FOOTNOTES:[1]Nitric acidis a compound of azot, or impure air, and oxygen, or vital air, and is sometimes made by repeatedly passing electric shocks through a mixture of oxygenous and azotic gas.[2]Potash, or the vegetable alkali, is generally obtained from wood-ashes; but sometimes from the tartar, or from the lees of wine: what is used in England is generally imported from the north, where there is an abundance of wood, to allow of its being burnt for this purpose.This Nitrate of Potash exists in a natural state, but is generally in very small quantities. It is found at the surface of the ground in some parts of Persia and the East Indies, and is mostly united with a kind of yellowish marl, which they dig from the cliffs on the sides of hills, exposed to the northern and eastern winds.[3]Alumine, orclay; it is found of various degrees of purity, and mixed with a variety of other earths.[4]This is Lime combined with sulphuric acid; it is called Gypsum, plaster of Paris, plaster-stone, or selenite. It is very abundant in some parts of England, and the hills near Paris are chiefly composed of it.[5]Frompyr, fire, andlignum, wood; the acid obtained from the partial combustion of wood; this acid is used in calico printingas mordantsfor dark-coloured patterns.[6]The name given by chemists to the pure part of charcoal. It is said to be present in almost all combustible bodies, and is of itself entirely of that nature. When charcoal is burnt, its carbon unites with the oxygen of the air, and so much heat as to give it a gaseous form, and constitutes carbonic acid gas, or fixed air. The same gas is also obtained by the combustion of the diamond, proving that this precious and costly article is carbon or charcoal, in a very indurated state, and assuming a determinate form. It was not till lately that the diamond was proved to be combustible; but by means of the blow-pipe, and a stream of oxygen gas, it may be, to speak in common language, wholly consumed. The air that is extricated during the combustion, is carbonic acid gas, proving the diamond to have been chiefly, if not wholly, composed of carbon.Long before this fact respecting the diamond was ascertained, Sir Isaac Newton, reasoning from its great refracting power, declared it to be his opinion, that it was one of the most combustible of bodies. Modern discoveries have now proved the fact; and it affords us an admirable instance of the acumen of that great Philosopher.Popular Chemical Essays.[7]The force by which this wheel revolves is very remarkable, as it unites in itself those two adverse forces which have been the subject of so much mathematical controversy, namely, the centrifugal and centripetal: it may appear like trifling with science to observe these forces in this simple production, but that they do exist in it is not less evident: for from the revolutions of the ignited particles of the composition the former is produced, and from the nature and well known properties of the evolute curve,cæteris paribus, the latter is produced.The Evolute and Involute Curves are possessed with many remarkable properties, which it would be no difficult task to unfold, but as it could be of no practical use to the Pyrotechnist, we shall leave it to such of our Mathematical readers as are able to appreciate the pleasure which such investigations afford. And for their assistance we refer them to the excellent writings of Hutton, Simson, Maclaurin, &c. And to Sect. 4, Book 2, Newton’s Principia, where they will find the subject beautifully illustrated.[8]He is fabled by the ancients to have formed a man of clay or earth, and to have stolen fire from heaven, with which he animated the man he had made.Heathen Deities.[9]Fig. 11represents an apparatus for boring Rockets when driven solid—should this method be attempted, it is one of the simplest kind that can be used: A B are two movable blocks hollowed out at their edges to receive the Rocket. C D are two screws in each, going through two sides of the frame to make them fast. E is a brace carrying a shell-bit in dimensions proper for the Rocket.Fig. 16is a similar bit fixed in a handle; which is useful in cleaning out the bore when the Rocket is taken from the blocks.[10]A line is the twelfth part of an inch, or 144th part of a foot. Geometricians conceive the line notwithstanding its smallness to be subdivided in six points. The numbers in the table might have been given in lines and points, but it was thought the fractional numbers would be as well understood.[11]Euclid 12. 18. Spheres are to each other as the cubes of their diameter, this is the principle employed in the construction of the table; but the method is converse, being that of extracting the roots.[12]When the Rods are of large dimensions, they should be bored at the top, and filled with powder, which blows them to pieces previous to their return to the earth, and prevents any mischief which might happen by their falling otherwise.[13]So called, from their resemblance (when in action) to the rod borne by Mercury; which, according to fabulous history, was entwisted by two serpents, as the sign and quality of his office, which was given him for his seven stringed harp.—The term (or Caduce) was also used among the Romans, and applied to a staff or wand of a similar form, carried by those officers who went to proclaim peace with any people with whom they had been at variance.[14]From the French term,Courant, signifying running.[15]A French term signifyinga cluster.[16]Absolutemotion is the change of absolute space or place of bodies, as themotion of a projectile, the flight of a bird, or the motion of our own apparatus.
