The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-07
HIGH EXPLOSIVES IN COMMON USE.
Some Interesting Facts and Statistics from
the British Auth critics.

the British Authorities.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 6.-The exciting events Of
this summer in Pennsylvania and Idaho have
no doubt set people to thinking OF the part
that dynamite may play in the affairs Of man
kind. Few. however. who are unacQuainted
with tho facts can appreciate the growth in
the manufacture OF this and other substances
Of the same nature applied to mining and en-
gineering operations. But In England the
statistics are perhaps more accessible. as
there are there official inspectors OF explo-
sives. who have been for many years collect
ing and publishing them; and their sixteenth
annual report tells the existing story for that
country.
There are now no fewer than ffty-two ex-
plosives authorized for manufacture In the
United Kingdom or for importation into IT,
and this array excludes all that arc known as
ammunition. such as cartridges for cannon or
small arms. and also all fireworks. Within
the year reports upon about a dozen have
been added. and although. 1t is true. most Of
these are only slight variations on compounds
already existing. still the activity In produc-
Ing them shows the demand for high explo-
sives In industrial operations.
Fifteen years ago. when the Explosives act
took effect In Great Britain. tho number of
factories. excluding those for fireworks. was
55 now it Is 1875: and 1t Is also noted that
there has been "a vast augmentation Of the
number Of persons employed therein" Be-
sides the factories. there are 372 magazines
for high explosives.
The small number OF accidents occurring In
the manufacture OF explosives 10 quite re-
mnrkable. The accidents OF all sorts for the
year. including those from fireworks and also
gunpowder. except non fatal mining accidents
with gunpowder. numbered la. resulting in
80 deaths and 100 cases Of injury. But out Of
| these there were 80 accidents, involving 81
| deaths and 101 injuries. in the general use OF
| the explosives, so that only 81 accidents, in
| volving five deaths and 20 injuries. are to be
| ascribed to manufacture. storage. and con-
veyance. In manufacturing Itself only one
| death and % cases OF injury occurred during
the year. The average for tho previous ten
years In manufacture had been seven, and
| during the seven years before the Explosives
act was put into operation 1t exceeded 80.
When to these facts we add tho vast increase
in the trade. the beneficial effects OF the official
supervision must be apparent
Again. OF the nine deaths In the last two
! years from manufacture. not one occurred
| with the newer explosives. the nitro-com.
| pounds. but all took place in gunpowdel
factories. This points to a leading fact In the
whole subject. namely. the vast progress
effected in making the high explosives safe
both in compromising and in handling. Whom
first introduced. their tremendous forcs
caused them to be regarded with q wholesome
GUS for people to NEEDLE with who were care
less or ignorant in regard to them But the
operations where many men were employed
has caused constant efforts to get totally safe
send as to
such as. for example. not to attem pit to thaw
the nitro glycerine compounds: except In the
It is noted that accidents with explosives
into which nitro g!ycerine does not enter. such
very few, In fact when the. accidents VI the
year are classified, we find torty-eight. With
kd shd wh fsd
and forty-seven unded. to the nitro.glycer-
Inc class Of high explosives. such as dynamite.
wth eres hSd and &c four n wo"nded the
nitro.celulose class. such as gun cotton ton, and
| rohurte securitc. and bellte.
1t has been thought. however. that the
e sse heah OF ses mners
the London Engineer; in reviewing the facts al
ready presented notes that q committee APP
pointed by tho Durham Coal Drivers and Dur
ham Coal Miners associations; after carrying
on experiments In seven colieries Tor more
than eighteen months. came TO an opposite
opinion. Their main conclusions are tabu-
lated as follows;
That the products q the s1po,sEon Of ronurts and
powder. .. That chemical evidence wa. obtained OF
ana
ni;ro'benzene poisoning was met with That with
regard tho production from roburite, tonite and
gunpowder of carbnn.uonokide. the quantity found IN
average samples of air collected IN the T." place y II
small and IL quickly dspated by the air current a.
to have been detected only IN traGesat an interval
Of i've minutes after the firing OF the shot.
| only that the cartridges should be fired by
electricity. and that five minutes should elapse
after tho shot before the hewers re-entered
the place. In one case. however, Jury found
that miner had died OF meningitis RESULT c
from inhalnG roburlte fumes. ~, although the ns
only wanted to give his family the benefit OF
the doubt. so MS to entitle them to a share In
the Miners Relief Fund. In the House OF Com
mons the Home Secretary snid he had comne-
tent expert opinions not in accordance with the
verdict. and the use q the explosive in ques-