Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-11-07

g
a paper read before thosBritsh Assscs-
alton stated that during the past twelve
months considerable advance Inns been
i1nade in the application Of guh cotton as
! an explosive material Reports from Fa-
rious mining works indicate q steady
pgngrcss towards It's general use At
hfst u seemed probable faat gun-eot-
ton would BE effectively and 90 nom
icsily employed only IN hard rock, sgch
as granite. Experience showed IN work.
ing amongst soft rocks and Goals, That the
form in whseh gun-eoiton bad been pre-
pared wa not the best for obtaining safe
/ isfaetory and economical results. Tic
charge was eon1nedin a small space, and
acting on a short length 3f the hole cT
( drill, showed immense force, bot eEpen-
ded a considerable portion Oft ia enior
ms the base OF fbe heie, Vhle thercmaln-
der bad only the effect " Cpl tting lie
rock, instead ~ throwing oveg toe au 3.
dua. Tho mechanical application n
which CUR cotton seoBl ready 70 L1lnit
was consequently varied. BY tie intro-
ducti0n Of acore Of woOd b charge OF
cotton was made to cccupy double the
length Of the hole, the wood llilgth iu-
ternal spate ( ha charge, 9 that IN Ao
explosion q much largec slrace Nla
acted upon, VII le the gases were wei
confined. In this manner work IS nov
executed in coal and IA slate, obtain
ing even 10 soft material the full
force which was at fir. claimed mf gum
cotton In hsrd rock only, name s1
times that q an equal we.gnt VI ggn-
powder. 4 tunnel driven In hald rock
advanced uiue and q half yards worked
with gun cotton, while but oight yards
wero cut through in the same time, using
m-rs-T.u IL mnnrrrawffaL Hnfr #nfH rrEn
must be made Of the extra explosive
force Of tho cotton. Iueighteen hundred
and sixty-four, tho commissioners op-
pointed b inquire into the condition III
mines in Crest Britain rendered their
report 10 both Houses Of Parliament. ID
reference to the air in mines, the report
saws. "As g%unpowder j. evidently one III
tie most deleterious ingredients affecting
the air Of mines, the commission was
DESTROYS that the products Of combustion
Of %guncotton should be examined, IN .
order 70 find if that substance promised
to perform the work of blasting with o
less injurious influence on the air; for if
g%uncOtton could be used Of a kind
which give out none Of the oxides OF
nitrogen an advantage 81 tie most
pleasing kind would be gained. Tho
solid matter, the crystals and carbon,
WOtlN cease 10 tIpuD.t EAt Aift-'4
as well as the sulphur compounds that
follow every explosion" Upon trial be-
ing made, traces only ofoXide Of nitr0geH
could be found in seventeen hundred and
forty cubic inches Of air, taken immedi-
after explosion Of %guncottoH. Con-
sidering that nitrates are found i'm g Tow
cubic inches Of air after the explosion Of
powder, the result is extremely favorable.
Another experiment was % follows: A
mass of granite was exploded by
guncotton in a small hut, Though the
was rent as much as by powder, the
of the hut was not stirred. The mini
ers held this rs a proof that the action Of
was different from That Of powder.
Probably the vapor Of water was con-
densed before reaching the roof. Tie
says: "We all entered the INIT in
The place was full oflight-c0l-
0red or nearly white vap0r, with a rather
.ungent smell, having in 1t nothing at
all resembling nitrous gas, or inde(si any
acid substance whatever. Lcouid think
Of nothing similar to this containing hi
trogen,r Subsequent experiments proved
this smoke came from the eOmbus-
ton Of the fuse, made Of canvass, tar
and g~unpoWder. The experiments were
made in a mine and the miners were very
favorable 70 the use of junction.