Of Artificial Fire-works for Recreation, there are three general sorts, viz. Those that ascend or mount in the Air. Those that consume on the Earth: And such as burn on the Water. And these are again divided into three Particulars, viz. For the Air, the Sky-Rocket, the flying Saucisson, and Balloon: For the Earth, the Ground-Rocket, the fiery Lances, and the Saucissons descendent. For the Water-Globes or Balls, double Rockets, and
single Rockets; and of these in their particular Orders, to make them, and such other Matters as may occur relating to Fire-works.
But before I enter particularly on them, it will not be amiss to give the Unlearned Instructions for making his Moulds for Rockets, &c.
This Mould must be of a substantial piece of Wood, well season'd, and not subject to split or warp; and first the Caliber or Bore of it, being an Inch in Diameter; the Mould must be six Inches long, and Breech an Inch and half; the Broach that enters into the Choaking part, three Inches and a half long, and in Thickness a quarter of an Inch. The Rowler on which you wrap the Paper or Paste board, being three quarters of an Inch Diameter, and the Rammer somewhat less, that it may easily pass and re-pass, made hollow to receive the Broach; for the Cartoush Coffin must be filled with the Materials, the Broach being in.
If the Bore be two Inches Diameter, the Rocket must be twelve Inches in Length: If an inch and a half in Bore, then nine Inches Long, and so proportionably to any other Diameter. The Cartoush or Case must be either strong Paper or fine Paste-board, choaked within an Inch and a quarter of the Top, rowled on the Rowler with a thin Paste, to keep the Doublings the higher together, that it may have the greater force and higher flight. Having thus far considered your Mould and Cartoush or Case, I proceed to the Composition and filling part, &c.
A Sky-Rocket, how to make it, &c.
In the Composition of your filling Materials be very cautious that you exceed not the just
Proportion, for which I shall give Directions to be a Standard in this case, viz. Having beat a Pound of Powder very fine, and sifted it through a Lawn Sieve that no whole Corns remain in it; do the like by two Ounces of Charcole; then sift them together, so that they may mix well, which done, fill a small Rocket with this Mixture, and if it break in Mounting before it come to the supposed height, or burns out too fierce, then is there too much Powder, and more fine sifted Charcole must be added; but if there be too much Charcole in the Composition, then upon tryal it will not ascend, or very little.
Observe in charging your Rocket, at every quarter of an ounce of Ingredients or thereabouts, you ram it down very hard, forcing your Rammer with a wooden Mallet, or some weighty piece of Wood, but no Iron or Stone, for fear any Sparkles of Fire fly out and take your Combustible Matter; so fill it by degrees: If you design neither to place Stars, Quills, or small Rockets on its Head, you may put in about an Inch and a half of dry Powder for the Bounce, but if you are to place the fore-mention'd things on the Head of a great Rocket, you must close down the Paper or Paste-board very hard, and prick two or three holes with a Bodkin, that it may give fire to them when it Expires, placing a large Cartoush or Paste-board on the head of the Rocket, into which you must put the Stars or small Rockets, Paper-Serpents, or Quill-Serpents; of which I shall speak more hereafter.
Note further, That if you would have your Rocket sparkle much, you must put some grosly bruised Salt peter into the Composition; but then it must not lie long before it be let off, for