[1]Nitric acidis a compound of azot, or impure air, and oxygen, or vital air, and is sometimes made by repeatedly passing electric shocks through a mixture of oxygenous and azotic gas.
[1]Nitric acidis a compound of azot, or impure air, and oxygen, or vital air, and is sometimes made by repeatedly passing electric shocks through a mixture of oxygenous and azotic gas.
[2]Potash, or the vegetable alkali, is generally obtained from wood-ashes; but sometimes from the tartar, or from the lees of wine: what is used in England is generally imported from the north, where there is an abundance of wood, to allow of its being burnt for this purpose.This Nitrate of Potash exists in a natural state, but is generally in very small quantities. It is found at the surface of the ground in some parts of Persia and the East Indies, and is mostly united with a kind of yellowish marl, which they dig from the cliffs on the sides of hills, exposed to the northern and eastern winds.
[2]Potash, or the vegetable alkali, is generally obtained from wood-ashes; but sometimes from the tartar, or from the lees of wine: what is used in England is generally imported from the north, where there is an abundance of wood, to allow of its being burnt for this purpose.
This Nitrate of Potash exists in a natural state, but is generally in very small quantities. It is found at the surface of the ground in some parts of Persia and the East Indies, and is mostly united with a kind of yellowish marl, which they dig from the cliffs on the sides of hills, exposed to the northern and eastern winds.
[3]Alumine, orclay; it is found of various degrees of purity, and mixed with a variety of other earths.
[3]Alumine, orclay; it is found of various degrees of purity, and mixed with a variety of other earths.
[4]This is Lime combined with sulphuric acid; it is called Gypsum, plaster of Paris, plaster-stone, or selenite. It is very abundant in some parts of England, and the hills near Paris are chiefly composed of it.
[4]This is Lime combined with sulphuric acid; it is called Gypsum, plaster of Paris, plaster-stone, or selenite. It is very abundant in some parts of England, and the hills near Paris are chiefly composed of it.
[5]Frompyr, fire, andlignum, wood; the acid obtained from the partial combustion of wood; this acid is used in calico printingas mordantsfor dark-coloured patterns.
[5]Frompyr, fire, andlignum, wood; the acid obtained from the partial combustion of wood; this acid is used in calico printingas mordantsfor dark-coloured patterns.
[6]The name given by chemists to the pure part of charcoal. It is said to be present in almost all combustible bodies, and is of itself entirely of that nature. When charcoal is burnt, its carbon unites with the oxygen of the air, and so much heat as to give it a gaseous form, and constitutes carbonic acid gas, or fixed air. The same gas is also obtained by the combustion of the diamond, proving that this precious and costly article is carbon or charcoal, in a very indurated state, and assuming a determinate form. It was not till lately that the diamond was proved to be combustible; but by means of the blow-pipe, and a stream of oxygen gas, it may be, to speak in common language, wholly consumed. The air that is extricated during the combustion, is carbonic acid gas, proving the diamond to have been chiefly, if not wholly, composed of carbon.Long before this fact respecting the diamond was ascertained, Sir Isaac Newton, reasoning from its great refracting power, declared it to be his opinion, that it was one of the most combustible of bodies. Modern discoveries have now proved the fact; and it affords us an admirable instance of the acumen of that great Philosopher.Popular Chemical Essays.
[6]The name given by chemists to the pure part of charcoal. It is said to be present in almost all combustible bodies, and is of itself entirely of that nature. When charcoal is burnt, its carbon unites with the oxygen of the air, and so much heat as to give it a gaseous form, and constitutes carbonic acid gas, or fixed air. The same gas is also obtained by the combustion of the diamond, proving that this precious and costly article is carbon or charcoal, in a very indurated state, and assuming a determinate form. It was not till lately that the diamond was proved to be combustible; but by means of the blow-pipe, and a stream of oxygen gas, it may be, to speak in common language, wholly consumed. The air that is extricated during the combustion, is carbonic acid gas, proving the diamond to have been chiefly, if not wholly, composed of carbon.
Long before this fact respecting the diamond was ascertained, Sir Isaac Newton, reasoning from its great refracting power, declared it to be his opinion, that it was one of the most combustible of bodies. Modern discoveries have now proved the fact; and it affords us an admirable instance of the acumen of that great Philosopher.
Popular Chemical Essays.
