A. bottle of phosphorus: used by housebreakers to light their lanthorns. Ding the phos; throw away the bottle of phosphorus.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Phoenix-men * Phrase of PaperNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes