The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-04-27 00:00:00

EXPERIMENTS WITH GUN-COTTON

(From the Stamford Mercury.)
Several interesting experiments with the new explosive li
power called gun-cotton were made on Tuesday last at the
railway works at Greeston, near Stamford. The place
chosen is a deep cutting through a solid rock of freestone,
the layers being of immense thickness, and requiring very
great blasting power to split and loosen the masses. The
gentleman who conducted the experiments is Mr.
Wheeler, engineer, deputed by the firm of Messrs. Hall
and Co., gunpowder-makers of Dartford ; which firm, it
is said, finding that the gun-cotton is likely in a great
measure to supersede the use of gunpowder, have pur-
chased the patent of the new material. Mr. heeler was
accompanied by Mr. Grafton, civil-engineer, the con-
tractor for the Stamford gas-works, and of several im-
portant public works in Holland, Belgium, France, and
Spain ; and also by Mr. Burney, one of the engineers on
the railway. Previously to the experiments of Tuesday,
gunpowder alone had been used for blasting in the Grees-
ton cutting ; and from the necessity of using large quan-
tities of powder in order to split the rock, several serious
accidents had occured to men engaged on the line, frag-
ments of the stone being occasionally cast as much as a
hundred yards where the combustible power was used.
In order to test the relative forces of the two agents, gun-
po Nder and gun-cotton, blasting holes were bored in the
rock at convenient distances, and cotton rammed into
some and powder into others, and the fuses to each were
fired simultaneously : the depth of the holes (which were
about an inch hi diameter) varied from 3 to 5 feet, though
this depth was by Mr. Wheeler considered hardly suffi cl-
eat to test the full force of the cotton. The most re-
markable experiment was between a charge of eight ounces
of gunpowder and two ounces of the prep ared cotton, in-
serted in portions of the stone within eight or ten yards
of each other: the explosions occurred nearly at the same
moment—the gunpowder charge with a loud report, and
the cotton charge with scarcely a perceptible noise,—the
indicament that the latter had done its work being by the
sudden appearance of a small cloud of dust issuing from
the fissures : the gunpowder's blast threw down about
eight tons of stone ; the cotton charge split about ten
tons, breaking it and leaving it on the spot rather than
scattering it about the line. The result of this experiment
clearly showed that two ounces of cotton is equal in ex-
plosive force to eight ounces of powder—with this great
advantage, that the danger to the men from the fragments
of stone projected to distances is very materially lessened.
It is said that two ounces of powder would have been en-
tirely inoperative in such a mass ; while if the charge of

than I can

-day will testify better of his -ability

Sir Martin is quite " dark

Claremont is the last I shall mention, (conceiving the
rest are not entitled to a single remark.) If this horse
be run on the square, and he be all right, he will assuredly
be in the first three, which I believe will be, Mendicant,
Claremont, and Dulcet. Farthing Candle appears to be
the next best.

The result of the succeeding races will be better let
alone, as all depends upon how certain stables are run-
ning. Only the Dee Stakes will admit of a remark, as

the horses engaged in it will hardly run before Thursday.
Van Tromp is not coming. Nerissa will represent the
stable. The Horn of Chase may not run for either of
his previous engagements. He is heavily backed for this
event ; and should he win he will become a great favourite
for the Derby. Claribel, Slander, and Foreclosure are
famed for deeds gone past; but I think Administrator
will run better than any of them, excepting Foreclosure,
who, with Nerissa, are likely to run first and second. I
hope, when all is over, I may have the pleasure of seeing
my numbers successfully recorded.—Yours, &c.,
SOMNAMBULIST.

