Fig. 113

A horizontal wheel, with mine and roman candles; the cases on the wheel are to be tied so that some play horizontally; some, obliquely upwards; some, obliquely downwards. To make a case play thus, tie it on the wheel, across the middle of the case; this being done, turn the mouth upwards or downwards, and tie it again, making the strings cross the previous ones, so as to form a letter X.

Fig. 114

A turning sun: two concentric hoops nailed to spokes, or a frame; the cases lying on the hoops, slope; 3 or 4 may light at once; the spokes carry triangular, or vertical wheels; at the centre is a double triangular, or larger vertical.

Fig 114 10

Fig. 115

A rayonant star piece: a wheel with six spokes; at the end of each spoke, two fixed cases, forming a V, the alternate spokes carrying saxons; at the centre, a double triangular, half-way between the triangles and the saxons, six five-pointed stars. A very beautiful piece.

Fig. 116

A chequer-piece: a true-lovers-knot in the middle, 16 fixed cases, 4 on each side the true-lover's-knot; and 4 saxons at the extremities. The fires cross, and chequer into squares.

Fig. 117

A scroll wheel: six or more cases on the wheel, to play in pairs; lances arranged on cane or hooping to form a scroll as indicated.

Fig. 118

A pyramidical piece: a scroll wheel in the middle; five horizontal wheels, or triangulars, at intervals, as represented by the rings; brilliant fixed cases playing obliquely upwards: at the bottom may be a row of cases playing downwards; these form what is called a cascade. Gerbes make the most effective cascades, but they require to be placed at a great height from the ground, if containing iron: the coke grains will be found suited for 8 or 10 feet.

Fig. 119

A spiral wheel: six cases on a horizontal wheel; lances arranged in a spiral, on cane, or hooping.

Fig. 120

A true-lover's-knot: six 6/8 wheel cases, playing in pairs; three saxons, one carrying a blue; one, a green; one, a crimson colour. Light at a; this leader blows across, and lights the opposite starting case. The tail of this case lights the saxons: the ends of the saxons at c, c, c, before enveloping them, are to be smeared with meal; the end, b, is also to be smeared with wetted meal, to insure the ignition of the leader. This is a most beautiful piece: the colours, on the saxons, form loops, and represent, in a slight degree, the compound motions of the moon and planets, with regard to the earth. The centres of the saxons are carried round in a circle, like the earth in her orbit; the colours on the saxons revolve round the flying centres, like the moon round the earth. The wheel must not be less than 3 feet diameter.

Fig 120 11

Fig. 121. A Revolving Globe

This is, also, a most beautiful piece. The bottom is a horizontal wheel, carrying a strong half hoop, a b c; a skeleton globe, formed with hoops, is suspended in this. This globe is driven by cases placed upon it, round a hoop, crossing the other hoops, at right angles, like the equator, at right angles to the meridians. The meridional hoops are covered with lances, white or coloured. The globe revolves vertically, while the wheel below turns it horizontally; the compound motion produces a peculiar oblique tumbling convolution, exceedingly perplexing to spectators, ignorant of its construction. Instead of a globe, the top piece may be a revolving cylinder.

Fig. 122. A Mine

Fig 122 A Mine 12

This is a cylindrical case, containing serpents. The bottom of the mine should be a circular piece of wood, glued in. On it, place a circular bag, containing F grain powder. The bag is made with two circular pieces of paper, one half-an-inch diameter larger than the other; lay the small one on the top of the large one: paste, or gum, the exposed rim of the bottom piece, and bend it up, and press it down on the small or top piece, all round, leaving a part through which to put the powder; when dry, put in the powder, and stop up the hole. Put it into the mine, smear it with the brush, dipped into meal paste, in the usual way; and, with a pepper-box, shake in a little dry meal. Take a fixed case, charged; envelop it, so that the paper projects about an inch at the bottom: take a piece of squib-case, the same length as the serpents; put through it a piece of match, long enough to protrude at the top, half-an-inch, and to bend over, to form a hook: tie this in the envelope of the fixed case. Fill the mine with serpents, naked primed mouth downwards: with the scissors, or a pair of pliers, draw out the middle serpent; put in the matched squib-case; hold the fixed case upright, in the mine, and ram pieces of torn paper tight round it, to offer resistance, and cause the serpents to be blown higher.

To adjust the blowing powder in the bag, use the following formula, I denoting the diameter in inches.

1x2 1=drams.

Required the quantity of powder for a mine 1½\ inch diameter.

1½ x 3=4½ drams = ¼ oz.

For 1¾ inches? - 1¾ x 3½ =7/4 x 7/2 = 49/8 =6 1/8 drams = 3/8 oz.

For 2 inches? - 2 x 4=8 drams = ½ oz.

For 2½ inches? - 2½ x 5 = 12½ drams = ¾ oz.

For 3 inches? - 3 x 6 = 18 drams = 1 1/8 oz.

It is by no means necessary to be exact; but the formula will serve as a guide.

Fig. 123. A Jack-In-The-Box

This is a case formed on a square prism of wood. The paper is to be pasted all over, but as it cannot be rolled, it must be folded over, one side at a time, and rubbed smooth with a tooth-brush handle, or pressed with the fingers. The bottom may be formed by bending in, to a right angle, two opposite sides, and pressing them flat; then, upon them, the two remaining sides, like packets of cocoa, etc. Or a square piece of wood may be glued in for a bottom. The same blowing charge as for mines.