New-York daily tribune., 1865-09-28
Nou.Expiosivo Guupowder.

An interesting series of experiments wal
tried yesterday afternoon in one OF the yards Of th,
jersey City Locomotive Works, at Jersey City for the
purpose OF testing newly invented process for render
ing gunpowder nonexplosiye. The process is of En-
gsh origin. and Is the invention of Mr. Gale, Eiectr
cian OF Plymouth England. 1t is introduced into this
country by Mr.. Handel Cossham one of the party OF
English tourists who have recently been travelling
through the States. BY whom the experiments were
conducted. The method which is purey mechanical.
consists of mngling the explosive gunpowder with a
certain proportion OF explosive powder Of much
greater degree Of neness so that each grain OF gun.
powder is surrounded and isolated from its fellows by
non combustibe wall through which no nre can pene.
trate III then. fire should be communicated to any
part OF this mixture only those grains of powder will
be bufned which the fire actually touches. IL will not
fash through the entire mass
Mr. Cossham commenced his experiments By burning
several samples Of different qualities of powder 10 open
wooden vessels They all flashed up instantly the
application OF a match q red.hOt poker. He then
took small quantities OF the same powder and mingled
them IN different proportions with the Iplosive
POWDER which In these experiments simply com
mon glass ground to an almost impapablc dust. A
English riie'powder with the glass dust being set
fire by paper match, burned Ike sQb OF like mix.
ture OF dry and wet powder the powder being entirely
consumed but slowly and without any appearance Of
explosion. mixture Of one part of gunpowder with
two OF glass was stirred up with redhot poker Some
OF the powder was consumed, producing succession
Of tiny Jets OF flame and smoke the hot poker came
successfully In contact with the different grains but
after pretty thorough stirring with the hot iron
considerable quantity Of the powder was found to be
still unburnt.
Into a vessel containing one part Of gunpowder and
three parts OF glass dust pyrotechnsts Quick match
was placed passng entirely through the mixture. The
match was then fred at both ends and burned entirely
out without producing any appearance Of explosion
even combustion in the mixture.
The residue remaining from each OF these expert
ments was then placed in common sieve. and the
naming powder was instantly aud easily separated
from the glass dust. Each pie Of powder then
subjected TO the same test AZ the mixture had been
when each one flashed up aud burned Instantly show
ing conclusivey that change had occurred in the
powder. Each Of these experiments was repeated
over and over again. the fire or heat being applied in
different ways and always with the same results.
In order to show the entire safety of the mixture
n larger scale, common gunpowder kcg was then
filed with four pounds Of strong fife powder and about
nine poundspf noneNposye dust and placed upon the
top the fire IN portable furnace Some ofthe spects
tors at first seemed think that this carrying the
matter TO extremes, and showed disposition to retire
from the imuediaie neghborhood OF the furnace. but
the c0nltent msnner OF Mr. COssham reassured them,
and they concluded 10 remain The bottom ofthe keg
burned through and its contents ran out into the fire.
oausng a small burst OF fame and smoke as handful
OF any dry shavngs might have done but not prodnc
ing sufficient explosion 90 the empty keg from fs
position.
Several variations Of these tests tried but al
ways with the same results. The powder IN comblna
ion with proper proportion Of the glass dust wond
not bur but being separated from II by SIM y SIT
ing the mixture II burned readily and exploded as
forciby A. ever.
The experiments seemed 10 prove conclusiyely the
entire correctness of the theory. IL will be seen that
no chemical change takes place In the powder. It's
PARTICLES simply separated from each other by the
iuierposition OF cOmbustible medium that fire
does not pass from particle 10 another That Is all.
II mny be objected that by this mixing OF the powder
greater space is required for is storage. but on this
the inventor claims that by rendering the powder
perfectly raf be is enabled to dispense with the cum
brons precautions usually required In storing H. and 80
quantity OF his mixture stored In bulk will really re-
qurc little II any space than the same amount OF
powder stored IN the usual way Also that the OF
the safety material will not exceed that of the prepsra
tor. required to attain. less efficiently the same
result.
The powdered glass. Mr. Cossham informs us costs
IN England about siIpencc per pound. bat any fine.
pure sclan sand viii answer the purpose. and he
thinks ,fc powdered Stag from iron furnaces. which
costs nothing but the preparation would probably
prove best of ALL
As the greater part OF the cost OF guDpowder
grows of the precautions TO insure safety
In producing and Keeping u. Mr.. Cossham thinks that
general adoption OF this plan will ultimately lead TO
yreat reduction In the cost of the article.
The process Is protected By letters patent. both n
Europe aud IN this country.