The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-25
MISCELLANY.
A POWDER,
ONE THOUSAND TIMES STRONGER THAN
G III ". O Y DE r.

.
ONE THOUSAND TIMES STRONGER THAN
GUN. p o WDE r.
Cun-Powder is an astonishing production--b
Chemists have discovered various means for
augmenting the POWER of the common powder
For this purpose, they have added new Ingredients
TO the common composition of this powder,
which increase It's force To considerable de-
gree. II is supposed that tine Brantlywine Gun
Powder, which is stronger than these of Europe,
owes much of its strength to this ca,sc.--But
he secret doc. not terminate here. E..isit,isi,
have discovered several compositions. whose OK.
posive powers are u.,erior to that of the s;ron-
gest gun powder. These have gone by different
names. One OF them has been called Illuminating
naereury--the description of whose effects and
preparation according to simple method, is thus
given by Dr. w dollhouse, professor of chen,is-
try in the University of Pennsylvania in Coxe's
Medical Museum, for January, &c. 1903.
Surprising that Illuminating mercury might he
applied to the purposes of war, and particularly
in perforating the rimbers ofvessels, by being APP
piled 10 their bottoms, by means OF the torpedoes
of Mr.. Fulton, l undertook series of expert
ments, to find out a simple nlethod of preparing
1T ia large quantities.
In this succeeded; and the following mode
of making this dreadful compound never fails, &
yields larger product than any other process,
at present known.
Take two ounce measures of 4 saturated sol,I-
ton of mercury the nitric acid, and pour it into
a quart tumbler. Add TO it four ounce measures
OF alkohcl, and then two ounce measures of the
best and strongest nitric acid
Immediately an eifcrvesceuce will take place,
and an immense quantity of nitrous etherized gas
and nitrous air will be discharged i'll thick white
clouds, and, in about Is minutes, the Illuminating
mercury will be deposited at the bottom of the
vessel in slender crystals ola white and brilliant
color.
They must be washed by filling the tumbler
twice with pue water, and then dried by gen.
tie heat, Or by exposing them two three days
to the air. The proportion of ingredients here
mentioned will yield 227 grains OF this exploding
preparation.
brick bat, weighing five pounds, was placed
upon fifteen grains of this Illuminating mei curry,
lying upon inch plank. A train OF gun-pow-
der was made to communicate with the fulmna-
ting compound. Upon firing it, piece OF the
plank, several inches i'll length, was torn off
Thirty grains, fired in the same II: inner, split
the brick in two, perforated the plank, and tore
away piece of it, inches in length, and two in
breadth.
Sixty grains, placed on three inch plank,
with two brick bats over them, broke the bricks
into ";:sty 0f Pieces scattered item every
direction, and made excavation in the plank,
half III inch deep, and five in circumference.
Ninety grains, under five bricks, broke the
WIOl0 INTO All immense huEiUcT Oh pieces, pCffO
rated the three inch plank one inch deep, 8, nine
in circumference.
Two hundred grains were laid upon an oak
plank five feet IN length, and one foot in breadth.
Another plank of the same size was laid over the
Illuminating mercury, and confined by thirty lbs.
weight Oft bricks. Upon firing the compound, all
the bricks were broken into pieces foot in
length & breadth ofthc table which the planks
rested was carried away the upper plank was
| thrown into the air ; both were split, and small
excavations made in them.
| An idea Of the immense force of this substance
may be conceived, when it is related, that ten
grains of it will burst the strongest pistol barrel
| that can be made. AS it possesses thousand
times the power ofgun- powder, is no ways dan
gerous, and can be fired by the flint and steel, it
would appear to be preferable to this article to
charge the torpedoes of Mr.. Fulton.
NJ. Deiby, chemist of Amsterdam, has disco
vered composition which, from its superior
strength, lie conceived would supercede the use
gun powder; while lately employed, however,
in some experiments, large paper exploded and