The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-05-26
ssNUFAcTURINa HIGH EXPLOSIVES
Ehe Importance of Compressed Air as n
Motor in Firing.

Th0 I'm Importance OF COmprebaeu AIT ab u
Motor in Firing.
II is a long jump from a pop-gun
to q dynamite gun; and yet such a
lump a certain schoolmaster made.
This is how 1t came about:
One day a mischievous urchin fired
struck his schoolteacher in the eye.
So forceful was the impact of the wad
Of paper that Meford, the teacher,
who was of an inventive turn of mind,
determined TO see If compressed air
could not be used as a motive power
for firing something more important
than paper balls out OF a boys pop
gun. Why might not dynamite, or
ether powerful explosives, be fired
fafely from a huge air-gun? was the
question the wad Of paper propounded
20 his mind. In this way, he thought,
the shock liable to cause premature
explosion might be avoided. The ex-
pertinent was worth trying, and he at
once set about deviSing such a gun.
His success was sufficient to attract
the attention of Lieutenant Zalinsky,
who had the crude gun of the school,
master brought to his station; and,
working from it as a starting point,
finally produced the Zalinsky Pneu-
matte Gun, the first successful gun
capable of firing a shell heavily load
i'd with dynamite. This Is the part
,he small boy and his smaller pop
gun played in the invention of the
deadly dynamite gun.
The knowledge that several hum
Ired pounds of dynamite, gun-cotton
N nitro-gelatine can be hurled from
great gun, miles away, and exploded
ut the spot aimed at by the gunner,
makes all anxious to know something
about the nature and military uses of
these dread substances.
Five things are required of military
explosives. 1.-THE substance must
possess the greatest breaking effici-
sncy for the smallest unit of weight
and unit Of volume. Pit must pos
sess great insensitiveness to sympa-
lhetic explosions and to mechanical
'hocks, especially those due to small
Hro1ectiles, while 1t yet retains the
property OF exploding completely
through the influence of an initial de-
fonat1on. 3-It should be quite insen-
itve to fire, or at least SO much SO
hat there would be no chance of an
immediate explosion when consid-
srable mass of it becomes ignited.
1T should possess great stability,
$nd not only should its efficiency re-
'aain unimpaired, but 1t should re-
main so under very extreme con-
iitions. 5-It should remain unag-
iected by water"
Thus far the chemist have produced
only three substances which may be
considered as approaching the fulfill
nent of these requirements. They
're dynamite, compressed wet gum
cotton and military explosive gelatine.
u these three gelatine comes the
searest to meeting the five required
sonditions. Weight for weight it has
'6 per cent. more breaking efficiency
han the best dynamite or gun-cotton,
md for equal volumes it possesses 40
"er cent. greater efficiency than dyna-
mite and rs per cent. greater than
.iun-cotton. 1t is superior to gum
alton or dynamite in it's insensitive-
ess to great pressure or mechanical
aocks; but stands below wet gun
otton as regards fire and about on
ar with dynamite. Wet gun-cotton
annot be set on fire by either fame
spark. 1t must be dry before 1t
An be ignited. This property of wet
un-cotton makes it the safest Of all
xplsSives where the danger feared
5 fire. The keeping qualities of gela-
inc are equal to those of gun-cotton
r dynamite; and it remains unaf-
ected by water.
These properties of gelatine make
the most valuable of the explosives
or military uses. This will quickly
e seen IL the question of transporta-
ion and storage is considered; for 25
er cent. more energy can be carried
@ explosive gelatine be used instead
I dynamite and 40 per cent. more
.Jrce can be put into one magazine if
is filled with gelatine in place of
Aynamite. Then again smaller tor
HSooSos hufih6 lhC odluG
..ower, can be employed if loaded with
.elatine rather than the other high
.xplosives. Gelatine is the most ef-
eetive filling for shells, now that it
an be fired with comparative safety
nd accuracy from pneumatic guns. A
mall chloride of silver battery is en-
.lOsed in each shell, and SO arranged
hat the electric current fires the
barge at the moment the shell
,trfkes. This battery nearly does
way with the danger of premature
xplosion; and also renders it possible
D explode the charge from the rear.
shich has been found to be the most
Effective way.
In the navy compressed gun-cotton
Is still largely used for torpedo
charges and other submarine ground
mines; but the army favors the more
rowerful nitro-gelatine owing to its
snormous shattering power. When