This representation is performed by procuring a figure made of wood, or wicker wood, of the proper size, and supporting it on a float, on which must be two horses' heads and necks, so as to appear swimming. For the wheels of the chariot, there must be two vertical wheels of black fire, and, on Neptune's head, a horizontal wheel of brilliant fire, with all its cases to play upwards. When this wheel is made, cover it with paper, or pasteboard, cut and painted like Neptune's coronet; then let the trident be made without prongs; but, instead of them, fix three cases of a very weak gray charge, and on each horse's head, put an eight ounce case of brilliant fire, and on the mouth of each, fix a short case of the same diameter, filled with the white flame composition, sufficient to last out all the cases on the wheels. These short cases must be open at bottom, that they may light the brilliant fires. For the horses' eyes, put small port-fires, and, in each nostril, put a small case, filled half with gray charge, and the rest with port-fire composition.
If Neptune is to give fire to any building on the water; at his first setting out, the wheels of the chariot and that on his head, with the white flames on the horses' heads, and the port-fires in their eyes and nostrils, must be all lighted at once. Then, from the bottom of the white flames, carry a leader to the trident. As the figure is to advance by the help of a block and cord, it must be so managed as to prevent its turning about, till the brilliant fires on the horses and the trident begin. For it is by the fire from the horses (which plays almost upright,) that the building, or work is lighted, which must be thus prepared. From the mouth of the case, which is to be first fired, hang some loose quick-match, to receive the fire from the horses. When Neptune is only to be shown by himself, without setting fire to any other of the works; let the white flames on the horses be very short, and not to last longer than one case of each wheel; and let two cases of each wheel burn at a time.
Sec. XIII. Of the Representation of a Sea-Fight with Small Ships, and the Preparation of a Fire-Ship.
Having procured a number of small ships of two or three feet in length, prepare a number of small reports, which are to serve for guns. Of these, range as many as you please on each side of the upper decks. Then, at the head and stern of each ship, fix a two-ounce case, eight inches long, filled with slow port-fire composition; but take care to place it in such a manner, that the fire may fall in the water, and not burn the rigging. In these cases, bore holes, at unequal distances from one another; but make as many in each case as half the number of reports; so that one case may fire the guns on one side, and the other, those on the opposite. The method of firing the guns is by carrying a leader from the holes in the cases to the reports on the decks. These leaders must be made small, and care must also be taken in calculating the burning of the slow-fire in the regulating cases, that more than two guns be fired at a time. To give a broadside, let the leader be carried to a cracker, placed on the outside of the ship; which cracker must be tied loose, or the reports will be too slow. In all the ships, put artificial guns at the port-holes.
Having filled, and bored holes in, two port-fires for regulating the guns in one ship, make all the rest exactly the same. Then, when the engagement has commenced, light one ship first, and set it a sailing; and so on with the rest, sending them out singly, which will make them fire regularly, at different times, without confusion; for the time between the firing of each gun will be equal to that of lighting the slow-fires.
The fire-ship may be of any size. To prepare a ship for this purpose, make a port-fire, equal in size to those in the other ships, and place it at the stern. In any port, place a large port-fire, filled with very strong composition, and painted in imitation of a gun, and let them all be fired at once by a leader from the slow fire, within two or three diameters of its bottom. All along both sides, on the top of the upper deck, lay star-composition, about half an inch thick and one broad, which must be wetted with thin size, then primed with meal-powder, and secured from fire by pasting paper over it. In the place, where this composition is laid, some little tacks, with flat heads, are to be driven, to secure it fast to the deck. This must be fired just after the sham guns, and, when burning, will show a flame all round the ship. At the head, take up the decks, and put in a tin mortar, loaded with crackers, which mortar must be fired by a pipe from the end of the slow fire. The firing of the mortar will sink the ship, and make a pretty conclusion.
Having prepared all the ships for fighting, we shall next proceed with the management of them when on the water.
At one end of the pond, under the surface of the water, fix two running blocks, at the distance the ships are to fight apart, and at the other end of the pond, opposite to each of these blocks, under water, fix a double block. On the land, by each of the double blocks, place two small windlasses. Round one of them, turn one end of a small cord, the other end of which is to be put through one of the blocks. Then carry it through the single one at the opposite end of the pond, and bring it back through the double block again, and round the other windlass. To this cord, near the double block, tie as many small strings, as half the number of ships, at the distance required. These strings, however, should not be more than two feet each. Make fast the loose end of each to a ship, just under the bowsprit, but if tied to the keel, or too near the water, it will overset the ship. Half the ships being thus prepared, near the other double block, fix two more windlasses, to which fasten a cord, and to it, tie the other half of the ships as above. When the ships are fired, turn that windlass which draws them out, and so on with the rest, till they are all out in the middle of the pond. Then by turning the other windlass, they will be drawn back again; by which method, they may be made to change sides, and tack about backwards and forwards at pleasure.
For the fire-ship, fix the blocks and windlass between the others; so that, when she sails out, she will be between the other ships. She must not advance, however, till the guns at her ports take fire.
In the exhibition of water fire-works, it is obvious, from the observations we have made, and the different pieces prepared for that purpose, that such exhibitions may be varied, and even new pieces got up.