A System of Pyrotechny / Comprehending the theory and practice, with the application of chemistry; designed for exhibition and for war.

by James Cutbush

1. The constituent principles of nitre; its generation, and the theories respecting it. In this article, the composition of nitric acid and its union with potassa, and the production of artificial nitre, are taken into view.

2. Nitrous earths, and substances which yield saltpetre. This subject comprehends a view of the substances, which contain saltpetre, as well as those which afford it by nitrification.

3. The preparation of the substances to produce saltpetre. This article relates to the manipulations required for the production of nitre.

4. The manner of lixiviating saltpetre earths. The lixiviation is an important part of the process, however simple it may appear; as upon its accuracy depends the quantity of the product.

5. The treatment of the different waters (lixiviums) with potash, sulphate of potassa, and wood-ashes. This article points out the use of potash in decomposing the earthy salts, such as nitrate of lime; of sulphate of potassa, which converts the nitrate of lime by double decomposition into nitrate of potassa, the sulphate of lime being precipitated; and of wood-ashes, which act in the same manner as potash, as they contain this alkali.

6. The evaporation of saltpetre waters, and the crystallization of nitre. In this article, they consider the separation of foreign alkaline salts, as muriate of soda, and the crystallization of the nitre, to obtain it in a state of purity.

7. The treatment of the mother water of crystallization. This article refers to the manner of using the mother water, in order to obtain more nitre from it, and its employment in lieu of fresh water for other lixiviums.

8. The refining of saltpetre by the old process. They describe here the old process, in which a variety of substances were used to purify the saltpetre, but which is now generally abandoned, or laid aside.

9. The process of refining saltpetre, as adopted in the establishments of the administration. Under this head they give, in detail, the process employed throughout France, as uniform and the same, in every refinery.