Light-barrel.—A light barrel is a common powder barrel pierced with numerous holes, and filled with shavings that have been soaked in a composition of pitch and rosin; it serves to light up a breach, or the bottom of a ditch.
Fireworks.—Ornamental fireworks are divided into fixed pieces, movable pieces, decorative pieces, and preparations for communicating fire from one part of a piece to another. The different effects are produced by modifying the proportions of the ingredients of the burning composition, so as to quicken or retard combustion, or by introducing substances that give color and brilliancy to the flame. The fixed pieces are [lances], [petards], [gerbes], flames, etc.
Lances.—These are small paper tubes filled with a composition which emits a brilliant light in burning. See [Lance a Feu].
[Petard].—Petards are small paper cartridges filled with powder.
Gerbe.—Gerbes are strong paper tubes or cases filled with a burning composition. The ends are tamped with moist plaster of Paris or clay. The movable pieces are [sky-rockets], [tourbillions], [Saxons], [jets], [Roman candles], [paper shells], etc.
Sky-rocket.—Sky-rockets are the same as the signal-rockets before described, except that the composition is arranged to give out a more brilliant train of fire. Composition: 122 parts mealed powder, 80 parts nitre, 40 parts sulphur, and 40 parts cast-iron filings.
Tourbillion.—The tourbillion is a case filled with sky-rocket composition, and which moves with an upward spiral motion.
Saxon.—The Saxon is similar to the tourbillion; it has the appearance of a revolving sun.
Jets.—Jets are rocket-cases filled with a burning composition; they are attached to the circumference of a wheel, or the end of a movable arm, to set it in motion.
Roman candles.—A Roman candle is a strong paper tube containing stars, which are successively thrown out by a small charge of powder placed under each star. A slow-burning composition is placed over each star to prevent its taking fire at once.