Telegram-herald., 1891-09-24
IMPROVED CUNPOWDERS.
Work of the Ordnance Bureau in Per.
fecting Explosives.

fecting Explosives.
New LONDON, Conn.,, Sept. 23-The
bureau of ordnance will probably take
steps to preserve 3 hygrometric record
of the magazines OF Philadeiphia a.
data for tine study of possible changes
in the powder. Thus far the facts
show the powder i'll the forward maga-
zine to be unchanged. The after
magazine, however, ID immediately
below the dynamo room, which, untll
recently, was intensely hot. AS con-
sequence the powder exhibited slight
indications or drylng. The lntroduc-
ton of a powerful ventllatipg blower
last June has reduced the temperature
SO much, however, that no further evil
effect Is feared. Ii is not improbable
in the future that should the magazines
of ship appear too dry or hot for the
sensitive powders which are coming
into use, an artificial regulation of both
temperature and humidity will be
attempted. This, III ship furnished
with refrIgeratlng plant and
having the magazine connect
ed with the ventilating system
is less extravagant statement than at
first would appear. The maintenance
of an exact equilibrium of heat and
moisture may not be practicable with
out undue refinement of apparatus and
care in Its use, but there will probably
be considerable range for such pow
ders as are finally selected within
which 40 appreciable change will oc-
cur.
In the meantime it is desirable to
eliminate such important factors as
heat and moisture from the study OF
the new chemical and smokeless pow
ders in order to determine the changes
If any, which pertain to each particu-
lar chemical combination or the de-
feets IN its manufacture.
1t is possible that these difficulties
may he met and overcome when fully
| understood with even more simple
means than those proposed for the re-
tentlon of moisture in mechanically
mixed powders. Gun cotton, for ex-
ample. when not thoroughly c!eansed
from all the impurities OF its manuiac'
ture. or when stored under certain un.
favorable conditions of moisture and
temperature, becomes sensitive TO
dangerous degree. even explod-
ing spontaneously. When. however,
| it is thoroughly cIeansed, wet and com
pressed, il IS considered one OF the sat
est powerful explosives that can be car
| ried. The necessity of extraordinary
precautions, providing they be fairly
efficient, should not prevent the lntro-
duction of one of the new powders ca
pable of producing the surprising veloc
| tiles with moderate pressures reported
| abroad. While the velocitIes obtained
from the main battery guns will per
haps be but very slightly increased fol
| some years, the increase in the service
velocities of rapid fire guns, of 6-incf
| csliber and under, from 1000 foot sec
| onds to =, 400 foot seconds. Is an occur
| renee of the near future. IL was a
one time supposed that the great devel
| opnent of heat by the combustion o.
slow burning powder AMI the grestei
| length OF time il was acting upon 'h'
gun would check the rapidly Oh nFei
soften the metal and produce IN
creased erosion of the bore. Lat
er powders, however, have reet
| invented which overcome tins dIiIi-
| Guilty, their products of combustion
| while vert volumn!oGs, either having
large specific heat or beiug siunpe sne
produced without the exni0ihoh q
much heat.
Itssald nv the advocates OF the vir'
wound gun that the future deselop
mens of chemical and smokeless pow
ders viii not only require gun aeie .
stand a uniformly sustained pressure
| from chamber 20 muzzie, sut thss y
order to ebsain the best results. u.'
pressure will be much higher than y !
| al present. However that nry :.
doe. not necessarily point 70 an soo,'
ton Of she wire wound gun uuie't
| has . nsuon greater long'tndins