Rocket and Rocket Apparatus

ROCKET AND ROCKET APPARATUS. The term rocket is now generally applied to the sky-rocket, which is fully described under FIREWORKS.

War Rockets.

Apart from its recreative use, the rocket has from the earliest times attracted the attention of the military en gineer for warlike purposes, first in Asia and later in Europe. No great progress, however, was made until the experiments of Wil liam Congreve in continuation of those carried out by General Desaguliers when in charge of Woolwich Laboratory. He set him self the task of producing a rocket capable of carrying an in cendiary, or explosive charge and having a range up to two miles. After some preliminary trials he obtained permission for the construction of rockets to his design in the Royal Laboratory. The results obtained were so promising that in 18o5 Sir Sydney Smith's expedition against Boulogne included a number of boats especially ' fitted for firing salvos of rockets. Rough weather prevented their use on that occasion, but the following year they were used against the same place and, although deflected by the wind from the fortifications, which were the real objectives of their employment, they are credited with having done on this occasion very con siderable damage in the town itself.

In 1812 the Field Rocket Brigade was formed and was ordered a year later to join the Allies before Leipsic under the command of Captain Bogue of the Horse Artillery, being the only English present. The effect of the rockets on this occasion, the first time they had ever been used in European land warfare, was very marked. The Rocket Brigade also distinguished itself two years later at Waterloo.

For the greater part of the nineteenth century war rockets constituted an important part of artillery resources, although they did no't come within measurable distance of superseding artillery, as Congreve in his enthusiasm had forecast. With the develop ment of the rifled bore, breech loading, independent recoil and smokeless powder, the advantages claimed for the war rockets were discounted and at the end of the nineteenth century they had be..ome obsolete.

During the Great War rockets were also designed for use against aircraft, but no marked success attended the use of any of the types employed.

Signal and Life-saving Rockets.

Many forms of signal rockets have been designed ; they are generally similar to those used for displays, being constructed to give various effects, as coloured stars, flash and sound, or a light suspended from a para chute. Their sizes vary between -lb. to 21b. according to the use for which they are intended.

The life-saving or line-carrying rocket has rendered a great serv ice to humanity; by its use a line is carried to establish communi cation between shore and a wrecked vessel. The French pyro technist, Ruggieri, writing in 1802, claims that his father suggested the principles of the line-carrying rocket. The credit of its application in Great Britain, however, must be conceded to Trengrouse of Helston, Cornwall, about 1807. The development of the idea was delayed for some years by the adoption of the Manby apparatus, which was designed to carry a line by means of a shot fired from a mortar, a system over which the rocket has the great advantage that it traces its flight at night and can be seen by both the firer (who can correct his aim in the event of a miss) and by those to whom it is directed.

In 1826 four rocket stations were established in the Isle of Wight by Dennet of Newport, but it was not until 1855, when Colonel Boxer of the Royal laboratory, produced a rocket of greater range by adopting Frezier's idea of joining two rockets so that when the first had burnt out the second came into action, that the rocket principle was adopted officially. Rocket Stations were established round the coast and manned by the Coast Guard and volunteer crews. These have rendered the most valuable service and since 1870 have been instrumental in saving between twelve and thirteen thousand lives.