Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-02-07
MODERN EXPLOSIVES
An Account Of the More Importsnt Sab
stances Nov I'm Use.

stances Now In Use.
Few would imagine, as they watch
the coal quietly glow and consume
away in the CRATE, that there are pres
emit all the materials necessary for pro-
ducing an explosions; yet such is the
case, and it has been found that the
ignition of coal-dust laden air is not
infrequent source of disastrous explo-
sions in coal mines.
VIVA. has occurred with coal may
occur with any combustible solid
which is finely pulverized and sus-
pended in air, and in this manner the
explosions of flour which destroyed
several flour mills in Minneapolis in
1873 are accounted for. The explo-
sions of sawdust in the Pullman car
shops and at Geldowsky's furniture
factory. the explosions of starch in a
New York candy factory. of rice in
rice-mills, and of dust in breweries
and spice-mills. are among the many
examples of the action of similar
cause; but perhaps the most unusual
case of this class of explosions was
that of finely-powdered zinc. which
occurred in 1854 at the Bethlehem
Zinc Works
The modern high explosives are
bodies which contain within their
molecules the elements necessary for
ordinary combustion. while at the
same time they are more or less
endothermous; and the best example.
and perhaps the most important Of
these is the mercury illuminate. This
substance was discovered by Howard
in 1900. and was made by dissolving
mercury in strong nitric acid. and
pouring the solution into alcohol Its
discovery aroused the liveliest inter.
est, and it was Immediately tested by
firing in muskcL but, though it inn
parted very little velocity to the
projectile. and produced only slight
recoil and report it burst the barrel
of the piece completely open; and
hence 1t was relcgated to the position
of chemical curiosity until recalled
for use as printing for percussion
caps.
Its adaptation to modern uses began
in 1868. when Nobel discovered that
by the explosion of few grains of
this substance nitro-glycerine might
be detonated. and was extended in
1868. when Mr.. E o. Brown discov.
cred that not only could dry gun-cot-
ton be detonated by this means. but
that if small initial mass of dry
gun-cottOn was detonated in contact
with mass of wet gun-cotton, the
latter would be also detonated, even
though it were completely saturated
with water.
Baron Won Lenk, of Austria, took up
the study of this material in 1858. and
his efforts to perfect the methods of
manufacture and to moderate the vic.
lence of the gun charges were attend
ed with such apparent success that a
special battery of twelye-pounders was
constructed for use with it, and the
position of the explosive seemed as
sured. until 1865. when his magazines
blew up spontaneously. and the ar
ticle was interdicted by the govern
ment.
Gun-cottOn constitutes the best mill
tary explosive known, for, while its
explosive force vastly exceeds that of
gunpowder and approaches that of
nilro-glyccrine, it is the safest and
most stable explosive we possess. since
it can he stored and transported wet;
and. while in this state. though it may
be dcionated as described above, it
can not be exploded in any other way.
As much has 1000 pounds of wet
compressed gun-cotton have been
placed in fierce bonfire. where it has
gradually dried. layer by layer. and
been consumed without exploding.
Besides. gun. cotton is the only mill
itary explosive which can be deton ated
with certainty when frozen. In call
ing it military explosive. mean. of
course. for use in torpedoes and for
military mining. and not as substi-
tute for gunpowdcr in guns; but it
may be, and has been. successfully
uScu aS a ChdISc AOI SueIlS utcu lrOW
gunpowder guns. both in this country
and abroad. Shells containing as
much rs one hundred and ten' pounds
of gun-cotton have been repeatedly
fired in Germany.
The most prominent rival of gun
cotton for military uses. and the best
explosive fer industrial purposes, is
nitro-glycerine and the mixtures of
which it forms a part. This substance
was discovered by Sobrero in 1917,
while carrying out series of expert
ments under Pelouzc. Its liquid form
makes it difficult TO store and trans.
port and permits it to find its
way into unexpected places.
where it constitutes source
of danger. Considerations such
as these led Nobel. about 1867, to in.
vent dynamite. The name is now
applied to great variety of nitro
glycerine mixtures. but they all consist
of a OOrOuS solid ahsorhept which