Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24
This Is One of Its Chief Advantages
IL VIII Play Very Important Part
I'm Military Operations of the Fu-
ture-Tbc sOudnn Campaign.


elimination of a scientific campaign. The
telegraph, the steamboat and the rail-
way were an utilized, and without their
aid Omdurman would have been an Inn
possibility. Probably one OF the most
interesting features Of the campaign,
however. from . military standpoint
was the great success achieved by the
yddite shells. which, used for the first
time In actual warfare by the British
army. proved that yddte is the best
explosive as yet discovered for use I'm
shells IL is the object OF the present
article TO give short description Of this
substance, which is destined TO play an
important part in the wars Of the future.
Lyddite, as has previously been stated
IN this Journal C'M0dern Shells and Pro-
jectilcs," August e, 1880 is only a va
riety of picrlc acid which has been melted
and allowed % s0iidify thereby becoming
donser.
AiELINITE
Melinite, recently introduced into the
French army is also another form Of
picric acid, indeed most of the sO-called
new explosives consist of this sub
stance in one or other of It's forms dis
Buised hy different names. The history OF
picric acid as an explosive IS remarkable,
and furnishes a. striking example Of how
great discoveries may frequently result
from accident Picric acid was discov-
cred I'm III, and for more than a century
was used as a dye for wool, silk, and
leather. without its explosive powers be-
ing suspected. Some ten years ago, how
ever. fire occurred at a chemical work
ln Manchester, and spread 70 a shed con-
nfrffrr ~ rfr
melted by the heat. the acid flowed until
70 came into contact with q quantity Of
ltharge stored ln the same building. A
| terrific explosion followed, and subse-
Quent Investigation revealed tho fact that
! under certain conditions picric acid be-
haved as Il powerful explosive. Further
experiments have made clear the neces-
slry conditions, and at the present time
picllc acid bids fair TO Outrval all other
explosives for the purpose of filing
shells.
Before proceeding TO describe the man
ncr 10 which this body Is caused TO libe-
rate it's explosive power. It. will be advis-
able TO give n brief account of It's manu-
facture and common properties, ia order
that the sequence may be made clear
Pure phenol OF carbOlio acid Oho COM
mon dsnfectant obtained from coal
tam. as placed I'm a vessel with am equal
amount OF strong oil of viuOl sulphuric
acid, and the temperature raised 10 the
/ boiling point Of water. strong nitric acid
(aquafortis) IS then allowed 90 h0w in.O
tho mixture, after which tho whole IS
cooled, leaving q solid mass of yellow
/ crystals in tho vessel. These crystals are
filtered and drained, and afterwards
washed with cold water-When the residue
IS pure picric acid. The crystals So OBJ
tanned have an intensely bitter taste and
for this reason have been largely em-
ployed on the Continent for the adulte-
ration OF beer IL handled, picric acid
stains the fingers a golden yellow. If
heated gently it melts quite TRANQUILITY
and may be poured from one vessel 10
another IL strongly heated il chars with
a slight nzzle; II hammered on an anvil
no defamation occurs, rs I'm the case OF
most other explosives. A cursOry exam
nation, such as the foregoing gives no
indication OF fits latent powers, and II is
therefore a matter Of little wonder that
they should have remained undiscovered
for more than q century.
To the uninitlated. such q body would
/ appear TO contradict all the ideas formed
as 20 the properties OF explosives. They
are generally-and in the vast majority
or cases rlghuy-regarded as substances
extremely dangerous 90 handle, and which
heat or a blow would cause to explode at
once. The apparent discrepancy, how
ever may be easily reconciled If we con-
slider the analogy furnished by a weight
suspended by means of a string. Such
a weight represents stored energy, ready
10 be liberated the moment the string is
cut; similarly, an explosive yields its
energy Immediately it's stable condition Is
broken down. a sensitive explosive.
easily called into action, such as nitro
glycerine. resembles q weight suspended
by q thin thread, and, therefore, easily
severed; q stable explosive, whose con-
stituents are not readily torn asunder,
such as picrc acid, resembles weight
/ held by a strong rope, and, therefore,
more difficult TO release. To set into ac-
ton bodies of the latter type, il IS necos-
sary TO provide a shock sufficient 10
break down the existing bonds. and thus
set free the stored energy. We may pur-
sue the analogy further: Thus a weak
explosive contains little energy, and
would oe represented by a small weight;
a powerful explosive, on the other hand,
would be represented BY large and
heavy weight. We are thus enabled.
by means OF this simple analogy, 10 UNI
derstand an the difference In behavior
exhibited by these bodies.
DECORATORS.
The shock necessary to explode picric
acid I'm all its forms IS furnished by a
class OF bodies known as decorators"
These arc sensitive bodies which explode
with great violence, and * placed in
contact with O large mass Of Pierre acid,
the shock 20 which their explosion gives
rise causes the whole charge 10 detonate,
an extremely small quantity OF the deto-
nator sudicing 70 set into action an in
definitely large quantity OF the acid
Thus. by utilizing a secondary substance
10 provide the shock, this powerful eX-
ploslve may be made 10 yield It's latent
energy. The best decorators for this
purpose may be readily made from pierre
acid itself. by causing It TO combine with
the oxides Of metals. Thus, with lead
oxide Oitharge) It forms lead-picrate;
with potash, plcrate of potash; and 80 on.
All these bodies explode on tho slightest
blow or application OF heat. and are capa-
bic OF producing the requisite shock
10 explode the main charge. In this we
see the explanation OF the Manchester
explosion. In itself the acid would have
been harmless but coming into contact
with the litharge. lead-picrate was FORM
ed. which exploded and spread the chain
Of destruction 20 the whole mass OF acid.
PRECAUTIONS ADOPTED
We are now in a position 10 understand
the manufacture OF lyddite shells, and
the reasons for the precautions adopted