Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-16
THE CzaR-KILLING BOMB.
New York SUM-


How was the bomb made which was
used for the assassination of the Czar!"
This question was asked Of gentleman
who is connected with one of the great
powder companies of the city, and who I'M
derstands thoroughly the subject of explo-
sives.
cit might have been filed with any one
OF number of compounds. | read yes
terday that it was filed with sulphur and
chlorate of potassa. That is common
combination, with which every school-boy
who has undertaken the elements Of chem
istry is familiar. The mixture, rubbed
with hammer or a stone, will fash read.
lily. doubt If it was this, because there
are Eliminates which are much more GER
tain and forcible.'
The explosion is reported to have torn
deep hole in the pavement, four feet in
diameter. Mustn't it have required a very
powerful agent to have accomplished such
an effect 2"
Certainly, but not an unfamiliar one.
What are known as the decorating powders
have been familiar for at least fifty years,
and nothing could have been selected which
would have been more certain in its result.
Simple chlorate of potash and sulphur make
terrible explosive. Ii it had been dyna-
mite that had been contained in the glass
bombs, it is probable that on being thrown
it would not have exploded"
"Supposing the bombs were provided
with percussion caps ?"
"Then the bombs would have to be
thrown accurately. A shell thrown from
gun strikes accurately point on, so that the
cap is exploded but glass balls thrown by
hand would not surely retain any given
position, and cap at any one point would
not necessarily be touched or exploded.
The whole mass would have to be highly
explosive for the certain success of such
process. Ii the balls were filed with
nitro glycerine, may say that would not
like to have one of them strike at my feet;
still, the chances are that it would not ex-
ploae.
How much more effective such ball
would be il it were filed with the fulmi-
nate of mercury or the illuminate of silver
The illuminate of mercury constitutes the
percussion in ordinary caps. The assassins
having that had an agent more powerful
than nitro. glycerine, and it has been known
since the beginning OF the century. Dyna-
mite, glycerine, glucodine and gun. cotton
are all forms OF the same thing, and the
effort has been made to make these harm
less under ordinary shock and fire. Why
should these conspirators have used these
They had known agent, effective and
certain, and there was no need to look for
an internal novelty"
" What Eliminates are common, and
what would have been their effect ?"
The illuminate of mercury would have
done. An ounce of it exploded on this
desk would tear hole through it. 1t
costs only 50 so a pound. A glass ball
such as those the marksnen shoot at,
about the size OF a hens egg, if filed with
illuminate of mercury and exploded as the
bombs were exploded which killed the
Gar, would rend the ground asunder and
produce effects identical with those
which have been reported. The eff
feet of these Eliminates is the same
as that of dynamite. Dynamite is only
a weaker, less susceptible form of them.
They operate instantaneously. Gunpowder
works gradually and moves the bullet from
gun. illuminate Of mercury exploded in
gun would act instantly, and before the
inertia OF the bullet was overcome the gun
would be shattered. Ii you put your
shoulder to wagon and applied force
gradually, you would move the wagon. If
you ran your shoulder full tilt against the
wagon, the wagon would not move and you
would hurt your shoulder. That is the
difference in the operations of gunpowder
and illuminate.
There is no reason why the assassins
shouldn't have been contented with the
illuminate of mercury. 1t is cheap and
common. When it is wet it can be trans
ported with IMMUNITY, and when it is dry
1t can be exploded by slight conclusion,
and its effects are disastrous. A supply
for those glass bombs could have been got
from a number of ordinary percussion
caps or cartridges. The bigger the
bomb the more disastrous the explo-
sion, of course but ball the size OF
hens egg, as have said, would have con-
tanned enough of this substance to produce
the effect reported. illuminate of silver
might have been used. 1t is more highly
explosive than the illuminate of mercury.
illuminate of gold is more explosive still.
Probably they did not use that it is too
dangerous, too tickle. The chloride OF
nitrogen is another fac.le high explosive
they could not have handled 1t.