Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-10-10
ARouT auNPOWDER.

ABOUT GUNPoWDER.
The principal gunpowder mills in the United
States are Du Points in Delaware Hazards at
Enfield, Conn. Latin, Smith & Boies, at Sau
gerties the Oriental Gunpowder Company, oi
Boston and the Schaghticoke Gunpowder
Company at Schaghticoke Previous to the Sc
cession of South Carolina there were but two
mills in the Southern States, since that time
two more have been erected, one in Georgia,
the other in Arkansas.
The materials and proportions of which gun
powder is composed are seventy-hve parts of
saltpetre to twelve and one half parts of sui
phur and twelve and one half parts of charcoal
These proportions vary slightly in different va
rieties of powders and the standard proportions
OF different governments vary also, but the pro-
portions generally deemed best or "standard"
are as we have given them. Saltpetre is almost
entirely imported from India, here it is found
in large quantities, and transported from thence
TO various parts of the world Its price in the
New York market varies from five to fifteen
cents per pound its average price is perhaps
nine cents. But, of course, our Southern
friends get none from the New York market,
or any other market while the blockade is eff
fectual and they are dependent upon the sup
ply which they can gather from their own soil.
The Hazard Company informs us that when the
saltpetre is received by them, it contains from
six 20 eight per cent. of foreign substances, but
after passing through their cleansing process, it
does not contain one three hundred thousandth
per cent. of impurities, as tested by chemical
analysis. 1t is this nicely of preparation that
constitutes much of the difference in qualities
of powder.
Sulphur is almost entirely imported, and
mostly from the Island of Sicily, where it is
found on the central part Of the southern coast
1t is found in the craters Of volcanoes; and the
rebels may succeed in getting some from Mex
leo they may also gather it in small quantities
in the neighborhood of mineral springs from
which sulphuretted hydrogen is evolved. The
other ingredient, charcoal, is more readily OBJ
tanned, but great care is requisite in selecting
the wood, and in charring it after selection. In
England black dogwood is used for making
sporting POWDER but willow and alder is gen.
orally used by our government. These woods,
however, are as unfit as the hardest charcoal, il
they are charred at too high a temperature.
They should be charred at a temperature OF
about 500 deg, and when charred at this tenn
perature, the coal will readily enter into COM
bustion when heated to $50 deg. if, however,
it is charred at higher temperature, it requires
still greater heat to ignite i; ; and when char
red at degree required to melt platinum. i,
will enter into combustion but slowly at $50
deg.
The saltpetre and sulphur having been re-
fine !, and the charcoal made from the right
wood and properly charred, they are mixed to.
gether in the proportions already stated. The
mixture is then placed on an iron bed, and
| sprnkled with water to prevent an explosion
and subjected to the pressure of large wheels
weighing seven or eight tons each, by means o
which it is solidifed into a hard, brittle cake. l
| =, tl,o, AJ ubt oh raI,r
to any size required that now used in firing
cannon is very coarse, some of the pieces beins
nearly as large as doves e.gs. 1t iS then taker
to the dry house, and dried by the heat of steam
or fires. Afterwards it is bolted to free it from
dust, glazed by means of friction, and packed
in various quantities, from half-pourd canister
to kegs of 100 pounds each.
Gunpowder seldom explodes after having
been packed. The danger lies in the process
of manufacture and even here the danger i
in the liability of the workman, from famiarit,
with the process, to become negligent of duty
Each process has its peculiar danger. The ole
screw-press WIS abolished and the hydrauli
press substituted in its place, because the fric
tion of the screw generated a heat which at an
time was liable to explode the mill. Iron nail
in the shoes of the employees are carefully avoi
ded nor are they used in confning the head
of the kegs in which the powder is packed
wooden ones being used in their place. Al
though dang,r necessarily and always accom-
panies the manufacture of powder, the EN-
ployes receive no higher compensation for thei
labor on this account, and workmen are readil
found at dollar a day. Notwithstanding tn
amount required for the present war, the man
ufacturers assure us that the business is nov
dull, less being used by the army than is ordi
narily employed for sporting purposes and il
arts of peace. Our mills produce annually
surplus for export, amounting to some years t
two or three millions of pounds. Their ordi
nary production is more than the governmer
can possibly require, and the supply now o
hand would suffice to send bullet to the hear
of every traitor in our land.