The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-28
Modern Explosives.

Nitro-g -glycerine was discovered by So
brero about 1915, and being q liquid it
WAS found to be practically useless.
Military men OF the different govern
ments of Europe exercised their talents
TO devise means to use it, but it was re-
served to Nobel, of Sweden. to make the
discovery or invention in 1868. He found
that it required concussion, or sud-
denly applied force, to explode it, and
from this he proceeded to place the
njtro-gly cerine III II vessel or bore-hoie
Tor Blasting, ana explode in or near it a
large percussion cap or charge of gum
powder, or other explosive substance.
Tnis was the climax OF the invention.
Dynamite lis u compound that has
come intp use within lew years. Some
ten years ago, in 1865, Col. Shatfner dis
covered that for general purposes OF
blasting the nitro-glycerine was too
much concentrated in tile bore-hole of
the rock, and in order to spread it
throughout the drill-hole he mixed with
it fine sand; the finer the sand the
greater would be the absorption. After
This, Nobel found that when nitro-glyc-
crime was thus mi xed it could be safely
transported, and that the finest silici Gus
matter that could be found would be the
most advantageous. With this view he
selected the earth known as infusoria,
found in large quantities in Holland.
This intusorla is composed of small
microscopic silicious shells, when have
lost their living creatures in the TN
known ages OF the past. The cellular
parts receive the nitro.glycerine and
hold Ii by capillary attraction, both in.
side and outside. This earth is very
light. The water is expelled from it by
a furnace, and then, in the form of pow.
der, it is mixed with The nitro-glycerine
twenty-five parts of the former AMI
seyenty-1ye parts of the latter, by
weight. This compound is known in
Europe as dynamite, aud in America IL
is called giant powder.
The success of dynamite, or giant
powder, has caused many adventurers
10 make up explosive compounds and, tc
some extent, these supposed improve
| ments have been more or less disas
| trous, and destructive to life and prop
erty. Giant powder can not be exploded
by ordinary handling, and ii a carload
was precipiLated down hill a thousand
feet 1t would not explode. II you SCI
fire 10 the carload it would burn freely
| Tut would not explode.
Ifyou explode large percussion cal
in the midst OF the giant powder ther,
] WliA W NA ApAOSAOA VA VIZ pOWAVLs l. IN
| iElusoria serves as cushion to what
4 ever l0rce may be applied to it, and thu
q sharp or close management of grea
power must be made, or an explOsiol
can not be effected. The nitro-gl ycerin
does not leak or eyaporate from this 81
|licious earth, and this circumstance fur
tner adds TO the safety Of the compound d
GunpoWder and gun-cotton will ex
plode by u spark, but giant powder wi.
moi in that manner. There must bel
4 powerful explosive force applied to il
and hence. it is far less dangerous as a
article to handle or transport than an
other explosives. Thomassen,t The auIho
OF the Bremen haven calamity, knew th
safety OF dynamite, and hence he ha
arranged his clockwork to let falla han
mer with the iorce OF thirty pounds upo
/ q percussion cap in the midst OF th
aowder, TO effect its explosion. The ja
or tall OF the oask let 60 Cne hammer, an
! hence the premature re suit. '"1H