ailing, and
so on with the rest, sending them out singly, which will make them
fire regularly, at different times, without confusion; for the time
between the firing of each gun will be equal to that of lighting the
slow fires.

The fire-ship may be of any size, and need not be very good, for it is
always lost in the action. To prepare a ship for this purpose, make a
port-fire equal in size with those in the other ships, and place it at
the stern; in every port place a larger port-fire, filled with a very
strong composition, and painted in imitation of a gun, and let them
all be fired at once by a leader from the slow fire, within two or
three diameters of its bottom; all along both sides, on the top of the
upper deck, lay star-composition about half an inch thick and one
broad, which must be wetted with thin size, then primed with
meal-powder, and secured from fire by pasting paper over it; in the
place where you lay this composition, drive some little tacks with
flat heads, to hold it fast to the deck; this must be fired just after
the sham guns, and when burning will show a flame all round the ship:
at the head take up the decks, and put in a tin mortar loaded with
crackers, which mortar must be fired by a pipe from the end of the
slow fire: the firing of this mortar will sink the ship, and make a
pretty conclusion. The regulating port-fire of this ship must be
lighted at the same time with the first fighting ship.

Having prepared all the ships for fighting, we shall next proceed with
the management of them when on the water. At one end of the pond, just
under the surface of the water, fit two running blocks, at what
distance you choose the ships should fight; and at the other end of
the pond, opposite to each of these blocks, under the water, fix a
double block; then on the land, by each of the double blocks, place
two small windlasses; round one of them turn one end of a small cord,
and put the other end through one of the blocks; then carry it through
the single one at the opposite end of the pond, and bring it back
through the double block again, and round the other windlass: to this
cord, near the double block, tie as many small strings as half the
number of the ships, at any distance; but these strings must not be
more than two feet long each: make fast the loose end of each to a
ship, just under her bowsprit; for if tied to the keel, or too near
the water, it will overset the ship. Half the ships being thus