Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-31

permit that. But if one first-class fighting
vessel can use from fifty to seventy-fve
tons of powder an hour it doesn't require
any mathematical genius to arrive at the
conclusion that a single naval engagement
under modern conditions would require more
powder than was needed to conduct war
at the beginning of the century. Another
simple computation based on the fact that
the powder cost the government about 27
cents per pound will prove that war is rot
only fearfuly destructive, but fearfully eX-
pensive sport as well.
THE GREAT POWDER MONOPOLY.
The powder industry OF this country so
far as supplying the government is con-
corned, Is practically all in the hands of one
concern, the DuPonts Their principal es-
tablishment is in Wilmington, Del, and they
have half a dozen branches in other parts
of the country. Their dominance, however,
comes as much from the control of secret
processes, which have been handed down
as heirlooms for three generations, as 1t does
on the extent of their business.
They control the manufacture OF brown
prismatic powder in this country, and are
beginning to make the smokeless. These
two kinds are the only ones used in guns of
the most recent make.
Probably not one man In hundred, on
being shown the powder regularly used in
the largest guns would know what to call it,
Even an old gunner who had served let us
the appearance Of the modern powder, for it
is fact not generally known that the pow
der used for the guns OF the new navy is
essentially different from that OF the old
monitor and smooth h-bore days
Up-to-date powder is chiefly of two kinds,
the smokeless and the brown prismatic,
though the black Is still used for ignting
Ii has two advantages over the old fashioned
kind. One is in its ingredients; the other in
Its form.
ub tha alya NJ,
fore him in preparing powder for any gun
Is to obtain the maximum OF propulsive
power without such explosive force as to
wreck the gun itself The action OF the
powder now used in all the larger guns OF
the navy shows the nicely with which mod
ern invention has solved this problem.
The second important improvement in mod
ern powder is In It's form Many persons
have the idea that all powder is in the form
of small grains, while some others, whose
memory reaches back to the civil war recall
the cannon" powder of that day, which was
in the form OF small cubes, much like To-
zenges,
QUEER KINDS AND SHAPES.
To either of these classes the powder of
present day use Is most surprising in ap-
pearance. Its regular shape Is that of q
heXagon. with small hole running through
the center. The size varies, of course, with
the bore OF the gun fer which ID Is intended
an inch high and trihe over an inch in
diameter The little hole in the center is
important for 1t causes the block to burn
more evenly and with greater effect since
the fire can work from both the interior and
exterior surface. The smokeless powder
comes in the form of fiat strips. like pieces
OF tape, or in little cylinders, that look for
all the world like macaroni. In one respect
alone Is the black powder superior to brown
in the greater ease with which II is igIited
On this account, in making up the heavy
charges tier Of black hexagons Is placed
first for the percussion cap to act upon and
to make certain the discharge by lgniting
the other.
The essential ingredients in the making OF
gunpowder of course remain the same nov
as formerly. the difference being lound In
the chemical treatment OF II during the
mixing processes which are, OF course
carried on according to carefully guarded
formulas.
In the mill the earlier course Of the pow
der destined for Uncle Sans Dig guns is