Composition

—For the composition of Fuzes, Portfires, Tubes, Carca es, see those words. Composition for Kitt. | lbs. | | | Rosin | 9 | | | Pitch | 6 | | | Beeswax | 6 | | | Tallow | 1 | | | For Fire Balls, 1794. | | lbs. | oz. | | Rosin | 5 | 8 | | | Sulphur | 3 | 0 | | | Alum powder | 1 | 8 | | | Starch, Do. | 0 | 8 | | | Saltpetre | 4 | 6 | | | Mealed powder | 8 | 0 | | | Linseed oil | ¹⁄₄ | pint | | Oil of spike | 1 | pint. | | Bengal Lights. First Composition. | | lbs. | oz. | | Saltpetre | 7 | 0 | | | Sulphur | 1 | 12 | | | Red orpiment | 0 | 1 | | | Second Composition. | | lbs. | oz. | | Saltpetre | 2 | 4 | | | Sulphur | 0 | 8 | | | Antimony | 0 | 4 | | | Orpiment | 0 | 1 | ¹⁄₂ | | Light Balls. | | Nitre | 40 | parts | | Sulphur | 15 | | | Antimony | 3 | | | Pitch | 3 | | This composition to be carefully fused, and cast into the shape of balls, which when cold will be sufficiently hard to be fired from a small mortar. Composition for Suffocating Pots . | Sulphur | 6 | parts | | Nitre | 5 | | | This composition when intimately mixed, to be rammed into wooden boxes, and primed in the usual way. This composition will answer for fumigation. Chinese , or White Light . | Nitre | from | 50 | to | 60 | parts. | | Sulphur | 16 | to | 20 | | | Antimony | 5 | | | Orpiment | 8 | to | 10 | | For Smoke Balls . | lbs. | | | | Corned powder | 10 | | | Saltpetre | 2 | | | Pitch | 4 | | | Seacoal | 3 | | | Tallow | 1 | | For Fire Hoops , Fire Arrows , and Fire Lances . | lbs. | oz. | | Mealed powder | 1 | 0 | | | Saltpetre | 3 | 0 | | | Flour of Sulphur | 0 | 8 | | | Linseed oil | ¹⁄₂ | pint. | Composition to fill cases for setting fire to Fascine Batteries . | lbs. | oz. | | Mealed powder | 1 | 4 | | | Saltpetre | 6 | 0 | | | Sulphur | 1 | 8 | | All dry compositions must be well mixed; first by the hands, and then pa ed several times through fine hair sieves, that the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated. In mixing compositions which require fire, the greatest precautions are nece ary; particularly in those where gunpowder enters. The dry parts of the composition may in general be mixed together first, and put by degrees into the cauldron, while the other ingredients are fluid, being well stirred all the time of putting in. When the dry ingredients are inflammable, the cauldron must not only be taken off the fire, but the bottom must be dipt in water, to prevent the po ibility of accident while mixing them.