2107. White Fire

2107.    White Fire. The following mixture we recommend as the very best for white fights, being unsurpassed in brilliancy and power by any other:

Saltpetre, 18 parts; sulphur, 10 parts; black sulphuret of antimony, 3 parts; burnt lime, 4 parts. The sulphur is used in the form of flowers previously dried; the lime is not to be slacked, but must be finely powdered ; it must be fresh, and be powdered immediately before use. All other mixtures for white fires have either a, bluish tinge or contain deleterious ingredients, which render them at least unsuitable for indoor use. Of the latter class we will mention only one: Saltpetre, 12 parts; sulphur, 4 parts; sulphite of tin, 1 part. Two other mixtures deserve mention, though not equal to the last:

I.  Saltpetre, 48 parts; sulphur, 131/4 parts; sulphide of sodium, 71/4 parts; and

II.  Saltpetre, 64 parts; sulphur, 21 parts; gunpowder, 15 parts.

2108. Blue Fire

2108.    Blue Fire. The only mixture to be relied on, though the light is not purely blue, but bluish white, is the following: Saltpetre, 12 parts; sulphur, 4 parts; black sulphuret of antimony, 1 part.

2109. Bed Fire

2109.    Bed Fire. The following mixture is the best in use; its composition may be altered by various admixtures :

I.  Nitrate of strontia, 13 parts; sulphur, 1 part; powder dust, 1 part. The latter ingredient is prepared from fine gunpowder, rubbed up carefully in a mortar and then sifted through a hair sieve. Another receipt is :

II.  Nitrate of strontia, 24 parts; chlorate of potassa, 16 parts; stearine, 4 parts; powdered charcoal, 1 part. In using chlorate of potassa the precautions given in No. 2124 must be strictly observed, and all pounding and rubbing avoided.

III.  Nitrate of strontia, 20 parts; chlorate of potassa, 4 parts; sulphur, 5 parts; black sulphuret of antimony, 2 parts; powdered charcoal, 1 part. Gives a very, strong light. The nitrate of strontia for these fires, as the ingredients for all others, must be well, but carefully dried. (See No. 2065 (Colored Fires).;

2110. Yellow Fire

2110.    Yellow Fire. This color, which is very little used, is produced by the following mixture: Nitrate of soda, 48 parts; sulphur, 16 parts; black sulphuret of antimony, 4 parts; powdered charcoal, 1 part.

2111. Green Fires

2111.    Green Fires. The coloring ingredients for these lights are the salts of baryta. The color is generally not very deep.

L Nitrate of baryta, 45 parts; sulphur, 10 parts; chlorate of potassa, 20 parts; calomel,

2 parts; lampblack, 1 part.

II. -Nitrate of baryta, 60 parts; chlorate of potassa, 18 parts; sulphur, 22 parts.

III.  Chlorate of baryta, 3 parts; sulphur, 1 part.

IV. Chlorate of baryta, 24 parts; stearin,

3 parts ; sugar of milk, 1 part. V. Chlorate of baryta, 3 parts; sugar of milk, 1 part.