Evening journal., 1898-08-18

ners would like to see Immediately the
effect Of their fire upon an opposing
ship. The advantage Of having the
sight clear for the second barrel is
well understood by sportsmen. For
big guns, however, the Dittmar smoke
less is valueless.
The United States have as good ord
nance powder as is to be found in the
world. Seven years ago they did not
have. Their possession Of this modern
explosive in its state of highest de-
velopment is due wholly to the skill,
patience and liberality of DUPONT. 1t
should be said that big-gun powder Is |
a German invention. The German
government made the powder and It
guarded the secret Of manufacture with
Jealous care. DUPONT tried in vain to
purchase the formula. The servants OF
the autocracy were incorruptible. Pos
sibly his French name had something
to do with his failure. He did manage
to get a sample of the powder WNh
this as his model he began to expert
ment. He was not Immediately sue
cessful. His work extended over
some years and bled him heavily. lie
hit upon the secret, after many
disappointments, however, and then
improved upon5his discovery. To-day
his product is as good as that OF any
German factory. The secret OF this
powder is now common to a half dozen
of the European governments. PROB
ably their formulate all came from Du-
Pont. 1t is not known generally that
the United States contain but two fac
tories capable az manufacturing the ord
nance powders. One is owned by the
Dupont de Nemours Company, and is
at Wilmington, Del. The other is o~r
ed by the California Powder Company
at Santa Cruz, Cal. The DUPONT peo-
pie and the Santa Cruz people are re-
lated by blood and marriage. The com
panies arc practically one.
OF powders now made there are prob
ably a hundred kinds. They may be
divided, however. into three classes
blasting, sporting and military. The
military powders look as little like or
binary gum powder as is possible to con-
ceive. That intended for the SO-calibre
rifles, with their lead pencil bullets and
2,OOO-yard zone Of fire, is very good
imitation of clean, yellow, well grained
sand. Then there is a powder intend
ed for similar use that is OF a reddish
brown, and is cut into thin minute
squares. Powder to be used in certain
Of the field guns looks like nothing in
the world so much as sheet glue, one
sixteenth Of an inch thick, and broker
into Irregular bite. The powder foi
the Hotchkiss guns is in blocks one
fourth OF an in square, and as solid az
coal. There is a spheroidal kind
whose grain is something larger thar
an ordinary marble. 1t looks like
bit of lead hardened into globula
form. There is also a field piece pow
/ der. The 1S-inch guns take the brow
prismasic and the black prismatic. Tn
black, which is the quicker of the two
/, is used merely for purposes Of Ignition
These powders are called ''prismatic
because they are many-sidcd. like
prism. Each grain has a hole throug
it's centre also an aid to general igni
l tion. "A grain of these powders is on
: inch in height and two inches in Gil
cumferance. THESE explosives are
a saltpeter and charcoal bases. The
h make much smoke and much noise
d The charge for 13-inch guns is 1
= 600 pounds. This will be composed {
= $50 pounds of brown prismatic, an
$ 15O pounds of black prlsmatic, whic
is inserted behind the priming. III
discharg by this device is made pra
r. ticaIly symmetrical and instantaneou
= It's effect, Of course, is Titanic. AT Il
S In dian eHad proving grounds, belo
= W ashington, once saw a project
n fl ON a 1S-inch gun sent against
); I larveyized plate II inches thick. III
I. )late was one of lot made by the Ca
,e negie people and sent on for trial. ~
le missile drilled hole through II inch
IN of Harveyized steel, through "A inch
re- OF solid oak backing and through
feet Of earth. So far as the recor
IS extend it is still going. Somebo
n. called for another plate, and it W
et set up. 1t was struck by Carpent
I'd. she'll, which fused in part. A chu
T. of it weighing two pounds rebound
to 250 yards and threw hatful OF d
e. into the lynx eyes Of Amos Cummini
CHI who had come out Of the bomb pro
ee to see the wheels go round. Mr.. Gu
on m1ngs started for the river, but "
re CO .ptured after a short, swift chase.
nv THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON .
N ATLANTIC CITY ~ ONLY 81
:. ROUND TRIP VIA PENN6i
IL ~ ~ M