Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-25
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES isn?

Glycerine is the sweet principle OF oil,
and Is extensively used for the purposes of
the toilet; bat it has now received an ap-
plicatiOn of rather All unexpected nature
III lS47a pupil of NJ. PelOnze's, Nj. SobrerO,
discovered that glycerine, when treated
with nitric acid, was converted into
highly explosive substance, which he called
nitro -glycerine. 1t is oily, heavier than
water, soluble in alcohol and ether, and acts
so powerfully on the nervous system that a
single drop placed on the tip OF the tongue
will cause a violent headache, which will
last for several hours. The liquid see us to
have been almost forgotten by chemists, and
it is Only now that NJ. Nobel, Swedish en-
gineer, has succeeded in applying it to a
very important branch of his art-namely,
blasting. From paper addressed by him
to the Academy OF Sciences, we learn that
the chief advantage which this substance,
composed OF one part of glycerine and three
parts of nitric acid, possesses, is, that it re-
quires much smaller hole or chamber than
gunpowder does, the strength of the latter
being scarcely One-tenth of the fOrmer.-
Hence, the miners work, which, according
to the hardness of the rock, represents five
to twenty times the power of the gun
powder used, is so short that the cost of
blasting is often reduced by fifty per cent.
The process is very easy. If the chamber
of the mine presents tissures, it must be
lined with clay to make it water tight; this
being done, the nitro glycerine is poured
in, the water after it, which, being the
lighter liquid, remains at the top. A slow
match with well charged percussion cap
at one end is then introduced into the nitro
glycerine. The mine may then be sprung
by lighting the match, there being no need
of tampng. On the 9TH of June last, three
experiments were made with this new COM
pound in the open part of the tin mines of
Altenburg, in Saony. In one of these
a chamber thirty-f -four millimetres in diam
eter was made perDendicularly in dolO-
mitic rock, sixty feet in length. and at
distance of fourteen feet from its extremity,
which was vertical. At depth oi eight
feet vault filled with clay was found, in
consequence of which the bottom of the
hole was lamped, having depth of seven
feet. One lltre and halfof nitro-glycerine
was then poured in; it occupied five feet;
match and stopper were then applied. as
stated, and the mine sprung. The effect
was so enormous as to fissure fifty feet in
length, and onother twenty feet.
CHEMICAL NATURE OF THE COMPOUND.
The blasting oil, or nitrO-glycerine of
Mr.. Nobel, is chemical compound of six
equivalents of carbon, five equivalents of
hydrogen. three equivalents of oxygen, and
three of nitrogen, expressed scientifically
by the formula
C6 H5 O3 On O5)3.
Practically, it is composition CT 70 per
cent. OF nitric acid and 25 per cent. of gly-
cerine oil
A scientific calculation of the volume of
gases, developed by the combustion of this
compound and the combustion of good gun
powder, proves that nitro glycerine. COM
pared with gunpowder, possesses thirteen
times its power, when volumes are com
pared, and eight times its power for equal
weight. Therefore, where eight pounds of
are wanted, one pound of
will be sufficient to produce
the same effect. . .,..
HEsTUFF PATENTED FOR THE UNITED STATES.
Mr.. Nobel has patent for the United
States and Territories, to secure the rights
and profits of Iris invention. The patent
was granted by the Patent Office at WASH
ington, on the 9th OF October, 1866.