The design of it is to be a useful assistant to those who are fond of a rational and scientific amusement, and the occasion of it arises from the great scarcity and general difficulty of procuring any work on the subject; none having appeared worthy of notice since that published by Lieutenant Robert Jones, in 1760, and those by the French Artists mentioned in our Introduction.

In didactic particulars the Author has occasionally availed himself of the language of the best writers, where such has been corroborated by subsequent experience.

Perspicuity has been a particular object through the work, and when technical terms have been used they are generally followed by familiar explications, and the Author feels assured that the whole will be found perfectly intelligible to every reader. To experienced Pyrotechnists this little work cannot be expected to afford much additional information, yet to them it may contain some little particulars not known to them before, which from their practical utility it is hoped will prove acceptable.

The Author publishes this little work, with the desire that it may prove a useful assistant to those who are unacquainted with the principles of the art on which it treats. If in any way it should contribute to this purpose, an apology for obtruding it upon the Public will certainly be unnecessary.

January 1st, 1824.

[CONTENTS.]

Page
Introduction[1]
SECTION I.
History and description of Gunpowder[10]
SECTION II.
Materials[29]
Nitreibid.
Sulphur[32]
To purify Sulphur[34]
Charcoalibid.
Steel-dust[35]
To prepare Iron-sand[37]
Second methodibid.
Oil of Camphor[40]
Benzoinibid.
SECTION III.
Apparatus[42]
Grinding Machines[43]
Another method of Grinding[44]
Method of Mixing the Ingredients[45]
SECTION IV.
Description and Variety of Fire-works[47]
Touch-paper[48]
To make Touch-paperibid.
Quick-match[49]
To make Quick-matches; and composition for ditto[50]
Port-Fires[51]
Compositions for ditto[52]
Port-fires for Illuminations[53]
Leaders, or Pipes of Communicationibid.
Application of ditto[54]
SECTION V.
Of single Fire-works[57]
Serpentsibid.
Crackers[59]
Pin wheels[61]
Stars[63]
Strung Stars[64]
Tailed Stars[65]
Driven Starsibid.
Rolled Stars[6]
Sparks[68]
Another method of making ditto[69]
Marroonsibid.
Construction[70]
Saucissonsibid.
Batteries of Marroons, &c.[71]
Gerbes[72]
Small Gerbes[75]
Roman Candles[76]
Chinese Fire[79]
Composition for ditto, Red and Whiteibid.
SECTION VI.
Rockets[81]
Sky Rockets[83]
Dimensions of Rockets[88]
Calibre and Weight of Rockets[89]
Calibre of Moulds[90]
Remarks on the foregoing Tables[91]
Preparing the Cartridges[93]
Filling and Ramming the Cases[96]
Directions for ditto[97]
Preparing and fixing the pots to the Heads of Rockets[101]
Table for the Length and Proportion of Rods[105]
Tables of Composition for Rockets[106]
To cause a Rocket to ascend in a Spiral form[109]
Towering Rockets[110]
Honorary Rockets[111]
Caduceus Rockets[112]
Signal Rockets[113]
Table Rockets[115]
Scrolls for Rockets[116]
Courantines, or Line Rockets[117]
Revolving Courantines[121]
To represent by Rockets various forms in the air[122]
To cause a Rocket to form an arc in rising[128]
To fire Rockets without Rods[124]
Theory of the flight of Rockets[125]
SECTION VII.
Tables of various compositions[130]
SECTION VIII.
Compound Fire-Works[139]
Girandole chests of Serpentsibid.
Girandole chests of Rockets[141]
Pots des Brins[142]
Jets of Fire[143]
Chinese Fountain[145]
Pyramid of Flower Pots[146]
Wheels[149]
Ditto single Horizontal[150]
Ditto Plural[152]
Wheels Spiral[152]
Ditto Ditto Illuminated[153]
Ditto Balloon[154]
Ditto Ground[155]
Ditto Horizontal changed to a Vertical[156]
Ditto Vertical Scroll[158]
Ditto remarks onibid.
Fir tree, to represent[159]
Yew tree of Brilliant Fire[160]
Fixed Fire Globes[161]
Globes which leap or roll on the groundibid.
Moon and seven Stars[164]
Suns, fixed and moveable[165]
Composition for representing Animals and other devices in fire[168]
Aquatic fire-worksibid.
Fire fountain for the water[170]
Conclusion[172]