| Meal-powder. | ||||||||
| Saltpetre. | ||||||||
| Sulphur. | ||||||||
| Rosin. | ||||||||
| Tallow. | ||||||||
| Alum. | ||||||||
| Antimony. | ||||||||
| Char- | ||||||||
| coal | ||||||||
| Ordinary composition, moistened with spirits and linseed oil, meal, | 4 | 4 | 3½ | ¾ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Another, | 8 | 8 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Do. | 0 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ |
The first composition is reduced to a paste with good brandy or other spirits, in which gum arabic and camphor have been dissolved; and after leaving it a few hours to dry, moisten it with linseed oil, and make it into balls a little less than the calibers of the guns, from which they are to be fired or weighing about four pounds, if they are to be thrown by hand. They are tied up in a cloth and steeped in a bath of pitch in the same way as carcasses. They are usually covered a second time with cloth and dipped in the same way. If they are to be fired from guns, they are enveloped in a netting of wire, to prevent them from being broke by the action of the charge. These balls when fired are put down over a small charge without ramming. Two holes are made in them in the same way as in carcasses and fire balls and they are primed in the same manner.
In employing the second and other compositions, the materials must first be melted, such as rosin, tallow, and sulphur, and the powder, alum, and antimony, added; when the melted matter is removed from the fire. After they are all mixed, the mixture is then poured into wooden moulds of two pieces, that are greased on the inside; the ball is taken from the mould when cool, and wrapped up in cloth or in tow. It is dipped in melted pitch. When it is to be used, holes are made in it with a gimblet, and it is primed like the others.
We may remark here, that the Congreve incendiary rocket is armed with carcass composition, which produces all the effects of the usual carcass. The rocket carcass will be considered under the head of war-rocket.
Sec. V. Of Smoke Balls.
Smoke balls are composed of the same substances as carcasses and light balls, with this difference, that they contain five to one of pitch, rosin, and sawdust. This composition is put into shells made for the purpose, having four holes to let out the smoke. Smoke balls are thrown out of mortars, and continue to smoke from twenty-five to thirty minutes.
Sec. VI. Of Stink Balls.
Stink Balls are prepared with a composition of mealed powder, rosin, saltpetre, pitch, sulphur, rasped horses' and asses' hoofs, burnt in the hoof, assafœtida, seraphim-gum, stinking herbs, &c. made up into balls in the same manner as light-balls, according to the size of the mortar, out of which they are to be thrown.