The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-10

uu,ony which annex of two Distinguished persons
who have made arms their profession, VIII eorsob-
orate my Statements &ga
Yesterday, tbs 4th Of October, VIC were present
at the first experiments which were made with ths
exploding cotton in tho laboratory In this city, and
today we having convinced ourselves Of the per
fecty satisfactory results, with sharp loaded hre-
"HARrEG,
"Doctor, counsellor Of Forest Board.
"a. Won SCHAWRZKoPPEN,
| "High Forester"
Extracts from n< second report ef Professor Offo
assessor efths medical board. Chemist, So, &c. &C.
alt seems that no other acid than that procured
by the disaton OF ten parts Of saltpetre, and SIX
parts of oil of vtrioi will confer upon cotton Its
explosive power Hydriate Of nitric acid (saipster-
satsrshyd,ia) dIssoves the cotton. In good proper
acid, the cotton becomes transparent, and tho hbre
is not injured or dissolved. The acid by distilla-
tion first procured Is best. Cotton dipped INTO u
for half minute, and then quickly pressed between
glass plates, or boards, and washed afterwards un-
Ill il is entirely free from acid and subsequently
dried, produces superior exploding article. Using
the acid a second time, an inferior article Is made
but II after having been washed and dried Il 10 again
dipped into the acid, il becomes excellent. A rep
etition Of the manipulation necessarily augments
the exploding quality. Cotton may even remain in
i the acid longer than half a minute. That which
has laid in il as long us twelve hours found to
be very explosive Il is important that the cotton
be well washed when IL is taken out of the acid; for
if any remains in IT, saltpetre favor will attach %
IL when dry, and when exploding will leave on
anything white an acid tincture- The vivid ex-
plosion OF small ball Of the article, white china
plate, in the criterion TO test Its good quality by.
IL must fash like gunpowder and leave no dust be-
hind IT, II particle even is seen IL cannot be used IN
Ia IL a. h.. 49, haf "a
cotton, AFTER having been dipped into the acid and
pressed, be Immediately put into large quantity
Of water. IL the cotton be put into an insufieien,
quantity Of water Ii (the cotton) gets heatedj and
small quantities Of cotton are also preierabei for, II
large il forms into knots OF bluish-green color,
which are hrm, not 10 be easily looseoed.
The more the prepared article resembles the one
in its natural state, the better and more powerful Il
is. With 5-4ths or s-4ths Of grns-460 gran,
equal to an English ounce--balls OF inch dame
ter we're driven through boards o6e inch thick.
With grams, a bullet was driven from a rife at a
distance of IS steps, into oak plank, 10 the depth
Of an inch; and, with four or 1--WE grams, ehectual
shots have been made with fowling- pieces The
more readily the cotton expodes, the greater the care
10 be taken in handling it.n -....
Professor Shonbein, at an experiment made in
presence Of one Of the editors Of the Times, tested
some gun-cotton which had been immersed in water
sirty days, and found il as good as when perfectly
fresh, after having been dried.
We saw experiments made upon the gun-cotton,
to-day, at the War Office. The President was pres
ent, with three of the members of his cabinet. He
produced the packet, which Professor Shonbein
had sent by Mr.. Robertson, the American consul al
Bremen, to be opened only in the presence of tho
President. The envelope being unsealed, mass Of
cotton, of deeper yellow tinge than common, pre-
scented itself-and weighing about so or 10 grains.
Col. TaIcott the head Of the Ordnance Bureau, and
| Mr.. Robertson proceeded to make some expert
msnts. A small quantity Of the prepared cotton was
laid upon white sheet Of paper. When touched with
another piece Of paper, on fire, the cotton nstana
neousy exploded, producing a small volume Of
smoke, and leaving slight stains with very small
particles on the paper. The best gunpowder wa,
then exploded 1t produced more smoke and left
larger stains-thus showing that the combustion was
more complete in the former than in the latter
small quantity Of cotton was then thrown over some
grains of gunpowder, but both exploded together
In this respect, as well as in the stains upon paper
the tests failed. On applying to the tongue these
particles, which were lef upon paper by the oombus
ton of cotton alone, it presented the alkaline taste
showing that the fluid ip which the cotton had beer
immersed was not completely prepared portion
ofthe potash from the nitre had beon deposited in
the vessel and in dipping the cotton into it hat
mbibed some of the alkali, or some of the nitro
itself. ..s sa - --..
Upon Col. Tacott's putting some ofthe cotton into
a gun, with cap on, explosion took place with
comparatively little noise. On loading the gun
second time with about ten grains of the cotton
a wad of paper upon it, and ball and another wac
upon them, the gun was fired with smart noise. L
was discharged from the upper window of the War
Office, and aimed at the Navy Office, about forty
yards distant. The ball was found about eight yard
from the basement of the Navy Office, from which
it had recoled after making smart indenation in tn,
stone WALL and SO great was the force with which i
had gone and rebounded, that when it was picked
up it was found considerably 8attened and smashed
II is evident, however, that the cotton was no
prepared in the best manner. Mr. Robertson II
about to have certain quantity of the raw materia
(say twenty-five pounds) manufactured in the mos
scientific manner, and further experiments to b,
made at the arsenal with the delicate machinery
which tests the force of gunpowder. We shall
take care that these experiments shall be duly re-
ported. 49,. .e,s. ~ .,.'
| THE OHIO STATESMAN.
We are happy TO see, by the last number Of this