Post by al on Jul 3, 2012 19:52:52 GMT 1
In 1700 the 'portfire' (from the French 'porte feu' = carry fire) was introduced. It consisted of a half-inch (12.7mm) paper tube filled with a mixture of saltpetre, sulphur, mealed powder and antimony sulphide, carried in a portefire holder. At 'Preparation for Action' a linstock was placed in rear of each section, and its slow match ignited. Firing numbers ignited their portfires at the linstock, then used them to fire their guns. At 'Cease Firing' they cut off the burning ends of the portfires with the cutters on each trail and extinguished them.