Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-14
THE PERCUSSION Oh ILLUMINATING
POWDER

If the word "diabolical' can be properly
applied 20 any substance that chemical artifice
has produced, it certainly belongs TO this,
which, from the terrific power and force Of
its explosion, truly deserves that title. The
extraordinary power Of Illuminating mercury,
or, as it is commonly termed, percussion pow
der, prohibits its use as a projectile, because
We have not yet made any cannon capable Of
withstanding its force, IL fired In any quantity
at once. Sufficient to project ball or bomb
she'll would completely shatter G cannon on
the instant Of explosion. 1t is q strange mix
ture that produces Illuminating powdeT--sueh
a combination as none but q true chemist
would think of making. Fulminste is pre-
pared with nitric acid, Extracted from salt
petre,) alcohol, (that H, spirits Of wine,) ard
mercury. These substances are the represen-
tatives of the atmospheric, the botanic, and
mineral portions Of the world; and, although
they are here united, they have but little af-
fnity TO each other, and are only waiting to
fly asunder at the slightest call. The fall Of a
feather upon pure Illuminating powder will
sometimes cause ii to explode. We would de-
scribe the method Of its manufacture did We
not fear to do so, lest some Of our ingenious
readers should attempt ts produce it. None
but persons Of the greatest experience should
ever touch it. Not long ago, the principal
operative at Apothecaries' Hall, a man ex-
tremely cautious and Of profound experience,
was shivered to pieces while drying an ounce
Of it.
As means Of igniting gunpowder, it has
proved in warfare Of great service, as il adds
to the force of the powder. Eight and a half
parts of powder fired with percussion caps are
quite equal in force to ten parts Of gunpow-
der fired in the old way By means of the "pan
and flint One ounce of illuminate is more
than enough for charging thousand caps. In
charging the cups, the illuminate is mixed with
a quarter Of its weight Of water and half its
weight with gunpowder; the whole Is then
ground together with q wooden muller upon .
marble slab.
Percussion powder, like gunpowder, owes
its terrific force 10 the concentration into q
solid form of the elements of air in the imme-
diate juxtaposition of combustible materials,
which, when fred, assume instantoneously the
air, shape, and bulk, which is by the heat de-
veloped at the instant Of ex xplosion, fearfully
increased in size. All substances that con-
tain great deal Of oxygen will explode
more or less when in contact with combusti-
bles, although not included in the category OF
warlike stores" Thus, at Gates head, during
the late fire there, dreadful explosions took
place, although no gunpowder was present
Some OF the warehouses contained vast guam
titles Of nitrate of soda, a substance Of similar
composition 10 that Of nitrate OF potosh, (s:lt-
petre. Thus, naptha and the sulphur being
mixed with this, formed n compound precisely
similar to, although not identical with gun
powder. Chemists are, however, acquainted
with many substances far more explosive than
| illuminate, such as chloride Of nitrogen,
| pound Of which would annihilste the strong
| est fort in the world.