Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-02-26
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Gunpowder.

Before gunpowder was invented,
or at least brought into military
use, The sword, and the spear, and
the arrow, decided every battle; the,
arrow slew at a distance, bat the
sword and spear brought men hand
to hand; in this case the fight was
not ended till one or both Of the
combatants were killed. Such bat
ties were always very bloody, 1t
was not till the mipdle of the four
teenth century, hat gunpowder
was applied to war. 1t was loudly
cried out against at first, as contra
ny to fair fighting. Howev er, the
use Of it gained ground; it is now
universal, and its use has changed
the nature of all warfare, almost
always combining it to a distance; by
which war is endered less de-
structiv We, not one bullet in 10000
taking effect. It lras changed too
the ma ture of all fertilization; for a
high 1 over is n w no defence, but
an inc umbrancd. ALI Notifications
al this time ante flat, and almost
level with the or pund. Gunpowder
is a mixture of sulphur and char
coal, with nitre. or saltpetre. The
sulphur easily takes fire with a
spark, the char coal holds the fire,
and makes il VERY fierce; and the
salipe tire, being decomposed by the
fire, e xplodes- The gases generated
hereby, having an amazing expan-
siYe force, will rend anything to
pieces in which they are enclosed.
. Now, a gun m ade very strong to
f bear this expIos ion, except towards
, the muzzle, where Their is no OPP
position; finding vent that way, its
= explosion comes out at the mouth,
; apd drives vdry thing before it.
The ball, being placed there on pur-
pose, is violently driven out; and
, passing through SO long tube, ii
takes the direction thus given to it.
and strikes against what it hits with
t great violence; SO that a bullet will
: enter mans body and make a
, grievouS wound, andSif it cuts any
| vital part, it kills him instantly
The ball from a cannon, striking
against.a " all, will batter it down.
a A musket, it is said, will carry A
, lille. Ships, which have long guns
E Sometimes begin to fire at three
miles distance. The three ingre-
$ dents, sulphur, charcoal, and Nitro
> must be separately pounded into .
very fine powder; they must theI
be mixed thoroughly together; II
t doing which they are kept wet
E that they may not take fire, witt
t water, or vinegar, or brandy, SO
Nv llCH HllACu3 dilu tIO COlipooitior
isa sort Of paste, it is forced through
b course seive. by which it il
brought. into grains, which is the
best state for explosion. 1t hap
pens every now and then, that the
!, powder mIls blow up; as all Fhp
are in them perish, we can ne vel
6 tell how it happened; we only KIN bwf,
that if by a nail in the mixture, Oh
any how else, a spark OF fire comes
in among the powder, the explos ion
is instantaneous and Irresistible.
; Children who are very fond Of
playing with gunpowder, should not
be suffered to do it, without some
older person to take care. Many
, have had their eyes blown out, and
been even killed, by &C cidents, of
which they can not be ware. To
leave guns OF pistols within thdir
reach, is very wrongs children
should never touch them; many a
little boy has killed hims elf or His
sister, by touching fire-at;ms which
were loaded, an id wenfoff by ac-
cident.