[7]The force by which this wheel revolves is very remarkable, as it unites in itself those two adverse forces which have been the subject of so much mathematical controversy, namely, the centrifugal and centripetal: it may appear like trifling with science to observe these forces in this simple production, but that they do exist in it is not less evident: for from the revolutions of the ignited particles of the composition the former is produced, and from the nature and well known properties of the evolute curve,cæteris paribus, the latter is produced.The Evolute and Involute Curves are possessed with many remarkable properties, which it would be no difficult task to unfold, but as it could be of no practical use to the Pyrotechnist, we shall leave it to such of our Mathematical readers as are able to appreciate the pleasure which such investigations afford. And for their assistance we refer them to the excellent writings of Hutton, Simson, Maclaurin, &c. And to Sect. 4, Book 2, Newton’s Principia, where they will find the subject beautifully illustrated.
[7]The force by which this wheel revolves is very remarkable, as it unites in itself those two adverse forces which have been the subject of so much mathematical controversy, namely, the centrifugal and centripetal: it may appear like trifling with science to observe these forces in this simple production, but that they do exist in it is not less evident: for from the revolutions of the ignited particles of the composition the former is produced, and from the nature and well known properties of the evolute curve,cæteris paribus, the latter is produced.
The Evolute and Involute Curves are possessed with many remarkable properties, which it would be no difficult task to unfold, but as it could be of no practical use to the Pyrotechnist, we shall leave it to such of our Mathematical readers as are able to appreciate the pleasure which such investigations afford. And for their assistance we refer them to the excellent writings of Hutton, Simson, Maclaurin, &c. And to Sect. 4, Book 2, Newton’s Principia, where they will find the subject beautifully illustrated.
[8]He is fabled by the ancients to have formed a man of clay or earth, and to have stolen fire from heaven, with which he animated the man he had made.Heathen Deities.
[8]He is fabled by the ancients to have formed a man of clay or earth, and to have stolen fire from heaven, with which he animated the man he had made.
Heathen Deities.
[9]Fig. 11represents an apparatus for boring Rockets when driven solid—should this method be attempted, it is one of the simplest kind that can be used: A B are two movable blocks hollowed out at their edges to receive the Rocket. C D are two screws in each, going through two sides of the frame to make them fast. E is a brace carrying a shell-bit in dimensions proper for the Rocket.Fig. 16is a similar bit fixed in a handle; which is useful in cleaning out the bore when the Rocket is taken from the blocks.
[9]Fig. 11represents an apparatus for boring Rockets when driven solid—should this method be attempted, it is one of the simplest kind that can be used: A B are two movable blocks hollowed out at their edges to receive the Rocket. C D are two screws in each, going through two sides of the frame to make them fast. E is a brace carrying a shell-bit in dimensions proper for the Rocket.Fig. 16is a similar bit fixed in a handle; which is useful in cleaning out the bore when the Rocket is taken from the blocks.
[10]A line is the twelfth part of an inch, or 144th part of a foot. Geometricians conceive the line notwithstanding its smallness to be subdivided in six points. The numbers in the table might have been given in lines and points, but it was thought the fractional numbers would be as well understood.
[10]A line is the twelfth part of an inch, or 144th part of a foot. Geometricians conceive the line notwithstanding its smallness to be subdivided in six points. The numbers in the table might have been given in lines and points, but it was thought the fractional numbers would be as well understood.
[11]Euclid 12. 18. Spheres are to each other as the cubes of their diameter, this is the principle employed in the construction of the table; but the method is converse, being that of extracting the roots.
[11]Euclid 12. 18. Spheres are to each other as the cubes of their diameter, this is the principle employed in the construction of the table; but the method is converse, being that of extracting the roots.
[12]When the Rods are of large dimensions, they should be bored at the top, and filled with powder, which blows them to pieces previous to their return to the earth, and prevents any mischief which might happen by their falling otherwise.
[12]When the Rods are of large dimensions, they should be bored at the top, and filled with powder, which blows them to pieces previous to their return to the earth, and prevents any mischief which might happen by their falling otherwise.
[13]So called, from their resemblance (when in action) to the rod borne by Mercury; which, according to fabulous history, was entwisted by two serpents, as the sign and quality of his office, which was given him for his seven stringed harp.—The term (or Caduce) was also used among the Romans, and applied to a staff or wand of a similar form, carried by those officers who went to proclaim peace with any people with whom they had been at variance.
[13]So called, from their resemblance (when in action) to the rod borne by Mercury; which, according to fabulous history, was entwisted by two serpents, as the sign and quality of his office, which was given him for his seven stringed harp.—The term (or Caduce) was also used among the Romans, and applied to a staff or wand of a similar form, carried by those officers who went to proclaim peace with any people with whom they had been at variance.
[14]From the French term,Courant, signifying running.
[14]From the French term,Courant, signifying running.
[15]A French term signifyinga cluster.
[15]A French term signifyinga cluster.
[16]Absolutemotion is the change of absolute space or place of bodies, as themotion of a projectile, the flight of a bird, or the motion of our own apparatus.
