Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-18

London. Nov. 10.-When the transport
steamer Fintagel Castle sailed for South
Africa a few days ago it was we'll known
that she was conveying ammunition to
the troops at the front. What was not
known. however, was that there was u
sufficient quantity Of explosives slowed in
her hold to change the geography OF the
world if it should happen to explode at
once. This was safely guarded by the
war office until after the steamer had
passed from sight of and
The reason is obvious. With the Finta-
gel Castle also went several bodies of
troops and the war department had no
desire to put their courage to SUCH d test.
Men may be brave in the face of the
enemy. The British soldiery have been
placed in this position enough times to
prove that they are not towards. and Yet
there is no knowing what they might
have done. if they had known of what the
cargo of their troop ship consisted. 1t
would take a nerve of steel to go to sea
under such circumstances and troops that
might face any danger before the enemy
Nigh be excused for baking at such a
test of cold FLOODED courage.
There is no reason to fear that any
fatality will befall the Fintasel Castle.
however. The war office knew what it
was doing when it shipped the explosive
and it is not the first time that this kind
of destructive agent has been sent out to
sea in troop ships. The same thing was
done burning the campaign in the Soudan
and the troops who sailed about this
sleeping force were none the wiser until
the terrible shells We're unloaded in Afri-
ca. This will undoubtedly be the case
with the shells that ave just started
for the scene of war and if they are as
destructive as they We're at Omdurnan
the army officers will be we'll repaid for
A.. = ,,,o,, tho Lo1-a r,,,, in chiYri,t O
them.
This new explosive that was given its
first practical test in the Soudan is known
as lyddite. and a more tremendous force
has never been invented. a single pound
OF it would demolish an ordinary sky
scraper and a thousand tons would blow
a big crack in the North American CON
tinent, a crack that would extend from
New York to San Francisco, Ten thou
sand tons. if exploded simultaneously, |
would be powerful enough to smash the
world to fragments.
OF course there was nothing like ten :.
thousand or even one thousand tons IN
rha hold Of the Fintagel Castle. but there
is no question but there was enough to |
play havoc with many Of the peninsulas |
OF the earth. The beauty Of the new eX-
plosive. however. is that it is far more
safe TO handle thar dynamite or gun cot
ton. 1t will not explode if struck by a
rifle ball: it may be placed on a stone
slab and burned without exploding, ana 1t
is claimed that unintentional explosion
IS almost an impossibility if this material
is used.
These are not the only advantages to
derived from the use Of lyddite, how
ever. During the campaign in the Sou
dan it was proved that il was far superior
to any other explosive as a destructive
agent and it was infinitely more cleanly.
Gunner who are compelled to use dyna-
mite are always nauseated by the sicken-
ing vapors or by the smell of the nitro
glycerine that remains on their hands.
but lyddite has no such effects upon those
who use it. 1t was the successful use OF
this explosive in the Soudan that per-
suaded the British officials to make an
other test with it in South Africa and if
1t works as we'll in the future as in the
past the Beers will have reason to wish
that the Fintagel Castle with its cargo of
death and destruction had sunk in mid
ocean.
Although lyddite was invented some
Years ago it is still practically unknown
as an explosive. AS it is undoubtedly
destined to play an important part in the
wars of the future. however, a study of its
composition is interesting. Lyddite is
nothing more than a variety Of picric acid
which has been melted and allowed to
solidify, thereby becoming denser. The
discovery Of the explosive power Of pic
Tic acid is remarkable and furnishes a
striking example Of how great discov-
cries may sometimes result from acct
dents. Picric acid itself was known as
far back as 111 and for many years was
used as a dye. About ten years ago d
=. - - -. -. .--