The New York herald., 1845-07-30
BosroN, 25th July, ls45.

BosroS, 25th July, lsi5.
Dear sir-Our mutual friend, Mr.. Ralph Smith, in
forms me that you have made some experiments with
view Of asceraining whether and under what circum.
stances Sapetre when gnited, will produce explo-
sions
upon this subject and divers opinions have their advo
Gates TO me 1t seems strange that among numer.
GUS sclenhc men, and proessed chemists no one has
stood FORTH sustained by nice experiments with view
Of settling this much vexed question.
Perhaps you have already satisfied yourself in the
matter. If you have you will greatly oblge me- and
the public by furnishing for publication the results of
your investigations If you have not sufficiently inves-
tgated already, beg of you the favor of instituung
such Of experiments as will throw the much
needed light upon the subject.
Your obedient servant,
HENRY WILLIAMS
RoxBuRY LABoRAToRY,l
Goth July, ls4s.
Dear srYour note of yesterday, in relati IN to the
explosive action Of saltpetre, has this
hand. lmos cheerfully comply with your request in
placing before you the facts connected with the subject
of the action of sapetre substances usually called
combusble. Saltpere the nitrate of potash or So
da, alone, does not burn, explode by heat however
intense 1t parts with one Of its constituents oxygen
by heat and it is to the combination Of its oxygen with
other bodies, that it owes its power of burning with
them Wood and fibrous substances do n. burn with
sapetre until they have become partially chared they
then produce denagration or burn with sparks.
large quantity Of satpetre, enclosed in gunny bags
IL
would burn with the bags, emitting m ch smoke and
sparks precisely as paper which has imbibed altFere
would 1t would not be. consumed; only the small
quantity required to burn with the bags, would be
changed II an addition of burning wood, charcoal
were ade, to the extent of fifth the weight of the
saltpesre, intense and continued deiagraton would
result and all the saltpetre would be changed No
plosion would follow from applying fire to mixtures OF
charcoal or wood and saltpetre the rapid combustion
called denagraton would be produced but unlike ex.
plosion time would be required for the mutual actions
and where the quantities were large, many hours would
ha noHac hafn thnp pntld 10
struction Of life and property, in New York the loss
homeward bound Indiaman and her cargo, by similar
cause have created anxiety which has led to many
inquiries, respecting the origin Of the explosions at
tending the burning OF saltpetre need not remind
years since when the Hartford Packet destroyed
The testimony obtained in the last instance led to
make some experiments, on the effects produced by
dropping water on burning mixture of satpetfe and
charcoal 1t was ascertaned that very small weight
Of water relatively to the saltpete caused explosions
which might made successive lor the materi
ais remained The quantities Of the substances acting
being increased to between and two hundred
the addition of water in the form of spray caused an
explosion which destroyed the vessel and shook all the
buildings in the vicinity. The temperature of burning
mixture of salpetre and charcoal the points Of
tact is superior to that OF white hot iron, and the
form is that Of bubbling fluid Water falling on the
is instantly converted into steam having the elias.
der in destructive energy The red het particles dis
persed by the sudden action pass spa.
ces and the appearance OF flame is produced.
In cases where water falls highly heated polished
surfaces such as melted glass copper, silver steam
is formed rapidly but sicnty the does not touch
the hot surface The spreading of flm crust over
the polished surface, instantly alters its relation to
ter an causes steam to iorm with explosive violence
attended by loud report do not hesitate in express
ing my belief that the disastrous effects produced in
New York, caused by water other fluid falling
on saltpetre while burning with the bags investing it
The facts which have stated, may have interest or i'm
portance in connexion with attempts made extngush
fire in buildings containing saltpetre The danger Of
throwing water on the fire manifest while the loss to
the owner of the sapetre would doubtless be greater
from water than from fire. Respectfully,
A. A. HAYES.
MYSTERIES or INDIANAPOLIS. Indianapolis, ex
ternally Is the most moral and most religious town
in Indiana, il not in the whole West Nevertheless the
maxim, that extremes always meet,n to be
verified by the incidents of the last week. Since the
murder OF the 4th have had perfect deluge of past
and present inquities brought TO light series Of bold
and audacous robberies have been pepetrated during
the latyea or two which we have been long convinced
were perpetrated by an organised gang No efforts
however, of any account have been made to effect dis
coveIy until the robbery of Heddery's Lard Oil and
for the thieves and took other for their deec
ton and the results the discovery of gang Of young
scamps some OF them not generally suspected OF any
evil but who have probably long been engaged in their
thevish vocation.
But bad these developments are they have led to
Incidents still more astonishing. The dark and dreary
vaults catacombs, underneath the State House, it
seems have been OF the receptaces of the gang and
its punder It was here probably that the plumber
iobbed IRON the State House. two years agoimmeaiaely
after the adjournment secreed But these dark and
dismal ccesses were not onyrecepaces Of stolen goods
goods Monday last, the astonishing discos
made that female had been kept for three weeks in
Of those vaults where i supposed by some she had
been confined and had buried the fruits OF her shame
Words inadequate 20 describe the sensation produced
by such discovery The Capitol of the virtuous people
of Indiana, prostuted to such vile purposes. There
lie the Shiny and rotten vands upon which these
creatures subssted and celebrated their nferna orgies
The stencil was worse than that of charnel house. and
is wonderful that had not long since attracted bolts
and lightning " red with uncommon wrath, means
of moral and physical publication, well divine
vengeance .-Indiand State Sentinel
SPECULATING IN BLAcKBERRIEs, &c.--On the line
of the Camden and Amboy rairoad-for miles on
each side-bsckberres, green grapes whortleberries
SC, are picked for the New York market daily. Many
blackberry field is worth more in blackberry bushes
than if It was in The hucksters go around and buy
announce what they will pay the next day. Great is
the excitement and activity among the bare footed Tot
tamy swampe;s when the market up" Ali eady the
owners OF blackberry patches forbid others taking them
and the poor children that could formerly pick such
things on their own account must if they wish to
earn any thing at 1t, pick for others Speculation i
backperres like speculation in every thing else needs
to be done with judgment. We wot of some who made
loss by the operation.-Princston Wing.
ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM THE PEMTENrIARY.
daring attempt was made last Sunday, by the
so'S mo TO escape S from the in this city
bench in his cell, succeeded in pryng open the door
lie then went into the corridor and let out confederate
in another cell when Of the officers Of the prison
tered The first named convict sprang at his throat but
the officer gave the alarm and assistance immediately
rived. twas afterwards discovered that the prisoners
had contrivcd to keep up correspondence and their
plan was to release other convics and if necessary
murder the officers in order TO effect their escapePro
ridence Journal
EXTRAORDINARY AFPAIR.-We have lately pub
lirhed paragraphs, stating that attempts had been
made the life of Mr.. Henry NJ Paine, of North OK.
ford Worcester Mass Mr.. r. had been shot at and
robbed between Boston and Worcester and again he had
been shot at in his house. before he had rec
from the effects Of the first assault On Saturday last
not three weeks since the first attempt upon his life he
was again shot while sitting in his oiIce at 3 O'Clock
in the afternoon
The ball which perforated the garments Of Mr. r.,
inflicted severe wound on his breast was dis.
charged from common gun as there neither smell