Under this head are included all artificial preparations, designed, as the name expresses, to communicate fire to buildings, shipping, &c. and for other purposes, connected with the operations of war.
At different periods, even from the remotest antiquity, incendiary works have been used. Of these preparations, we may enumerate the following: shells, howitzes, and grenades; fire-stone to put into shells and howitzes, intended to produce conflagration; incendiary matches, used in the same manner; carcasses and fire balls, to be thrown from a mortar, designed to light up the works in front of a besieged fortress, and to burn buildings; incendiary, or fire-balls, to be thrown from cannon or by hand, used in besieged fortresses to light up the enemy's works; pitched tourteaux and fascines, to illuminate the passage of rivers and defiles; powder bags, to throw upon troops mounting to the assault; powder barrels, to roll from the top of a breach, or from the head of a sap from the glacis; thundering barrel, employed for the same purpose; burning or illuminating barrel; petard, to break down the gates and barriers of small towns, and even thin walls; torches or flambeaux, to give light during night marches, and other purposes; rockets, fougettes, and murdering and the Congreve war rocket, for various uses; rocket carcass of Congreve, as an incendiary; rocket light ball, to illuminate the horizon near the enemy; murdering marrons; Roman incendiary candles, and incendiary stars; tarred and pitched ropes; fire rain; marine fuses, &c. to which we may add the ancient Greek fire, and red-hot balls.
In this chapter, under the different heads, we purpose to describe these, and other fire-works, used in war. We may remark, also, that animals are sometimes used as incendiary agents. Rats, for instance, have been employed in certain enterprizes, as for the purpose of setting fire to magazines of gunpowder. On these occasions, a lighted match is tied to the tail of the animal. The courier pigeon of the French, or carrier pigeon, is not used in this way; but only as a carrier of letters, to which it is trained and used in Persia and Turkey.
Sec. I. Of Fire Stone.
The fire stone (Roche à feu) is a compact, or solid composition. It is calculated to burn slowly, and when put into shells and howitzes, and thrown into cities, produces conflagration.
This stone is composed of sulphur, saltpetre, meal-powder, and sometimes grain-powder, &c. The sulphur is melted in a kettle, or glazed earthen vessel, over a clean charcoal fire; the saltpetre being pulverized, is then thrown into it, and the spirits of turpentine, if any is used. These articles are stirred with a spatula, and the fire must be so regulated, as to prevent the composition from boiling over, or taking fire. When these are well melted and mixed, they are taken off the fire, and permitted to cool a little; the gunpowder is then thrown in, and the composition poured upon a cold surface, where it consolidates. It is then broken into small lumps, to be made use of when required.
We may here remark, that, as the goodness of this composition depends upon the accuracy with which the mixture is made, too much care cannot be paid to this circumstance.
For the purpose of rendering this incendiary more inflammable, it is recommended to roll the pieces in meal-powder, before they become fully hard. If the same composition be mixed with suet and spirits of turpentine, it is used for the same purpose, but not in the same manner.
The invention of the fire stone is said to have originated from the fire-rain of Casimir Siemienowicz, an ingenious Polander, and Chevalier of Lithuania, &c.; and in fact, according to Ruggieri, the composition was taken from his treatise.