp black. These ingredients must be thoroughly mixed with a wooden pestle. The composition, if rubbed too much, will be too fierce, and hardly show any stars; and on the contrary, when not mixed enough, will be too weak, and throw out an obscure smoke, and lumps of dross without any stars. This composition is generally rammed in 1, or 2 ounce cases, about five, or six inches long, but not driven very hard. Cases filled with spur fire may be used in rooms without any danger of setting fire to the furniture, &c., and some of them being placed round a transparent pyramid of paper, and fired in a large room, make a very pretty appearance.
SUNS, OR WHEELS, FIXED, AND MOVEABLE.
None of the pyrotechnic inventions can be applied with so much success in artificial fireworks, as suns, or wheels, of which there are two kinds, fixed, and revolving.
FIXED SUNS.
Construct a circular piece of wood, into the circumference of which screw 12 or 15 pieces in the form of radii, and to these attach jets of fire, the mouth of each of which must be towards the circumference of the frame; and leaders being affixed to all the jets, they will, when ignited, produce the appearance of a radiated sun. The wheel is fixed vertically. The jets may be arranged so as to cross each other in an angular manner, in which case a star, or cross of Malta will be formed. To produce a very brilliant effect, these suns may be made with several rows of jets.