| No. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire barrels, filled with composition | 8 | ||||
| Iron chambers, to blow open the ports | 12 | ||||
| Composition for priming barrels | 3 | ¹⁄₂ | |||
| Quick, match do. | 1 | ||||
| Curtains, dipped | 48 | ||||
| Reeds, long, single dipped | 150 | ||||
| Do. short | - | double dipped | 75 | ||
| single dipped | 75 | ||||
| Bavins, single dipped | 250 | ||||
The fire barrels are about 2 feet 4 inches high, and 1 foot 6 inches diameter. Each barrel must have four holes of about 6 inches square cut in its sides; and these holes must have a square piece of canvass nailed over them quite close. They are then filled with the same composition as for carcasses, and 4 plugs of about 1 inch diameter and 3 inches long, and well greased are thrust into the top, and then left to dry. When dry, these plugs are taken out and the holes driven with fuze composition and quick match at the top; which goes from one hole to the other: after this the top is smeared over with mealed powder mixed up with spirits of wine. When dry again a sheet or two of brown paper is laid over the top, and then one of the canvass covers, which is made secure by the upper hoop of the barrel.
Composition for dipping Reeds, Bavins, and Curtains.
| lbs. | |
|---|---|
| Rosin | 120 |
| Coarse Sulphur | 90 |
| Pitch | 60 |
| Tallow | 6 |
| Mealed powder | 12 |
This proportion will dip about 100 reeds and 25 bavins.
Each curtain contains 1 square yard of barras.
Each cover for fire barrels 1 do. of sacking.
Immediately that the curtains, covers, &c. are dipped, they are to be strewed over with fine brimstone, before the composition grows cold.
The iron chambers, for blowing open the ports, hold from 9 to 11 ounces of powder. They are fixed in such a manner as to prevent their recoil, and to ensure the ports being blown open. The vents are generally corked up, and covered with a piece of barras, till required to be primed.
To fit out a fire ship. The whole breadth of the fire room is to be divided into 9 parts, and troughs laid the whole length of the room. Cross troughs of communication are laid between them, about 20 in each row, perpendicular to the long troughs. These troughs are usually 4 inches wide, and 4 deep. There are two fire trunks and two fire scuttles on each side, under which the eight fire barrels are to be placed.