COLOURED FIRES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6502, 29 December 1881, Page 5

COLOURED FIRES.

TO THK HOITOB. Sib,— Beferring to the late lamentable aocident that occurred at Wellington, and haring had considerable experience in the manufaotore of coloured Are*, it appears erident to me that your oorreepondente and also the witnesses examined at the inquest, were unaware of the probable came of the explosion. It is. an established fact to practical chemists that sulphur, unless previously washed in a solution of caustic potash, will, when combined with chlorate of potash, sooner or later explode, and the greatest care is necessary to assure that every trace of free acid is eliminated from the sulphur before such combination. Provided that is done, the two ingredients, t.e., washed sulphur and chlorate of potash, mar be safely mixed. It is, therefore, very probable in this case, that the individual who made up the composition was unaware of the absolute necessity of neutralisms (he sulphur before combining it with the chlorate of potash, and It would be well that all persons undertaking the manufacture of coloured Ares should become acquainted with a fact so well known to all pyrotechnists. Beferring to the matter of pouring water into the mortar, I do not think myself that that would have made any difference to the result which must have occurred sooner or later, unless the sulphur had been previously washed.—l am, &0., G. F.HEWUNGS. Xaiapoi, Deo. 28.