Pyro-tech′nics.
Preparations of inflammable material are used in making cascades of fire or explosions for signals or as expressions of rejoicing.
Fire-works are of
Oriental origin.
The
Chinese and
Japanese still excel in their production.
The “
Yokohama Herald” describes the effects produced at an exhibition of Japanese daylight fire-works These consisted principally of bombs which, exploding high in the air, discharged variously colored jets of smoke, and sometimes large parachutes which assumed the figures of fishes, snakes, or birds, which hovered kite-like and motionless in the air for an incredibly long time.
Occasionally they took the shape of cottages, temples, human beings, trees, and flowers, and various other forms.
The smoke figures were, however, the most amusing.
One of those most frequently attempted was a cuttle-fish, with a body of thick black smoke, and arms of lighter hues.
Though the smoke was soon dissipated by the wind, the resemblance for a few moments was very striking.
Our artificers do not possess the secret of making fire-works such as these, their efforts being confined to the production of variously colored fires for exhibition at night.
The basis for nearly all pyrotechnic compositions consists of niter, sulphur, and charcoal in varied proportions pulverized and mixed with some material which imparts color to the flame.
The nitrate of strontia produces a red light; nitrate of soda, yellow: sulphate of copper, blue; nitrate of baryta, green, Steel, iron, copper, and zinc filings are used for producing brilliant sparks of various colors.
Besides these, numerous other substances are used for producing different tints, most of which may be found in works on pyrotechny, though many artists in this line claim to have secret compounds or processes for producing peculiarly brilliant flames.
The compositions are formed into small pieces called stars, for insertion in rockets and bombs, or are driven into paper cases which are attached to light frameworks of wood or bamboo for stationary fire-works.
See under the following heads:
| Automatic fire. | Marron. |
| Bengal-light. | Match. |
| Blazing-comet. | Mosaic. |
| Blue-light. | Palm-tree. |
| Brilliant. | Pitched fascine. |
| Carcass. | Portfire. |
| Cascade. | Quick-match. |
| Catherine-wheel. | Revolving sun. |
| Chinese fire. | Rocket. |
| Colored fire. | Rock-fire. |
| Congreve-rocket. | Roman candle. |
| Cracker. | Serpent. |
| Detonating-powder. | Shell. |
| Fire-ball. | Shower. |
| Fixed star. | Signal-rocket. |
| Fixed sun. | Silver-rain. |
| Fulminating-powder. | Slow-match. |
| Fuse. | Squib. |
| Gold-rain. | Star. |
| Greek fire. | Stink-ball. |
| Incendiary compound. | Sun-case. |
| Incendiary shell. | Tarred link. |
| Lance. | Tourbillon. |
| Leader. | Wheel-case. |
| Light-ball |
