Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-12-26

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the Intellect ana the imagination, besides pos
sessing an equal mastery of language in their
own peculiar style; but there is no other wri
ter who combines SO large an amount of all
those qualities, with the addition of mastery
OF style, at once highly classical and most ex
tensively popular. His style is classical, be-
cause it is so eorrect and it is popular be-
cause it must be ineligible without effort to
every educated understanding.
--e~-
Percussion or Eliminating Powder.
If the word ssdiabolieal'' can be properly
applied to any substance that chemical arti-
flee has produced. it certainly belongs 20 This,
which from the terrific power and force of its
explosion, deserves that title. The extraor-
dinary power of Illuminating mercury, or, as it
is commonly termed, percussion powder, pro-
hibits It's use as aprojectile, because we have
not made any cannon capable of wthstanding
its force, in any quantity at once. Sufficient
to project a ball or bomb shell, would con-
pletely shatter cannon on the instant of ex-
plesion. 1t is strange mixture that produ-
ces Eliminating powder. such combination
as none but true chemist would think of ma
king. illuminate is prepared with nitric acid,
ftilat is spirits of vine,) and mercury. These
Substances are the representatives Of the at
niospberio, the tatonic, and mineral portions
ofthe world; and although they are here uni
ted they have little affinity to each other, and
are waiting to fly asunder at the slightest call.
The fall ofa feather upon pure Eliminating
powder will cause it to explode. We would
describe Che method OF its manufacture did we
not fear to do so, lest some of our ingenious
readers should attempt TO produce it. None
but persons the greatest experience should
ever touch it. Not long ago the principal OPP
orator of Apothecaries' Hall, a man extreme
" cautious, and of profound experience, was
shivored to peices while drying an ounce of il.
As means OF igniting gunpowder, it has
proved in warfare of great service, as it adds
to the force of The powder. Eight and half
parts of powder fired with percussion caps are
quite equal in force to ten parts of gunpowder,
fred in the old way by means of the ssgun and
Gint.'' One ounce of illuminate is more than
enough Tor charging a thousand caps. In
charging the caps, the illuminate is mixed
with quarter of its weight of water and half
its weight of gunpowder the whole is then
ground together with wooden muller upon q
marble slab. Percussion powder; like gun
powder, owes lis terrific force to the concen-
tration into a solid form Of the elements Of air
in the immediate iuxtaposition of combusti-
bic materials, which. when fired, assume in
simultaneously the air, shape and bulk, which
is, b. the heat developed at the instant of ex-
plosion, fearfully increased in size. All sub
stances that contain great deal of oxygen,
will explode more or less when in contact
with c0mbustibles; although not included in
the category of warlike stories. Thus, at
Cateshead, during the late fire there, dreadful
explosions took place, although no gunpow-
der was present. Some of the warehouses
contaided vast quantities of nitrate of soda, a
substance of similar composition to nitrate OF
potash (saltpetre.) The napha and the sui
phur being mixed with this formed a COM
pound precisely to althoughnot identical with,
guupowder. Chemists are however, acquaint-
cd with many substances far more explosive
titan illuminate, such as chloride of nitrogeon,
I,ound of which would annihilate the strong
est fort in the world. By the time the chem
lists have taught us to control this frightfnl
power, let us hope that the peace of nations
Will have rendered it useless.-Sciehftfic finer
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