[400] “Ecce quidam adolescens ... quid Græcus ignis potest experiri vellet ... fusum sulphure ignitum ... ad quamdam domum, stipula et stramine coopertam, maximo impetu traxit. Iterum, alium et alium transjecit. Acriori incendio edes accense concremantur.”—_Œuvres de R. Blondel_, pub. by “Soc. de l’Hist. de Normandie,” ii. 74. Little is known of Blondel’s life, but he was alive in the year 1460. I believe _fusus_ to be the _fusée de feu_ of the _Livre de Canonerie_, Paris, 1561 (Reinaud and Favé, p. 140), and this incendiary was not a rocket. [401] “Hist. of Tipu Sultan,” by Husain Kirmani, trans. by Col. Miles, p. 145. [402] “Hist, of Tipu Sultan,” by Husain Kirmani, p. 109. [403] “Narrative of the Conquest of Mysore,” Hull, 1804, p. 50. [404] “Narrative of the Campaign with Tippoo Sultan,” London, 1793, p. 209. [405] “Narrative of the Conquest of Mysore,” p. 52. Their charge was 1 lb. of powder, and their range about 1000 yards. “Description of Indian and Oriental Armour,” by Lord Egerton of Tatton, 1896, p. 32. [406] “Ammunition,” pt. ii. p. 174, by Capt. C. O. Browne, R.A. [407] Sir W. Congreve’s “Concise Account of the Rocket System,” London, 1807, p. 42. He held his commission in the Hanoverian army. [408] Jähns, p. 523; Romocki, i. 69 _n._ [409] Congreve, as above, p. 1. [410] Ib., p. 42. [411] “In dieser Hinsicht standen also die Feuerwerker der Zeit des Caligula wol schon auf derselben Höhe wie Congreve, dessen ‘Geheimnis’ zu Anfang des 19 Jahrhunderts so angestaunt wurde!” (p. 516.) [412] “Furchtbare Wirkung.” Decker’s _Gesch. des Geschützwesens_, &c., 1822, p. 79. [413] “Capt Bogue and the Rocket Brigade,” by Col. F. A. Whinyates, late R.H.A., in “Proceed. R.A. Institution,” vol. xxiv. [414] “Ammunition,” as above, pp. 175-76. [415] Sloane MSS., 335, 795; and Freind’s “Hist. of Physick,” 1758, ii. 325. [416] “Bombardes, basilics, jettans boullets de fer, de plomb, de bronze.”—Rabelais (d. 1553), iv., c. 61. [417] Recipe 13. Extracts from Arderne’s MSS. given by Hewitt, “Ancient Armour,” ii. 284, leave little doubt that Arderne was acquainted with the _Liber Ignium_ of Marcus Græcus. [418] In the Peninsular War, our men could fire over 100 rounds, the French only 50, without washing out the barrels of their muskets. Marquis de Chambray, _Œuvres_, v. 293-4. [419] Fol. 33. [420] “Certain Discourses ... concerning Divers Weapons,” p. 20. [421] Sir H. Nicolas, “Hist. of Royal Navy,” ii. 479. [422] “Pro tribus petris cere ... ad cerandum canubium ad arificiendum pulveris bumbardorum in castro de Edinburgh,” &c. “Chronicles of Scotland,” published by the Deputy Clerk-Register, vi. 495-97. In these documents a cross-bow is called, “arcus cum circulo.” [423] “Acts of (English) Privy Council,” N.S., xvii. 392. [424] “Seaman’s Dictionary,” under “Powder.” [425] “Chemical Essays,” 1781, ii. 10. This led to a Parliamentary inquiry. [426] “A Statement of Facts,” &c., by General Sir W. Congreve, 1811, pp. 18-19.