The Florence tribune., 1897-09-18
ART OF PYROTECHNICS.
Fancy Fireworks Were Made Two
 Centuries Ago.
But the More Artistic Kinds Are of Recent Origin-England Ks the Greatest Producer
 of All Nations.

The day on which the Declaration of American Independence was signed it is likely that in all Philadelphia there was not one timid torpedo or one fig zing firecracker and that the clumsy fintlock pistols of the day were too un- safe for anyone to use who was not forced to. The celebrating was done by the grown follks.''
 In 1897 sso.0oo was expended by the English in celebrating the peace of Ryswick and in f74s the treaty of Aix- la-Chapelle was occasion for a aeman- stration which equaled the previous one The centennial anniversary of the reigning family of Britain was eel ebrated in 1874 by 3 great blaze of ire works. Still further back, several cen turies before Christ, Greek fire was a common weapon of warfare, vessels be- ing equipped with contrivance for throwing barrels full of this almost un- quencbable flame at antagonists and it being also employed in the storming ! of Notifications. This is believed to be the germ from which the pyrotechnics of the Europeans have sprung, for al- though the Chinese thousands of years ago burned their fingers with fireworks credit is not due them for the thousand and one rattle-ti-bang whirring sizzing devices that wake us at early dawn on Independence day, drive dogs into the quiet and seclusion of the cellar and cause nervous prostration among timid mammas and horses.
 Two hundred years ago European ingenuity had surpassed the mildly ex- hilarating popping toys which in China make their appearance in such profu sion at the new year. One John Bab- ington, an English gunner and stu dent in mathematician as he sub on the art of pyrotechnics, planned and executed some very creditable rockets and pinwheels. In his book he de scribes in glowing phrase the possi- bilities of the fiery things, and though his imagination went farther on the subject than did his skill his prophe- sies are much more than fulfilled, for such an array of improved "nigger- chasers," sophisticated fire pots and superrefned Roman candles was never spread out, hung and stacked up be- fore the wistful eyes of the unsuitable small boy as is this year. Notwith- standing that fireworks by no means primitive were used 200 years ago, the , art of coIoring the flames in rainbow hues is hut 30 or 40 years old. Charcoal and zinc iu the szplosive compounds produce the glowing sparks; antimony and tin, white flame; mercury and cop per, blue; soda, yellow; strontium, red, and chiorates, green.
 | England remains the greatest manu-; facturer of fireworks, notwithstanding the strides which the United States has made in late years. The manufactur- ing is done, not in great factory build ings, but for safety in small houses 50 feet apart, and the greatest care is exercised to prevent smoking or the carrying of matches about the prem ises, there being statutory penalty of ten pounds sterling for any such of fense; and no more material is issued from the magazine to each crew than is needed for each days needs. The en- tire world is the buyer from John Bull and Uncle Sam of these noisy jimcracks and umptarrarra toys-even the Chi nese, for when they want any really fine fireworks they send to England or to the home of the American small boy and Hand of the free" for them.-Chi- capn News