MORTARS.
These mortars must be made of pasteboard, with a small copper chamber at bottom, in which the powder is to be placed, on which the balloon is to be put. In the centre of the bottom of this chamber make a small hole a little down the foot: the hole must be met by another of the same size as the foot. Then putting a quick-match, or touch-string, of touch-paper, into the hole, your mortar will be ready to be fired.
To load Air Balloons with Stars, Serpents, &c., &c.—When you fill your shells, you must first put in the serpents, rains, &c., or whatever they are composed of, then the blowing powder; but the shells must not be quite filled. All those things must be put in at the fuse-hole, but marrons being too large to go in at the fuse-hole, must be put in before the inside shall be joined. When the shells are loaded, glue and drive in the fuses very tight. The number and quantities of each article for the different shells are as follows:
BALLOONS ILLUMINATED.
| oz. | |
| Meal-powder | 1 |
| Corn-powder | 0½ |
| Powder for the mortar | 2 |
1 oz. driven or rolled stars, or as many as will fill the shell.
BALLOONS OR SERPENTS.
| oz. | |
| Meal-powder | 1 |
| Corn-powder | 1 |
| Powder for the mortar | 2½ |
Aigrettes.
Mortars to throw aigrettes are generally made of pasteboard, of the same thickness as balloon mortars, and two diameters and a half long in the inside from the top of the foot: the foot must be made of elm without a chamber, but flat at top, and in the same proportions as those for balloon mortars; these mortars must also be bound round with a cord: sometimes eight or nine of these mortars, of about three or four inches diameter, are bound all together, so as to appear but one; but when they are made for this purpose, the bottom of the foot must be of the same diameter as the mortars, and only half a diameter high. The mortars being bound well together, fix them on a heavy solid block of wood. To load these mortars, first put on the inside bottom of each a piece of paper, and on it spread one ounce and a half of meal and corn-powder mixed; then tie the serpents up in parcels with quick-match, and put them in the mortar with their mouths downwards; but take care the parcels do not fit too tight in the mortars, and that all the serpents have been well primed with powder wetted with spirit of wine. On the top of the serpents in each mortar lay some paper or tow; then carry a leader from one mortar to the other all round, and then from all the outside mortars into that in the middle: these leaders must be put between the cases and the sides of the mortar, down to the powder at bottom: in the centre of the middle mortar fix a fire-pump, or brilliant fountain, which must be open at bottom, and long enough to project out of the mouth of the mortar; then paste papers on the tops of all the mortars.