[16]Absolutemotion is the change of absolute space or place of bodies, as themotion of a projectile, the flight of a bird, or the motion of our own apparatus.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTEObvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.The term ‘flower paste’ refers to flower of sulphur, not wheat flour.Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained: for example, length-wise, lengthwise; Courantins, Courantines; emication; choaked; sciolistic; indurated; inclosed; dephlogisticated.Pg vii: ‘Scrolls for Rockets ... 116’ inserted into Table of Contents.Pg 3: ‘small expence’ replaced by ‘small expense’.Pg 4: ‘by a pully’ replaced by ‘by a pulley’.Pg 4: ‘and developement of’ replaced by ‘and development of’.Pg 6: ‘d’Incarvill, and’ replaced by ‘d’Incarville, and’.Pg 8: ‘are trejected with’ replaced by ‘are trajected with’.Pg 13: ‘and corruscations’ replaced by ‘and coruscations’.Pg 40: ‘seeming parodox of’ replaced by ‘seeming paradox of’.Pg 43: ‘slide in a grove’ replaced by ‘slide in a groove’.Pg 45: ‘3.Method ...’ replaced by ‘2.Method ...’.Pg 47: ‘gerbs, serpents’ replaced by ‘gerbes, serpents’.Pg 52: ‘Sulpher’ replaced by ‘Sulphur’.Pg 59: ‘first temprarily’ replaced by ‘first temporarily’.Pg 59: ‘dimentions of which’ replaced by ‘dimensions of which’.Pg 70: ‘paper over the the top’ replaced by ‘paper over the top’.Pg 70: ‘Saucissons.’ replaced by ‘7.Saucissons.’.Pg 72: ‘a strong cylindical’ replaced by ‘a strong cylindrical’.Pg 77: ‘somewhat less then’ replaced by ‘somewhat less than’.Pg 78: ‘increase proportionably’ replaced by ‘increase proportionally’.Pg 81: ‘Ragetten’ replaced by ‘Raketen’.Pg 81: ‘Fuzee’ replaced by ‘Fusée’.Pg 86: ‘them from spliting’ replaced by ‘them from splitting’.Pg 86: ‘by the mallett’ replaced by ‘by the mallet’.Pg 92: ‘Table 2’ replaced by ‘Table II’.Pg 92: ‘Table 3’ replaced by ‘Table III’.Pg 117: ‘best. Accordding’ replaced by ‘best. According’.Pg 141: ‘being trejected’ replaced by ‘being trajected’.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.
The term ‘flower paste’ refers to flower of sulphur, not wheat flour.
Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained: for example, length-wise, lengthwise; Courantins, Courantines; emication; choaked; sciolistic; indurated; inclosed; dephlogisticated.
Pg vii: ‘Scrolls for Rockets ... 116’ inserted into Table of Contents.Pg 3: ‘small expence’ replaced by ‘small expense’.Pg 4: ‘by a pully’ replaced by ‘by a pulley’.Pg 4: ‘and developement of’ replaced by ‘and development of’.Pg 6: ‘d’Incarvill, and’ replaced by ‘d’Incarville, and’.Pg 8: ‘are trejected with’ replaced by ‘are trajected with’.Pg 13: ‘and corruscations’ replaced by ‘and coruscations’.Pg 40: ‘seeming parodox of’ replaced by ‘seeming paradox of’.Pg 43: ‘slide in a grove’ replaced by ‘slide in a groove’.Pg 45: ‘3.Method ...’ replaced by ‘2.Method ...’.Pg 47: ‘gerbs, serpents’ replaced by ‘gerbes, serpents’.Pg 52: ‘Sulpher’ replaced by ‘Sulphur’.Pg 59: ‘first temprarily’ replaced by ‘first temporarily’.Pg 59: ‘dimentions of which’ replaced by ‘dimensions of which’.Pg 70: ‘paper over the the top’ replaced by ‘paper over the top’.Pg 70: ‘Saucissons.’ replaced by ‘7.Saucissons.’.Pg 72: ‘a strong cylindical’ replaced by ‘a strong cylindrical’.Pg 77: ‘somewhat less then’ replaced by ‘somewhat less than’.Pg 78: ‘increase proportionably’ replaced by ‘increase proportionally’.Pg 81: ‘Ragetten’ replaced by ‘Raketen’.Pg 81: ‘Fuzee’ replaced by ‘Fusée’.Pg 86: ‘them from spliting’ replaced by ‘them from splitting’.Pg 86: ‘by the mallett’ replaced by ‘by the mallet’.Pg 92: ‘Table 2’ replaced by ‘Table II’.Pg 92: ‘Table 3’ replaced by ‘Table III’.Pg 117: ‘best. Accordding’ replaced by ‘best. According’.Pg 141: ‘being trejected’ replaced by ‘being trajected’.