Artificial fire-works

by Robert Jones

Of Benjamin.

Benjamin is a resin (much used by perfumers, and sometimes in medicine); it is brought from the Indies, where it is found of different sorts; and distinguished by the following colours, viz. yellow, grey, and brown, but the best is that which is easy to break and full of white spots.

Benjamin is also one of the ingredients in odoriferous fireworks, when reduced to a fine flour; which may be done by observing the following directions. Put into a deep, and narrow earthen pot, three or four ounces of benjamin grossly pounded, cover the pot with paper, which tie very close round the edge; then set the pot on a slow fire, and once in an hour take off the paper, and you will find some flower sticking to it, which return again in the pot; this you must continue till the flower appears white and fine. There is also an oil of benjamin, which is sometimes drawn from the dregs of the flour; it affords a very good scent, and may be used in wet compositions.

Of Gun-powder and its original.

Gun-powder being a principal ingredient in fireworks, it will not be improper to give a short definition of its strange explosive force, and cause of action, which, according to Dr. Shaw’s opinion, of the chemical cause of the explosive force of gun-powder, is as follows. “Each grain of powder consisting of a certain proportion of sulphur, nitre, and coal, the coal presently takes fire, upon contact of the smallest spark: at which time both the sulphur and the nitre immediately melt, and by means of the coal interposed between them, burst into flame; which spreading from grain to grain, propagates the same effect almost instantaneously: whence the whole mass of powder comes to be fired; and as nitre contains both a large proportion of air and water, which are now violently rarified by the heat, a kind of fiery explosive blast is thus produced, wherein the nitre seems, by its aqueous and aërial parts, to act as bellows to the other inflammable bodies, sulphur and coal, to blow them into a flame, and carry off their whole substance in smoke and vapour.”

After having spoke of the nature of powder, I shall in the next place proceed to its original, though somewhat uncertain; but it is imagined to have been invented in the time of Alexander the great, as Philostratus speaks of a city near the river Hypasis in the Indies, that was said to be impregnable and its inhabitants relations of the gods, because they thew thunder and lightning on their enemies; but this perhaps might be the effect of gun-powder, which, not being known by any other people, might very well be said to be thunder and lightning.

This conjecture has been confirmed by some travellers, who assert that it was used in the East Indies, particularly in the Philippine Islands about the year 85, which is 1265 years before it was known in Europe, where they say it was not known till 1350, though, it is said, there is mention made of gunpowder in the registers of the chambers of accounts in France, as early as the year 1338, and Friar Bacon mentions the composition of powder in express terms, in his treatise De nullitate magiae, published at Oxford in the year 1216; but we find from most accounts, that the Germans have the honour of the invention, as is commonly reported.

I should give a description of a machine for the trying of gun powder, but they being so common, it would be needless; yet, would have all those who practice this art, know, that, when they make sky rockets with powder, that it must be of the best sort; but as to wheels, and other common works, any powder will do, only be careful that it is quite dry.

Of the Compositions for Gun-powder of different sorts.

Having treated of the nature of powder, and its original, I shall here give the proportion of each ingredient, necessary for composing the different sorts of gun-powder, it being proper that every one who makes use of powder, should know of what it is composed. Therefore in the first place; I shall set down the several compositions mentioned In Casimir Siemienowicz’s grand art of artillery, in which there are six sorts, viz.