Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-11-17
REWORKS.

A popular belief exists that the
pyrotechnic art is due to the ingenuity
OF the Chinese, and, while this is true
in the main, they have improved very
little in the production sent to this
country.
The explosive nature of saltpetre
mixed with charcoal was apparently
known to the Chinese many centuries
before the Christian era, and fireworks
of various kinds were used by them at
an early date.
Ancient Greeks and Romans threw
in warfare arrows and other projectiles,
carrying combustible material con-
tanning sulphur and pitch which was
almost unextinguishable by water.
In the fourteenth century, this So
called "Greek fire" was used through
out western Europe. Horsemen fought
with this fire attached to long poles,
and tire-ships bore it upon long cranes
while a sort of car was rigged up to
project the fire into the enemy's
camps.
1t was 1906 before rockets were per-
fected and were used in warfare. In
that year they were employed in an
attack on Boulogne by the English.
In the form then used, each explosive
contained as much as ten.inch shell.
Rockets, however, now serve as
more humane purpose, being used in
saving life rather than destroying it.
They are used as signals between war
ships, and to convey lines from wreck
ing vessels to the shore, by which the
crew are enabled to make communica-
tion.
Signal rockets convey from twenty
to thirty colored stars, their cases be-
ing painted the color they will show
when burning. The light rocket car
ries in its head a single star OF mag
nesium - light composition which
burns for about fifteen seconds.
The average mind connects the use
of rockets with celebrations only, and
the tenacity with which the young
people cling to the Fourth of July as
the favorite OF all holidays, as well as
the preliminary purchasing and ex-
ploding OF fireworks, invite a solution
OF the question where all the fireworks
| come from, and how they are made.
The general principle which governs
their construction is the rapid evolu-
ton of gas. A rocket or pin-wheel,
when set alisht. produces gas with
sufficient rapidity to press against the
air, and compel it onward in its course.
The material of which fireworks are
made is not gunpowder, but gunpow-
der debased by the addition of ingre-
dients, which reduce its rate of COM
bustion.
Sulphur has been dropped except
for Illuminating purposes, and q COM
pound of seven parts of chlorate of
potash, with one part OF shellac, is
fair type of the favorite mixture. To
this "charge" is added the colored
mixture.
Stars form an important part in
pyrotechny. They are composed
mainly of chlorate of potash. and are
made up in various forms. The dry
composition is compressed into tiny
cylinders, or the wet paste is some
times spread on big board, and duly
smoothed and patted until of the right
thickness. 1t is then criss-crossed
into tiny squares, which, when dry,
are broken into stars.
Another important part of the work
is making of the paper or cases which
contain the combustibles. This is
generally made by layers pasted over
layers on a roll. Into these cases,
which, when finished, are astonishing
ly hard and solid, while only about
about half an inch thick, the charge
and the stars are packed.
For Roman candles the combusti.
bles are arranged in the following or
der: composition or white light, a
pinch of gunpowder, and star: this
is repeated until the case is full. AS
the composition ignites, it.burns down
and lights the star, and on this flame
reaching the gunpowder, the star is
shot out into the air.
There is considerable difference be.
tween these simple productions and
the elaborate "set pieces" These
consist mainly of complicated wheels
connected by hundreds of lances"-
the technical name for small tube
filled with ordinary composition.
Letters, figures and designs are all
made of these lances, which are ignited
by a string of quick match. This last
indispensable conductor is made OF
lamp cotton saturated in wet powder,
which has been reeled off and dried.
In this state it is only slow match, and
requires to be encased in a tube OF
white paper before it becomes quick.
Girls are usually employed to do this
work, as their fingers are very deft in
inserting the cotton in the paper.
Although fireworks factory is such
a busy place, it is an exceedingly quiet
one. There is no clang of machinery,
and although many hands are EN-