The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-01
A NEW BLASTING POWDER.

rev blasting POWDER called dynamite, has been
ID by Mr.. Nobel, who Is already known to tho
'nsosA the experimenter on that dangerous COM
pubic wn as nitro-glycerine. series OF ex-
pouHu A~ re recently made In the presence OF a
poiNion'S W. 'ntifc gentlemen at the Merstham
number OF sen vorks near RedhiII England who
o,ay LNnles'ohe Of the power OF the new agent
s "ol0 .uis cohV'noos '. The following Is descrip-
. I'm sne ses's appnoN an account Of the tests
made 80,
saD5 ha ~ Wnicn resem% ,losive, for which Is
claimed force OF a remarkable 'tances that Cannot
fe under ordinary circGM one OF the most
The n causes which render ganpo. or rO convey
BY the modes of transit no Se eees
upon Il. Nitro-glycerne expodes at !. es. gun,
powder at 900 degrees a common dre' =" !, 200
degrees; but much higher temperature thaas 'iS
somewhere between 400 and 8, $50 degrees. A Aun
deal box containing ten pounds OF the compoua>'
but there was no explosion and the dynamite min,
gled harmlessy with the ashes. II was In other
ways placed In immediate contact with fire with the
same results. GunpOwder was exploded near IT.
without effect. The superiority OF the material over
the dangerous explosives as to which conclusion
would be certain destruction was ackno yledged
by several practical persons present connected
with the carrying trades. Ten pounds OF dyna,
hurled from the top OF cliff 1t fell sixty feer upon
the rocks below with more signs OF eXpc sion
than would be caused by the fall Of a brickoat.
Equally striking were the illustrations given OF its
deadly strength cartridge filled with dynamite
was placed upon two inch oak plank. A fuse WIN
strong percussion cap was attached co II ana nrea5
and the plank split In several places and had
hole knocked through 1t. The percussion cap Is the
explosive agent and 1t Is claimed that ching else,
so far as Is known, will do the work. In this in
stance the work done most etrectually although
the cartridge, which about the size OF a mans
finger, was laid loosely on the plank. large block
of granite about yard cube, was shivered by like
treatment block OF wrought iron, with an
inch bore hole, but without either plug or lamp
ing, shared the same fate, did wrought
iron cylinder with charge laid loose on
the top. The rocks were bored fifteen feet
deep, and fired, with an effect that startled the
quarrymen present, not because Of the loudness OF
the report so much as because of the immediate ana
extensive character Of the blasting. Other expert
ments demonstrated the great velocity impaired to
fragments of shells charged with dynamite and It's
adaptability to distress signals. At the close SIT
Charles Fox and several gentlemen connected with
mining, railway and other kindred interests, ex-
pressed their surprise and ad niration at what they
had seen one speaker saying that II the material
were In use much saving OF life would be the result
and another expressing his belief that railway con-'
panies might carry 1t without any risk Sir Charles
Fox thought 1t would act admirably in borings under
water. The merits Of dynamite are already being
seriously considered by foreign governments.