2056. Golden Rain

2056.    Golden Rain. Mealed powder, 4 ounces; saltpetre, 1 pound; sulphur,4 ounces; brass filings, 1 ounce; sawdust, 21/4 ounces; glass powder, 6 drachms.

2057. Silver Rain

2057.     Silver Rain. Mealed powder, 2 ounces; saltpetre, 4 ounces; sulphur, 1 ounce; steel dust, £ ounce.

2058. Trailed Stars for Rockets and Roman Candles

2058.     Trailed Stars for Rockets and Roman Candles. Saltpetre, 4 ounces; sulphur, 6 ounces; sulphate of antimony, 2 ounces; resin, 4 ounces. With sparks Mealed powder, 1 ounce; saltpetre, 1 ounce; camphor, 2 ounces. Other receipts for stars suitable for rocket garniture will be found under the head of " Colored Fires." (See No. 2065 (Colored Fires), etc..)

2059. To Prepare Touch Paper

2059. To Prepare Touch Paper. Soak unglazed paper in a solution of nitre in vinegar or water. The stronger the solution, the faster will it burn. A good plan is to dip it in a weak solution, dry it, try it, and if it burns too slowly, make the solution stronger and dip it again to make it burn faster.

2060. To Make Quick Match

2060.    To Make Quick Match. Quick match is made by immersing lamp-wick in a solution of saltpetre with meal powder, winding it on a frame, and afterwards dusting with meal powder. To 28 ounces cotton, take saltpetre, 1 pound; alcohol, 2 quarts; water, 3 quarts; solution of isinglass (1 ounce to the pint), 3 gallons ; mealed powder, 10 pounds.

2061. Inextinguishable Match

2061.    Inextinguishable Match. Take 4 parts dry nitre, 2 gunpowder, 2 charcoal, and 1 sulphur, and mix them; then ram the compound into paper cases 9 inches in length and of the thickness of a common quill. When this composition is inflamed, rain will not extinguish it; the burning end of the match must be cut off to stay the fire.

2062. To Make Roman Candles

2062.    To Make Roman Candles. The cases for Roman candles are, not choked, but well secured at the bottom with clay. A small charge of gunpowder is first introduced, then a star, followed by a charge of composition (see No. 2063 (Composition for Roman Candles)); these are gently rammed down, and the same routine of gunpowder, star, and composition, is repeated until the case is full. Lastly, prime and close with touch paper. The stars are flat cylinders of a paste composition, cut to fit the bore of the case, and having a hole bored in their centre to allow the fire to pass through to the charge behind them. The stars which are nearest to the mouth of the case should fit a little tightly, and gradually a little more loosely as they are further from the mouth. The charges of powder behind them should also decrease by degrees as their position is further from the mouth of the case. It is also advisable to put a loose wad of one thickness of paper, with a hole in the centre, between each star and the gunpowder behind it.