How long ago did the Chinese discover the deflacrating property of saltpeter, and the fact that it is explosive when combined it charcoal jung, in his work on al-chem, about A.D. 320, receipt for making gold which con: one pound each of bole, saltpeter, talc, provide of iron, and half a pound of sulphur. These, with other substance placed in a large iron cylinder of 14 inche height, and the same in diameter. This mixture remained over a fire for three days and nights, till a purple powder was produced, and then gold. Alchemists worked with these chemicals and others, such as cinnabar, seal gar, alum, lead-ore, sulphate of copper, &e., for several centuries from about the Christian era downward.
Fireworks made with powder are first distinctly mentioned early in the seronth century, when the court was amused by them under the name of Hwa yaw tso hi, "gunpowder amusements of various kinds." "During the same period the custom of throwing strips of bamboo into the fre to cause a detonating sound had grown up for the purpose of driving away evil epitits, As soon as the detonation powers of powder were discovered of demons." The Chinese discovered the it took the place.of bamboo as an expeller
deflagrating property and the power to explode with a loud report.
When did the Chinese first uso ornamental fireworks?
Answer.—As above stated, early.in the seventh century, Since the Arabs traded with Canton from the time of Mahomet, and alchemy flourished at Bagdad during the eighth century and onwards, any thing of " chemical nature so striking as works would be certainly conveyed from China to Bagdad by the Arabs in their ships.
Trading colonies of Arabs resided then in Chinese ports. They would speak Chinese and convey a knowledge of Chinese chemistry to the court of the Caliplis; gunpowder would then find its way from China, where it had been the means of affording amusement to a court, to Bagdad, and gradually, in the hands of Arabian chemists, become the chief constituent and main source of elticiency in modern artillery.
Was the first military use of gunpowder in the form of rockets and arrows propelled by chemical force through the air?
Answer. The Chinese began very early to make what they call fire-arrows and other implements to set fire to the enemy's tents, boats, &e. In the year A.D. 998, it began to be a common thing to present to the"Eiiperor models of fire-arrows, firoballs, and fire-spikes. Some kind of ox-plosive," or at least incendiary material, accompanied all these, But what it was we do not know." Fire-balls soam to imply the action of gunpowder, Th for piercing the feot of mon or horses outside a fortification, and were. and still are placed there in time of war defen i posi cases, but the information is i A later epoch in Chinese history in the sixteenth century presents us with woodcuts illustrative of ancient armor. The fire-arrow has attached to it bamboo powder tubes near the barbs to ignite on winking an object, "Such tubes were of pa} bamboo. " Fire-arrows are also drawn ted from the barrel of a: hand-yn rly Chinese accounts itis ked in tubes near barb, i able that the arrow itsolé should be ejected from a tube by explosive force. But ti in not ascertained beyond doubt. In the accounts of arrows shot from large powerful bows, the arrow-heads are filled with round balls' (tan.) These are the precursors of of our cannon balls. Iron arrows were also shot from these bors.
When did the Chinese change their fine powder to granular?
Answer. 'Their early powder was large in grain and not well mixed. 'The proportions of the chemicals were not good. Hence the slowness of improvement in the use of gunpowder, When did the Chinese firat uso' gun powder as 8 propelling force Answer. The Ming history tells us (in the military section) that the ancient machines for throwing stones by: slings wore called pla, and that it was the Mongol dynasty" which first used the Western cannon also known as pax, The history adds that the occasion was at the seige of Taai-Chew. This city was besieged by the Mongols in 1234, which was the fore the exact date, according to-this testimony, of the first application in China of gunpowder for throwing heavy weights in offensive warfare. The tube may not have been long, but it was a change from the ponderous sling with ita pivot and supporting trestles and its numerous stof of armed attendants for the simple application of fire toa powder charge under the direction of a very small stof, The method was new, and its date doservas to be
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