Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-10
DESTRUCTION WITHOUT NOISE.
Interesting Tests With Explosives at the
Navy Yard.

There was . good deal Of noise in the navy
yard Saturday afternoon, the result Of q series
of experimental tests with the new explosive
(emmensite) and smokeless powder (gelbite),
both of them the invention Of DR.. Stephen II.
Emmens. The tests were given by the COM
pany handling the patents under the personal
supervision of DR.. Emmens and showed that
the new materials are quite as powerful az
dynamite and perfectly safe in handling. There
were q number Of prominent officials scattered
through the large crowd. including Secretary
Tracy, Senators henderson, Colquitt, Hale,
Chandler and Blackburn. Representative
Cutcheon, Carlisle and Wheeler, and Commo-
dore Folger, Admiral Jouett and Capt. Meade.
Dr. Emmens first manufactured some of his ex-
plosives IN the loft of the boat house to show
there was no danger in mixing the ingredients,
which are a couple OF unusual acids. The
fumes Of the mixture have coIored the doctor's
beard and hair a bright orange yellow, which
lhe prevailing hirsute tinge, he says, around
the factory.
BLOWING UP A RAFT
Then can containing sixty pounds Of en-
mensite was placed under a small raft made I'D
OF about fifty heavy timbers lashed together
steam launch towed the raft out about $50
Feet from shore and anchored il, and then pro-
ceeaed some distance further, paying out be-
nind II couple Of electric wires. Suddenly the
word "hre" Was heard across the water and
there came rumbling crash, followed by the
upheaval OF tons Of water, in the midst of which
fragments OF broken timbers flew skyward.
After they had gone up couple of hundred of
feet they came down again, all torn and twisted
out OF shape. Hundreds of fish lay dead on
The surface Ofthe water.
BENDING ABOVE WATER.
The next experiments consisted of testing
the rending power of the emmensite above
water, and three iron plates. foot square and
half an inch thick. were consecutively broken
In pieces each by a cartridge of the terrible
stun The explosives were arranged in three
different ways, SO as to snow that the force Of
the shock was equal i'll all directions. In order
10 convince the spectators that the material
was harmless in handling the inventor had his
sou fire
BULLET THROUGH CARTRIDGE
OF 1t, the effect being a mere breaking Of the
package as though it were no more than chalk.
The broken cartridge was then exploded with
tremendous effect A cartridge of dynamite
was treated in the same way and disappeared
with great explosion as soon as the bullet
touched 1t. -Four emnensite cartridges were
planted In can of gunpowder, which was ex-
pioded, blowing the cartridges high in the air
and setting fire to them. They burned briskly,
but without exploding. A small yacht cannon
was charged with gunpowder aud loaded with
a can of
EMMENsIrE AS PRoJECTILE.
This was fired at an iron plate and smashed to
pieces without explosion. the same emmensite
being scraped together and ex-
ploded. This was to show that it can be used
rs 4 charge for shells in powder guns with
out danger of premature explosion.
GELBITE AS CARTRIDGE.
with emmensite, was then fired from a rifle as
a cartridge load. The shot made almost no
noise and practically no smoke There was a
light mist, which was instantly
lispelled. The penetration seemed to be the
same as that obtained by gunpowder car
ridges, which made loud report and a great
smoke.
1t is not only harmless to handle, but it is
'aid to be a radical cure for malaria and
'atarrh when taken in regulated doses or
'nuffed up the nostrils. DIR. Emmens wants to
est Its powers as propulsive for great guns
md intends asking the Navy department for
permission to conduct a series Of tests with
'ome Of the abandoned cannon belonging to
he government.