After this second process, we make, in an earthen vessel, a priming mixture, in which the rope is sometimes immersed, or such parts of it, as are to take fire promptly. This priming paste is composed of,
| Meal-powder | 4 | parts. |
| Saltpetre | 4 | —— |
| Sulphur | 2 | —— |
| Spirit of wine, (or brandy), a sufficient quantity. | ||
| Gum arabic | ½ | —— |
Incendiary rope is used more generally in the form of a ball, which is enclosed in a sack, and fired out of a common mortar. It was invented by an officer at Toulon. See [Carcasses.]
Sec. XXXVI. Of Balloons of Grenades, of Bombs, and of Flints or Stone.
Balloons of this kind are cases, or sacks, made sufficiently large, containing powder, and enclosing grenades, shells, and stones.
The balloon of grenades holds twelve charged grenades, containing different quantities of powder. They are finished like powder sacks, and corded with small cord, twine, or thread. The balloon of flints, river stones, or small pebbles, is made by enclosing these substances along with powder in a sack, as before stated. These balloons are employed for the defence of works, &c. See [Powder Sacks.]
The Ballon à Bombes, of the French, is the same. It is a bag, in which are placed beds of smaller bombs, that are charged and interlaid with gunpowder. The bag is put into another covering, that is pitched, with the neck closely tied up with pack thread, in which a fuse is fixed, as in ordinary bombs. The English say, that Colonel Shrapnel's invention of the spherical case shot, is of a superior kind. We purpose, therefore, to notice them in the following section.
Sec. XXXVII. Of Spherical Case-Shot.
Ordinary case shot is a tin case or cannister, filled with iron balls, so as to make up the weight of the shot. The balls are seldom less than 11/4 oz, in weight. Little effect is to be expected from firing case shot beyond 300 yards, from the very great divergency of the balls. The following summary of the effects and advantages of this species of shot, which, as invented by Col. Shrapnel, is called the Shrapnel shell, will be sufficient for our purpose. It is extracted from a book lately published.