Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-14
THE POWER OF DYNAMITE.
1t is Greatly Overestimat and Soon to
be Superseded as an Explosive.

DC superseded as an Explosive.
From the Cornhill Magazine
Dynamite, In Its simplest form, closely re-
sembles moist brown sugar and is nitroRlycer-
Inc absorbed in any inert base It is not yet
twenty years old, having been first offered for
sale in June, 1867. In the form In which it is
licensed, dynamite must consist Of rs per cent
OF nitro-glycerine and % per cent Of an infusor-
ial earth known as kieselg,lhr
OF dynamite properly SO called there are only
two kinds, distinguished as dynamite No. / and
No. 2. No. is composed of rs per cent of
ana 70 cent Of the
slycerine and 50 per cent Of pulverized pre-
paration composed OF nitrate of potash, charcoal
gun-powder in coal-working where dynamite
No; was too powerful.
aud aboas hair as is bea ys sg oily
is simply cold mixture Of one part of nitric
acid and three parts Of sulphuric acid. It has
h1 met stsst
stey produce vioisns aad Ses' ev mmf the
We're Wrapped IN pafohman s aould So
the same. The dynamite headache" is a dis
order very we'll known In the trade.
The discovery Of dynamite was not due. az
direct HE rs @sde conss 9ai % %
coaa1s . ana ka and before the
adopted, numerous trials were made of various
other absorbents, such a. porous terra cotta
IN aa and ;p SOAKED
tfages pairing the Sisgs Of Paris when ths
coal, and next 70 that in pounded sugar
The sl hours Of the supremacy Of dynamite are
ton Of Mr.. Alfred Nobel Of Edinbn1ob nV al.
ready on the continent the manufacture Of this
Many of the later operations of the SIT. (3ofhari
tunnel were carried out with pure blasting gela-
tine. and in Austria, the richest Of ali the Euro
the factories where dynamite was formeriv
made are now given over TO it's manufacture,
II is SIMPLY base CONTAINING
cent Of collodion wool, that Is itself an explo-
.ive, in place Of the inert kieselo,hr. As blast
mite and on account of its elasticity is less SEN
sible to outward Impressions, while in hand.
ling or cutting the cartridges there is no loss OF
mite. Its further advantages are that the gases
after explosion are lighter and thinner. and
mors e. the sane time
blasting gelatine is repressntsted BY the nrures
glycerine when brought into Contact wit" With
The destructive power OF dynamite which.
contrary TO the common opinion, does not act
downward, but equally tn eli directions and
VIII IIlS eIeatest VlOlence where there Is the
greatest resistance, has been greatly exagger-
the explosive power Of gpnpowder, It is compa-
tfsrvsy Ttn Tin IN It's effects at even short dis
sances: Inc oynamiter, with ell bis daring and
more damage than gas has often done before.
T. would be better for him, II he desires to CON
tlnue tbe warfare, to return to his ancient ally
gunpowder, which above ground is o much more
noisy and demoralizing agent.
Oynamites cannot BY any means ct their dis
posai Lag whole city In ruins-nor even q
street. They may injufe special buildings, and
that 10 the m9st they can do. The dyhamite
Of casds, ef The Kind known as tnsmitss
Wholly unl1ceDsed explosive, composed OF
sawaast sIs pip a9a e q sdscts