Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-11-26
Explosive Cotton.


A trial Of the gun cotton was made at Washington
the l4th The experiment was made in the presence
of the President and Others with sixty or seventy
grains of the article President by Professor
Schonbein of Germany. The results surprising,
but not entirely satisfactory. Mr.. Robertson, Consul
Bremen, who is well acquainted with the subject
has prepared quantity of the cotton in better man
than the sample tried, and will test its strength
with the aid of the machinery which the Government
has at the Arsenal for proving gunpOwder Mr.
Robertson states that the powder mills in Great Brit
ain have purchased the right Of using the process for
fifty thousand pounds This would seem to be ad-
equate evidence of its value. Large establishments
have also been formed in Germany under the Govern
ment direction for its manufacture II will be much
cheaper than common gunpowder, and possesses the
advantage of bearing any exposure to wet, without
injury 1t will explode even after being immersed in
the water for sixty days.
How TO MAKE THE GUN-CorToN.-Dr. Otto, Pro-
fessOr of Chemistry in Brunswick, has published the
following statement in the Hanoverian Gazette. Dr.
Otto made the discovery simultaneously with Schon-
bein, Bottiger, and Frenchman-so that there are
four claimants TO the merit of it. But whether the
process is the same in all cases, we cannot say
Schonbein took out patents for his discovery in several
nations, and has an agent now at Washington. But
Otto more generously tells US all he knows on the
subject. Here is extract from of his reports :
Entirely independent of Schonbeir and Beger but
relying observation of Pelouze. contained in the
l36th page the first volume my Manual of Chemis
try have succeeded in producing exploding cotton
which, after series Of experiments. quite suited
supply the place Of gunpowder Ia order bring the
suits OF important discoveries as speedily as possible TO The
nghes Stage Pe'eeon u seems 10 me necessary 10 lay
'heh 'mne',ae oeio'e ie PUBIC IN o,uer '"s' many
u ~ u,' '.e,' as."''o " e
| -: I.ss :. : - - - = =, ~ =,
$500. w us 49, ); 9. ran.,aI oy "r
tie nnhI;c In III. o,enaTs,;on Of The eroang cotton
cor,ron vveceapea cotton ia dinoed for abon, half
minute in highly concentrated nitric acid (the acid which
use being made with the dislaon Of ten parts of dried
salt petre and six of oil of vitrio) and then instantly
placed in water. which be often renewed in order
free the cotton from the acid with which is impregnaed
"Cse must then be taken that all the knoy PARTICLES of
the cotton are properly dIsenauged and that Is thor
oughy dried After this the explosive preparation Is
ready Tor use. It's effects create asonsnment 10 all VINO
witness laem' and The smallest portion exPiodes wnen
on 40 avn WIN IKE po"Gs
i IL 81 49, 10y -; .; J 800
auo aoe' " ash, !. -
same as that of eunpowde This is employed
rsmmsd down The ba,rel then r., Of vaddipg and after
that ball; copper cap ignites and exPOdes the
Without single exception all VINO nave Witnessed my
s5 Perimens nave oeen mos. eomPle,ey sallshee. Nj
pIosive cotton, which, however he keeps a secret
..Common well cleaned cotton ~ IN chemical mint
of view, is neither less than woody fibre, in
an extremely minute s'a'e Oh SUBDIVISION ano 'niS
substance when Pped 'Ior ABOUT nan a minute III
o 7, :; H., =, ..',fa,, ;,,aa..oJ
ePe0ie' ', 'na'' - e', -. Al.
IN Wate,' tlS MouIu .,I aS S .a'"g .n
naodar nossa"s;n tho srS,
wy" ~. 49, - ov,roooo
yea iequ ., s s..e - ~, , -, 20 = IL
=, .e nlsae .h. 49, anu se
~ lbs -. i -: y- -
De brought lto ny
leu. ,naI ~, boc.,sa ,ho PunoUJor co,sdn
Pea' " oe requi'"', Oe - -
Selng very ign. anu oPen -, i's alomI :ne
' Ia " P.sI e.sy - - - ,.,; =,
al gu"Po"u' "", ~. 100'' rs
anu " gan oJe U.s. -, spo,as ~
ox;, nf sh.no which l. known 70 GciIi,atc tho mas
80 81 a. -. h,ao. 49,, -. =
s y. IA ~ $500 - nh;ac,a -, The r Eli,
80, ho dis.onoroS Fesh ;n,nrovomont IN The
gun sc',o" " ct" ~ III, " w
arr ol nus. NC .t'o ~" tDI
p-e.. y, 49,, Jo,o, e., f,.l,;na mon or n,,ons
kenny cass nuss uG'er mon ",1" IL
w D. a. e,IIo.,; o.,-... oe
e. -, g ca,,rr...o g
I. It, ,;,ho,, &c oo,rsa ho;ro .ble 70 vorcb for
the correctness of the statements They do not how
evor .noo,r ver, ;mnroh,ble. and we hone tbev NJ
- ri, -. T. le,.. g .so,t;u a. f,o,;,,. r.
'e"'' WIN '"'e '"S '"s0 " 'Os "o ~
certain persons who manifest SO much tender sympa-
thy for the rascally Mexicans:
am now more convinced than ever that the war
with Mexico is nearly at an end and that the Gov
-