The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-06-09
.SMOKELESS POWDER.
.coRDITE THE MOST POTENT tx
PLoSlvE OF MODERN TIMES.
1t Is Composed OF .Nitroglycerin, Gun Cot
ton and vaseline-The Interesting Proc
ess by which Its Dangerous Elements
Are Cop,bined |. "... ~ ~

ess Dy which lts Dangerous Elements
Are Combined.
Since the advent of the speedy torpe-
do boat and since rapid firing guns have
been placed on battleships and cruisers
an explosive that would allow to the
officers and gunners an unobstructed
view of an anemy under all conditions
has been sought, and thousands of dol
lars have been expended in the effort to
obtain satisfactory substitute for black
gunpowder. Cordite, the latest explo-
| sive, is said to be the most satisfactory
propellant of modern times for naval
j warfare, and the expert opinion seems
to be that in few years gunpowder as
| now understood will have vanished
The earliest records of established
! powder mills show that there was only
one in operation in 1890, this one being
in England. During the year 1887 the
Waltham Abbey Powder mills were
purchased by the English government
They are still conducted by it. The Fa-
versham mills, which up to that date
were the largest in the world, passed
into the hands of a private corporation
in 1915. The manufacture Of powder
was continued without much improve
! ment, except in the efficiency of the
grinding and mixing machinery, until
| about 35 years ago, the formula for
black powder being saltpeter rs parts,
charcoal Is parts and sulphur 10 parts,
the whole forming mechanical mix
ture and not chemical compound
Smokeless powder, however, became
absolutely a necessity, for the reason
| that smoke producing powders masked
the object aimed at, and the torpedo
| boat which was becoming a recognized
feature Of naval warfare, could dash ur
| and discharge one or more deadly mis-
! siles under cover Of the smoke.
Smokeless powders were first pro-
duced in France, and for some time the
secret of the manufacture was guarded
| jealousy. AS soon as the necessity for
| this kind of powder became apparent,
however, a number of manufacturers
| devoted attention to it, and as result
various brands of smokeless explosives
| were placed on the market.
The most satisfactory results eventu-
| ally made their appearance in cordite,
which was produced through expert
ments made by Professor Dewar and Sir
| Frederick Abel. Cordite is composed of
| nitroglycerin So per cent, gun cotton 81
per cent and vaseline per cent Nitro
glycerin is an oily, colorless liquid and
an active poison. 1t is produced by mix
ing quantity of sulphuric acid with
almost double the amount Of nitric acid
and allowing it to cool. About one
eighth Of the total weight of glycerin is
| then added gradually, the mixture be-
| ing kept below temperature of 70 de-
grees F. by passing air and cold water
through it. After the mixture has stood
! sufficient time the acids are drawn off,
and the residue (nitroglycerin) is wash
ed and altered
tNitroglycerin cannot be ignited easily
byla flame, and lighted match OF ia
perlplunged into it would be eXtinguish-
ed. It is sensitive to friction Or percus-
! sion, either Of which will detOnate it.
Another popularity is that the higher
the temperature the more sensitive it
becomes. IU VII. solld1fy at a temper
azure OF 40 degrees, ana .ss l'''i =
force is estimated to be about Twelve
times that Of gunpowder.
One Of the most approved methods
used in the manufacture of gun cotton
is this: The raw cotton is to---
shreds, dried am. di,>r>o' Il into
Of suit ,,,s ,-,- LII a N fixture
- .cHr1o d.. :. nitric acids. It is then
:e;:s"b Vi IA stream of running terand
Ns''@.ad thoroughly. The cot noa, is ther
wrung out, usually in GER er,Y.,eal ma
ch;ne. ~
It is afterward boile' dried, cut int
pulp and pressed into s;.ss When tn
gun cotton is fms -, 49, shonld b
no trace OF the g .'4,11aioinp VASE
line, the other aos Te aHI1 IF m,
dite, is they component part VI W.
troleum ~ ell known extract iroia r.
lnbricate I'd it's usefulness Is chleny
lessen the bore of the gun ana Vh'
proi~ the friction between IL anu =! "
ma caSls. 1t also has tendency W -
"a 1uassapreof' nature to cord1te'
n color1ess lAltid prepared from &C
fffSf6 OF lime, Sstt10u a-d;,
~ solvent in the 1manutacture oi o
&, I,91ha method Of preparing the esplosl
- is- The required proportion OF LII.
a. .T>r.rerin. lis poured over the gun co'1'
"a ia two, with the addition Oh "
ZONE are Eneaded together into a 81
nae, yaseline is then added ,s anu
p:1oIa compound, after being 1horon'
at " mixed, Is put into machine al, anu u.
-, = :or T used out and cut into iens'
fth .ftcr " :ch il is dried, LAX
i'm 10 the artillerist the nature OF cor
try ;. r - by a fraction whose !,
ter noe,rator gives In hundredshs on an n,
no the diameter of the die through WI
GERS t .he eordite has been pressed, it's den
inator being the length OF T., the la, SEE so
inches The cordite Known as 81
2 to which is the size used for tine .
Isco. nniek firing guns, signifies that It's
the ameter is three-tesths OF an lh'n'
amp it is IL inches lohg sno
ions. II is necessary to use a hne
but nowder to ignite a charge OF corfu
cker being secured in such manner !
rsons Sasb from the tube firing the gun
]. oanse the explosion Of the enarg :,
All charge Of powder for u nc nc,