The art of making fireworks, improved to the modern practice : from the minutest to the highest branches : containing plain and easy directions for mixing and preparing the ingredients, with instructions for making squibs, crackers, serpents, wheels, Roman candles, rockets, &c. as also for some highly curious aquatic fireworks.
- Date:
- [1840?]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The art of making fireworks, improved to the modern practice : from the minutest to the highest branches : containing plain and easy directions for mixing and preparing the ingredients, with instructions for making squibs, crackers, serpents, wheels, Roman candles, rockets, &c. as also for some highly curious aquatic fireworks. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![this if you can perceive any little hole in any of the seams, or other part of your balloon, cover it neatly over, and let it hang over a line to dry in the air; or, if in a room, not too near to the fire. When it is quite dry, paste a bit of thin wire round the bottom of the neck or mouth to keep it open, and put four cross wires, on the middle of which place your piece of sponge; then get half a gill of spirits of wine, dip your sponge into it and set fire to what remains in your cup, hold the mouth of the balloon over the spirits of wine, taking care not to hold it so close as to set fire to it; when you think it is filled enough, place your sponge in your wires, and set fire to that, and you will see your balloon ascend in a re¬ gular and pleasing irfanner. While the sponge in the mouth of the balloon continues to burn, it will, by pre¬ venting the air from mixing with the gas, continue to as¬ cend, but as soon as it becomes weakened, or expires, it will descend. To prevent its descending too soon, you should place your sponge some little way into the mouth or neck of your balloon; by which means, it will keep up so long as the spirits of wine continue to have the least strength. TfjT To make Thunder Powder. This is done with three ingredients, namely, three parts saltpetre, two parts salt of tartar, and one part of sulphur ; these are pounded and mixed together. If you take about six grains in a spoon, and warm it over a candle or fire, it will give a report like a cannon. Marroons. Formers of marroons, are from three-quarters of a» inch to one and a half diameter; cut the paper for the cases twice the diameter of the dormer board, and lon<, enough to go three times round; when you have rollee a case, paste down the edge, and tie one end close; the] with the former drive it down to take away the wrinkle; and make it flat at bottom; then fill the case with corn powder one diameter and a quarter high, and fold dowr the rest of the case tight on the powder. The marroon being thus made, wax some strong packthread with shoe, maker’s wax, this thread wind up into a ball; then un¬ wind two or three yards of it, and that part which is near the ball, make fast to a hook; then take a marroon and](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3038994x_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
