The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-10

was likely 70 occur and actually did occur-namey
explosion from concussion by fall blow Porters
conveying baggage 70 and nom steamships seem TO
take positive pleasure in banging II about and box Of
dynamite would probably be exploded by such hand
ling as portmanteau receives between London and
Paris The risk therefore OF personally conducting
speculation OF this kind must be considerable and
would hardly have been undertaken without view TO
large profits, and these could only secured by
rangenents involving more than one person Goods
OF some KIND, or, al any rate, cases looking
as II they contained goods, must be shipped
ana insured, and any extraordinary circumstances
occurring IA the course OF these proceedings would
be noticed and remembered on public attention being
aroused There must always be broker holding an
ostensioy respectable POSITION who has communicated,
with or without some medium, with the persons ex-
pecting proft from these frauds and thus II may be
possible TO get as far strong suspicion OF the chief
delinquents But il may be dilicut TO get further
In the at the Old Bailey II only ny admitting
subordinate as Queens evidence that the contrivers
OF the fraud of them, we're brought TO justice
Curiosity will be felt 10 whether English or German
police able 70 obtain evidence against any accom-
plices Of Thomas. II it be true that he had been
blockade runner IL is probable that be would not DO
content with petty gain, and operations on large scale
imply coniederates. The gentleman who writes in the
Times "Warhawk" possess, according to his
own account, talents and information OF the
most stupendous kind But Notwithstanding the
melodramatlc air which he assumes. there appears
be a good ueal IN his communication. The Times
published, ia June 1873 letter from Mr.. II. +. Hem
ming Consul for Venezuela, containing statement
which he had derived IRON this gentleman. The sub
stance of u was that small torpedocs made TO look
like lump Of coal had been sent from France to a
u
goods of no value heavily insured, and was to be sent
10 with some OF these torpedoes on board in the
hope that she might be lost and the spectators gain
large sum. few days later the Times published
letter from this gentleman himself under the title OF
'Ex Yachtsman," which he has now exchanged for
the more imposing one Of ''Warhawk." The iniorma-
ton thus gwen probably put agents on their
guard in England and about the same time the
French Minister of Marine issued warning circular
the same subject This torpedo would either ex-
plode in fixed time after being thrown into the ships
furnace or ii might be exploded as II lay II was an
American motion" and seems 10 have depended Tor
It's effect the presence board OF some accomplce
IN the plot, who would Of desire time and OPP
portunity for his escape from the explosion But
II several of these orpedoes were placed in SHIPS
coal bunkers would be reasonably certain that one
or OF them would find their way into the furnace
and explode, and thus the expenditure incurred IN
hitting and loading the ship would be recouped and
handsome gained besides Still II seems that the
torpedo left something be desired which the clock
work arrangement of Thomas would have supplied.
THE ORDINARY DYSAMIrE or COMMERCE
is made by combining nitro-gycerine with sort OF
usually of seventyve OF the former TO twenty five OF
the latter. II is valuable mining and tunnehng
where hard rocks have to be dealt with. Professor
Abel states that in ordinary mining operations eyna-
mite is safer than gunpowder There is less liability
spilliq about and less liability its being gnited
by spark and though 1t is more liable under certain
conditions TO gne by conclusion than gunpowder still
IL will stand safely very considerable amount OF
rough usage There is however danger IN connec-
ton with It's in connection with its being IN tho
hands OF miners which does not exist in connection
with gunpowder. This arises chiefly out OF the ten
Abel formerly believed, with others, because
several accidents had occurred especially with frozen
nitro glycerine, that the material in this condition
was more sensitive to defamation than when in liquid
state This, he says, was error; but, nevertheless,
when the material is frozen, IL is much more liable to
lead to accident for two reasonns-hrs because men
get into their heads false idea of It's security and
second because they have to thaw it for USE and in
thawing IL they are liable to follow their own rude
notions. Major Majene r. A., informs how they
do this in North Wales. They were in the habit says
he, of putting dynamite on shovel and holding It over
ming about the shoveLn These statements and
many the same subject will be
found in the report OF committee OF the House of
Commons on explosive substances which sat last
year Major Majendie considered that the law
to dynamite was too stringent, but he spoke
strongly TO the danger Of nitro glycerine in the
liquid state. His assistant, Major Ford visited maya
zine where he the floor drops of glycerne
which had exuded from box containing dynamite and
he thought If his attendant had rodden the nitro
glycerine it would have exploded Under some CIR
cumstances dynamite burns much less readily than
gunpowder but explodes more readily on conclusion.
Thus witness told the committee that II you ire
rifle ball into you will explode it, but by the same
means you will not explode gunpowder The explosive
force OF dynamite is much greater than that of gun
powder and this is why in difficult mining operations
il is valuable. Dynamite is intensely active in
small around the explosion. The local destruction
Of gunpowder IS much less, but il is destructive at
greater distance
II is stated that
THOMAS BROUGHT FROM AMERICA
the dynamite with which he charged his machine, and
this is remarkable, because Mr. Nobel who invented
IGNITING MECHANISM
a common clock solIdy constructed, and provided
with hammer which was TO strike one single blow
every ten days This hammer weighed thirty pounds
There audible ticking from the clock. The dy
Mantle was placed in four zinc boxes which were ar
ranged above another the clock and hammer being
between the second third The hammer striking
upon the dynamite in Of the boxes would The
desired explosion. The interesting description of the
apparatus the Times speaks Of the "explosve
hquid;' but this is perhaps an error 1t seems
more likely that Thomas used the dynamite OF COM
merce, which is sort OF paste made, as we have
SEEN by mixing liquid nitro glycerine with Kieselguhr
which, by the way, is largely found in Germany. Il
must be concluded says the writer In the Times that
Thomas OF the tendency OF dynamite and
other nitrogycerne preparations to explode sponia
neously in cold weather. But this appears regards
commercial dynamite, TO be an error. The truth is
that il attempt the frozen paste and try
to force 1t into hole by striking part of the
cartridge with hammer II is very likely 10 explode,
but this explosion hardly be called spontaneous
Again, If they put il into a frying pan and keep II
there until the oil begins to run about mischief
by putting II into manure heap or
perhaps by taking it to bed with one, 1t may be used
safely In winter in summer. In speaking OF "icy
crystals this writer has, we think, drawn on his
Imagination His description OF the zinc boxes
boarded suggests that the dynamite, II liquid,
might have eXuded through them, and after that had
taken place, there might have been an explosion at
any moment Then, again. he refers TO the exceptional
severity of the weather in Germany as If that were
MATERIAL bat there always cold enough IN winter to
freeze. at least TO harden dynamite We can easily
believe that the from the box falling the
pavement would explode the dynamite and the effect
Of that explosion, within narrow limits
actiy what We should expect
THE INTERNAL MACHINES OF OUR DAY OF CIV