Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-07


ernment to a large extent in the rainmaking
experiments. 1t is called '.roseliite." and is
the invention Of Prof. Resell. chief examiner
Of the division OF chemistry in the patent Office.
The story OF its genesis 10 rather curious In
the manufacture of asphaltum a by-product is
obtained in the shape of asphalt OIL For
long time no use was found for this oil sam
pies OF il were sent to the Standard Oil Com
pany, but il did not seem to be available for
any purpose. Finally. Prof. Resell conceived
the notion that it might be utilized a. base
for an explosive, in combination with chlorate
Of potash. These are the simple ingredients Of
''rosellite, which is said to have many marked
advantages over all other high explo-
s 81 e. while possessing a. power equal
with, it cannot be exploded by fire or by any
shock short Of percussion by a illuminate OF
mercury cap. This lie the method adopted for
setting IL off. 1t is remarkably cheap, no ma
chinery being needed for its manufacture. In
fact, the chlorate OF potash and asphalt oil can
be satisfactorily mixed with a hoe on a barn
floor. 1t is smokeless. which is point of great
importance, inasmuch as laborers working in
dark tunnels or drifts are often Obliged to wait
an hour or more for smoke TO clear away after
blast before they are able to resume their
task. Owing to its safety, 'rosellite' can be
transported cheaply BY freight. instead Of going
at express rates like dynamite. 1t is further
alleged that in mining coal or blasting in stone
q'larries this new explosive does not pulverize
the coal or rock, but breaks them along the
lines of natural cleavage, thus occasioning the
least possible loss.
"A the records Of the patent Office chow,
Yankee invention is very active at present in
the line Of discovery which relates to explo-
sives. Even in time of peace enormous guam
titles OF explosives are consumed annually for
mining, &c. To fire sunrise and sunset guns
alone costs Uncle Sam 81 ,000a day, The ordi-
nary rife practice Of the army is an expense to
the government Of hundreds Of thousands of
dollars yearly, and the target practice and ex-
periments with guns and explosives pursued by
the navy represent an expenditure of hundreds
OF Thousands more every twelve-month. Science
says that all Of this money il in one sense thrown
away absolutely. inasmuch az the material ex-
ploded is so much taken from the richness of
the soil, never to be returned. At the patent
office explosives are comprised under five
heads-frictlon matches, for which about 100
compositions have been patented; gunpowders,
blasting powders nitro-compounds, such as
gum cotton and nitro-glycerine, and pyrotech-
mic mixtures, including colored fires and fash
lights. Very few fireworks are manufactured
in thi. country, and pyrotechnic compositions
are rarely patented, being usually kept secret.
When application is made for a patent on new
explosive 1t is tested by exploding or burning q
small quantity in the laboratory.
ADVANTAGES OF HIGH EXPLOSIVES.
Necessarily high explosives will figure largely
sidered as good as gunpowder for shells which
are to be used against exposed bodies Of men,
because shells loaded with them burst into
pieces too small to infiict fatal or disabling
wounds. One advantage which they possess
consists in the moral effect produced by their
terrific action, which may well appall the stout
est heart and demoraize the best disciplined
troops. Some notion of the might of high ex-
plosives may be got from the fact that ''explo-
CIV H., Eel . ~
IL hfteen times as strong as gunpowder. One
of the novelties in this line 10 the 'hellofite'
shell, which contains two glass vessels, one
holding binitro-benzole and the other nitric
acid. The shock of discharge breaks the glass
and the two chemicals are mixed by the revolu-
ton Of the shell in it's fight. The latter is ex-
ploded by impact on touching the object fired
at This device, however, seems less formidable
than the French "meiinite" shell. which is a
civilized improvement on the 'stinkpot" used
by the Saracens In the middle ages. On ex-
plOding it sets free volumes of poisonous gases
which cannot be breathed, asphyxiating the
enemy: The base of this internal mixture is
picric acid, coal-tar product. which has the
consistency OF molasses when poured into the
shells hardening subsequently,. 1t would be
mistake to imagine that the United States ia be-
hind the times in preparing for war. During
the last year the Navy Department ordered
so, 900 pounds Of gun cotton from one private
firm, manufacturing at the Newport torpedo
station q, 500 pounds in addition. The station
has now a capacity to produce 81, 900 pounds of
gun cotton annually.
The archives of the War and Navy Depart
ments are filed with drawings and models of
destructive devices for use in war. contributed
by ingenious Americans. Perhaps the most
remarkable suggestion OF this nature was con-
veyed by an Illinois man, who conceived the
idea OF highly original warship. As exhib-
tied by his own plans the vessel had three
decks. each OF which was divided into twelve
rooms. Instead o. masts it was to have three
elevators SO arranged that each lift" should
open into four rooms on each deck. The rooms
were to be built like Bafes with every possible
burglar proof contrivance, being equipped at
the same time with ''al the modern conyen-
fences" The inventor claimed that when the
ship was attacked the officers and creM could
retreat by means of the elevators to theNooms
in which they might lock themselves Xpd so
defy the enemy. RENE BAcM.