Page:Pyrotechnics the history and art of firework making (1922).djvu/48

 Chinese fire, a mixture of charcoal, saltpetre, sulphur and iron dust, charged into either bamboo tubes or earthen pots.

It is a common practice to fix a pot at either end of a long bamboo, which is whirled quickly about by a performer; the result produced is quite good, but seems rather to come under the heading of juggling than that of pyrotechnics proper. As the pots are theoretically the wrong shape for such a purpose, that is to say, a large mass of composition is burning through a narrow orifice, premature explosions are frequent. This want of theoretical knowledge is noticeable throughout, but such incidents seem to be appreciated as part of the show.

Another use of the earth pot is the "burusu," a kind of red flare; the composition used being sulphur, saltpetre, and nitrate of strontia. Flare compositions are also used loose as in England, and are known as "chandrajota" or "mahteb."

Abusavanani or Hawai, that is to say, rockets, are now made similarly to those manufactured in Europe except a bamboo case is most generally used, but formerly chlorate of potash and orpiment seem to have been employed for this purpose.

The firework shell under the name "out" is also manufactured very much as in this country, except that the range of effects is very limited, simple coloured stars being almost the only "garniture" used.

In Siam it is a custom, and one apparently of considerable antiquity, to celebrate certain religious festivals with firework displays. These displays take place in the day-time, and take the form of discharges of rockets, some of which are of very large size; a writer giving their length, exclusive of the stick, as from 8 ft. to 10 ft. The case is composed of a section of bamboo bound with string. The composition consists of coarse native powder, of which from 20 lbs. to 30 lbs. is often used in one case. The rocket stick, which is of bamboo, varying