Nothing adds more to the appearance of fireworks, than the placing them properly; though the manner of placing them chiefly depends on the judgment of the maker. I shall give such rules here, as have been generally observed; for example, whether your works are to be fired on a building, or on stands; if they are a double set, place one wheel of a sort on each side of the building, and next to each of them towards the center, place a fixed piece, then wheels, and so on, leaving a sufficient distance between them, for the fire to play from one without burning the other; having fixed some of your works thus in front, place the rest behind them, in the center of their intervals; the largest piece, which is generally a regulated or transparent piece, must be placed in the center of the building, and behind it a sun, which must always stand above all the other works: a little before the building or stands place your large gerbes, and at the back of the works, fix your marron batteries, pots des aigrettes, pots des brins, pots des saucissons, air ballóóns, and flights of rockets; the rocket stands may be fixed behind or any where else, so as not to be in the way of the works.
Single collections are fired on stands, which stands are made in the same manner as theodolite stands, only the top part must be long or short occasionally; these sort of stands may be fixed up very soon without much trouble. Having given sufficient instructions for placing of fireworks, I shall proceed with the manner of firing them.
Order of Firing.
When water-works are to be exhibited, divide them into several sets, and fire one set after every fifth or sixth change of land and air-works; and observe this rule in firing in a double set of works, always to begin with sky-rockets, then two moveable pieces, then two fix’d pieces, and so on, ending with a large flight of rockets, or a marron battery; if a single collection, fire a fixed piece after every wheel or two, and now and then some air and water-works.
Fountain of Sky-Rockets.
[Plate 6th.] Fig. 1st, represents a fountain of thirty rockets; let A, be a perpendicular post, sixteen feet high from the ground, and four inches square. Let the rail or cross piece C, be one foot six inches in length, three inches broad, and one thick. The rail D, at bottom, must be six feet in length, one foot broad, and an inch thick. F, and G, are the two sides which serve to supply the rails D, E, H, I, C; these sides are one foot broad at bottom, and cut in the front with a regular slope, to three inches at top, but their back edges must be parallel with the front of the pots A. The breadth of the rails E, H, I, will be determined by the breadth of the sides; all the rails must be fixed at two feet distance from each other, and at right angles with the pots; having placed the rails thus; bore in the bottom rail, ten holes at equal distances from each other, large enough to receive easily the stick of a one pound rocket; in the back edge of this rail cut a groove from one end to the other, fit to contain a quick-match, then cut a groove in the top of the rail, from the edge of each hole, into the groove in the back; in the same manner cut in the second rail E, eight holes and grooves; in the third rail H, six holes and grooves; in the fourth rail I, four holes and grooves; and in the top rail two holes and grooves; B, a rail with holes in it to guide the ends of the rocket sticks, this rail must be fixed six feet from the rail D; the fountain frame being thus made, prepare your rockets thus; tie round the mouth of each a piece of thin paper, large enough to go twice round, and to project about an inch and a half from the mouth of the rocket, which must be rubbed with wet meal-powder; in the mouth of each Rocket put a leader, which secure well with the paper that projects from the mouth of the case; these leaders must be carried into the grooves in the back of the rails, in which lay a quick-match from one end to the other, and cover it with pasted paper; holes must be made in the rail D, to receive the ends of the sticks of the rockets, in the rail E, and so on to the fourth rail, so that the sticks of the rockets at top, will go through all the rails; the rockets being so prepared, fix a gerbe or white flower-pot on each rail before the post, with their mouths inclining a little forwards; these gerbes must be lighted all at once; behind or before each gerbe, fix a case of brilliant or slow fire, these cases must be filled so that they may burn out one after the other, to regulate the fountain, which may be done by carrying a leader, from the end of each slow or brilliant fire, into the groove in the back of each rail; different size rockets may be used in these fountains, but it will be best to fill the heads of the rockets on each rail with different sorts of things, in this manner, those at top with crackers, the next with rains, the third with serpents, the fourth with tailed stars, and the last flight with common or brilliant stars.
Palm-Tree.
This piece, though made of common fires, and of a simple construction, has a very pleasing effect; owing to the fires intersecting so often, that they resemble the branches of trees. [Fig. 2d.] let A, be a perpendicular post of any thickness so that it be sufficiently strong to hold the cases; let the distance from B to C, be two feet six inches, and from C to D, two feet six inches, and let the length of each cross piece be two feet; on each end of each, fix a five pointed star, then fix on pegs made on purpose, twelve inch half pound cases of brilliant fire, as in the figure, all the cases and stars, must be fired at one time; this piece should be fixed high from the ground.
Illuminated Pyramid, with Archimedian Screws, a Globe and Vertical Sun.