The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-08

absOrbents which hold the nito-glyceline
are soluble in water, and, consequently,
this substance ,is unavailable for sub
marine work.
Designolle powder is distinguished as
being extremely sensitive to friction. Its
strength is rated at rs, and its compost
ton is stated to be 50 per cent. potassium
picrate and 80 per cent. potassium
nitrate.
Tonite, which is manufactured in Cali
iornia under assigned English patents,
is powerful but comparatively safe ex-
plosive, it being carried by the railroads
under the same conditions as gunpow-
der, while they refuse to carry dynamite
or guncotton. Its strength is about 30.
1t is composed Of 52.5 per cent. OF gun
cotton and 47.5 per cent OF nitrate OF
baryta.
There are two varities OF this explosive
-one dry, in cartridge form, and one
damp. The former is made up into
candle. shaped cartridges, covered with
paper and waterproofed, usually with
paraffine. Wet tonite is equal in power
to the dry form, and consequently, for
submarine mines, ETC., it has special
value.
Picric powder, or brugere, is a safe
but weak composition, rating only SO,
and is composed Of 80 per cent. of am
moniun picrate, SO per cent. potassium
nitrate.
Explosive gelatine was discovered in
1881 and was subsequently developed by
Nobel. Its composition is 81 per. cent.
nitro-glycerire, per cent. nitro-cotton
and per cent. of camphor
The function of the camphor Is to
render the gelatine insensitive to detona-
ton from shock, even a rifle ball at 100
yards range fired at naked slab having
no effect whatever. Immersion in water
does not effect its explosive properties.
1t is the most powerful explosive yet
enumerated, having an intensity OF
action OF in the neigAborhood of l20.
Blasting gelatine is still more power.
full composition, having an intensity OF
l42. This is another product OF the
Nobel Explosive Company and contains
80 per cent. OF nitro-glycerine and per
cent. of collodion gun cotton and for GER
tam purposes five per cent. of camphor
is added to the finished product.
Blasting geatine is sensitive to sympa-
thetic explosions when they occur with
in distance OF five feet, but beyond that
distance no explosions occur. This ex.
plosive is admirably suited for submarine
work
Forctc is another explosive of the
same order having power equal to 1873
Its composition is % per cent. nitro
glycerine and five per cent. celulose
Other forms of fOrcite are made with
lower explosive powers but cheaper tc
manufacture.
ROburitc is a remarkable explosive
which has power equal to l42. Robur
tie cannot be exploded by a blow or by
friction. A red hot poker can be put
into mass Of it with impunity and il
placed in blacksmith's fire it burns
slowly
Its explosion when effected by a strong
decorating fuse proves it to be power
full decorating mixture. The power o.
this explosive is based on Il mixture of q
substance rich in oxygen, such as pot $.
stun nitrate, with compound rich IL
coal tar or fractional products OF the
same.
Atlas powder is equal in power to gun
cotton and is composed Of 10 per cent
nitro-glycerine, p per cent. of wood
fibre and two per cent. OF magnesium
carbonate.
Judson powder is composition very
low in nltro-gl ycerine, but with remark
able power considering that fact. II
certain grades it is composed OF five pei
cent nitrn-o lVCpriup and "a urr cont OF