NEWMARKET FIRST SPRING MEETING

MONDAY.—The Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each were won
by Mr. Newton's Redwing, beating Lord Exeter's Vero-
nets, Mr. Combe's Conan More, and Mr. Rolt's Spring-
hook—The Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 sovs. each were •
Awiron.
IblyertoMnr,.s Rolt'sAfrica nßaisnhdo Cocoa Cob, beatingisT ut—
A Match of 200 sows. each, won by Duke of Bedford's
pLoofrdßgefterd's's
Eothen, beating Sir J. Hawley's Piccinino.—The Sweep-
stakes of 50 sovs. each were won by Sir R. Bulkeley's
Montpensier, beating Mr. Wauchope's c., by Hetman
Platoff, out of Marmora, and Mr. Mostyn's Devil-me-
care.—A Match, the Duke of Bedford's Fistiana received
100 sovs. from Lord Glasgow's f., by Phoenix.
TUESDAY.—The Coffee-room Stakes of 50 sovs. each
were won by Lord Orford's br. c., by Clerwell, out of
Zipporah, beating Mr. Mostyn's Projectile.—The Handi-
cap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each were won by Mr. Drin-
kald's Farthing Candle, beating Lord Orford's Prussic
Acid, Mr. Hargreave's Bit Nibble, Lord W. Powlett's
Fort William, and Mr. R. Boyce's Colleen Bawn.—The
2000 guineas, of 100 sovs. each, were won by Sir R. Pi-
got's Conyngham, beating Mr. Mostyn's Planet.
WEDNESDAY. —The Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 sovs.
each were won by the Duke of Rutland's Paultons, beat-
ing Tarella, Remorse, and Birthday.—The Sweepstakes of
50 sovs. each were divided between Coningsby and Doctor
Goodall.—A Match of 1000 sovs. was won by Mr. O'Brien' S
The Traverser, beating Mr. Greville's Alarm.—The Sweep-
Stakes of 200 sovs. each were won by Lord Glasgow's Con-
spiracy, beating Bumdrum and lago.—The £5O (8.C.) was
won by Mr. Neville's Remorse, beating Kesheng and c.,
by Colwick, out of Lucetta.
THURSDAY.—The Sweepstakes of 100 sovs. each were
won by the Duke of Richmond's Red Hart, beating Mr.
Bowes's Epirote.—The Handicap of 25 sovs. each was won-
by Lord Exeter's Cocoa Nut, beating Mr. Rolt's Bishop.
of Romford's 1000 Guineas Stakes were won,
by Mr. Payne's Clementina, beating Mr. Mostyn's Slander.

KING'S APERIENT EFFERVESCENT CITRATE OF MAO"
NESIA.—This is one of the few medicines that is pleasant
to take and beneficial in its results. In flavour, it 15'
greatly superior to and effervesces in the same way 0
Seidlitz Powders ; but, while it leaves on the palate the
pleasantest citrate taste, it looses in its effects none of the
powers of the most highly-prepared and finest magnesia;
It is an agreeable, cooling and refreshing draught ; and
must, when known, meet extensive sale.
ECONOMIC GAS BURNER.—We briefly noticed, a fel/
weeks since, the introduction of an economic burner:
which in principle somewhat resembles the argand, buy
has the advantage of a button top, which spreads the
flame, causes a more rapid admission of air, and Earl
fully completes combustion. Since that time we have ha
one burning.
our office, and so fully are we convinevj
of their superiority, from the brilliancy of the light an
the total absence of smoke, that we purpose having me:
of them. It is estimated that the saving in gas by the 11,5
of this burner exeseeds thirty per cent. The saving
effected by the introduction of a thick iron wire, that be
comes heated by the flame, into a chamber through W 1
the gas passes, and which by this means becomes rarinect
prior to combustion. There can be no doubt that the'
burners will become popular. ing
ELECTRO PLATE.—We had much pleasure in inspecoti
a few days since, at Mr. Hand's, in Seel-street, a verl, to
of specimens of electro plate, which are now brough'io.
such a perfection that it is perfectly impossible In ,i1(1.
pearance to discern the difference between theni4o,
sterling silver. The electro plate possesses many fort
tages, not the least of which is its great duralnlit.)'„er•
being plated on what is termed nickel silver, which le
_t; it
fectly white, should the edges of the electro plate sveTe'
is not perceptible ; while the metal on the Wilu'e•nts•
stronger and of greater solidity than that it repres
The cost of this beautiful imitation of silver—W-Ilell.est
nufactured into the most elaborate designs on tea set`'
fork-spoons, goblets, &c., is not more than one-ten; ser-
price, so that the interest of cost of a sterling inis t'bbing
vice for one year would, in case of loss from over ru „ate,
or otherwise, almost replace a service of electro
P.
The many varieties are worthy of inspection.