The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-02-09
SMOKELESS POWDER.
coRDlTE THE MOST POTENT Ex-
PLoslvE OF MODERN TIMES.

IL IL Composed Of NitrOglycerin, Gum Cot.
ton and vaseline-The Interesting Proc.
ess by which Its Dangerous Elements
Are Combined.
Since the advent of the speedy torpe-
do boat and since rapid firing guns have |
been placed on battleships and cruisers |
an explosive that would allow to the |
officers and gunners an unobstructed
view of am enemy under all conditions
has been sought, and thousands Of dol
lars have been expended in the effort to
obtain a satisfactory substitute for black
gunpowder. Cordite, the latest explo-
siye, is said to be the most satisfactory
propellant Of modern times for naval
warfare, and the expert opinion seems
to be that in few years gunpowder as
now understood will have vanished.
The earliest records Of esta blished
powder mills show that there was only
one in operation i'll 1890, this one being
in England. During the year l787sthe
Waltham Abbey Powder mills were
purchased by the English government. !.
They are still conducted by it. The Fa-
versham mills, which up to that date
were the largest i'll the world, passed
into the hands Of a private corporation
in 1916. The manufacture Of powder
was continued without much improve
ment, except in the efficiency Of the
grinding and mixing machinery, until
about 35 years ago, the formula for
black powder being saltpeter 70 parts,
charcoal 10 parts and sulphur 10 parts,
the whole forming q mechanical mix
ture and not chemical compound.
6 lokeless powder, however, became
absolutely a necessity, for the reason
that smoke producing powders masked
the object aimed at, and the torpedo
| boat, which was becoming a recognized
feature of naval warfare, could dash up
and discharge one or more deadly mis-
siles under cover of the smoke.
Smokeless powders were first pro-
duced in France, and for some time the
secret of the manufacture was guarded
| jealously. AS soon as the necessity for
this kind Of powder became apparent,
| however, q number of manufacturers
devoted attention to it, and as a result
various brands of smokeless explosives
were placed on the market. =
The most satisfactory results eventu-
ally made their appearance in cordite,
which was produced through expert
ments made by Professor Dewar and Sir
Frederick Abel. Cordi:e is composed OF
nitroglycerin So per cent gun cotton 81
per cent and vaseline per cent Nitro.
glycerin is an oily, colorless liquid and
an active poison. 1t is produced by mix
ing a quantity of sulphuric acid with
almost double the amount Of nitric acid
and allowing it to COOL About one.
eighth of the total weight of glycerin il
then added gradually. the mixture be.
ing kept below temperature of 20 de.
grees F. by passing air and cold water
through it. After the mixture has stood
sufficient time the acids are drawn off,
and the residue (nitroglycerin) is wash
ed and filtered.
Nitroglycerin cannot be ignited easily
by fame, and q lighted match or ia
per plunged into it would be extinguish
ed. 1t is sensitive to friction or percus
sion, either of which will detonate it
Another popularity is that the highes
the temperature the more sensitive i
becomes. It will solidify at a temper
allure Of 40 degrees, and its explos
force is csti.a.rstoa to be ahant- tvgelk
times that Of gunpowder.
One of the most approved method
used in the manufacture of gun cOttol
is this: The raw cotton is torn int
shreds, dried and dipped in mixtur
Of sulphuric and nitric acids. It is thel
placed in stream of running water ant
washed thoroughly. The cotton is the1
wrung out, usually in centrifugal ma
chine.
} It is afterward boiled, dried, cut int
pulp and pressed into disks When tn
gun cotton is finished, there should b
, no trace of the acids remaining. Vase
line, the other component part IF cor
dite, is the we'll known extract from pc
, troleum, and it's usefulness is chiefly +
} lubricate the bore of the gun and thu
lessen the friction between it and tn
! projectile. 1t also has tendency. to i'm
part waterproof nature to cordite.
, A colorless liquid prepared from ace
> - Of lime, called acetone, Is USED az
sOlvent In the 1.....4--Raoture of cordite
The method Of preparing the explosiv
is: The required proportion Of nitro
: glycerin is poured over the gun cotton
: and the two, with the addition of ace
tone, are kneaded together into stii
paste Vaseline is then added, and tn
whole compound, after being thorough
ly mixed, is put into a machine and tn
cordite pressed out and cut into lengths
after which it is dried.
To the artillerist the nature Of cordit
is represented by fraction whose nu
merator gives in hundredths Of an incl
the diameter Of the die through whicl
the cordite has been pressed, its demon
inator being the length Of the stick il
inches. The cordite known as 30-12
which is the size used for the incl
quick firing guns, signifies that its di
ameter is three-tenths Of an inch, ant
it is II inches long.
1t is necessary to use a fine grail
powder to ignite charge of cordite, i
being secured in such manner that
fash from the tube firing the gun will
cause the explosion of the charge. 4
full charge of powder for a IL inch GU,
is 295 pounds, while the cordite charge
having the same efficiency, is only 1877 J.
!: pounds.
Cordlte is one OF the safest explosive
known, aud is not dangerous unless i
is confined. 1t can be held in the hant
and lighted without danger. It burn
slowly and with bright flame. AL
though comparatively new discovery
it is used extensively in every nav,
throughout the world. 1t was manufac
tured first in Great Britain and was IL
general use on her battleships befor'
adopted by other powers. New Yorl
Sun.
The DEADLY GRIP Is again abroad /
the land. The air you breathe may b
full Of its fatal germs! Don't neglect tn
Grip" Or you will open the door t
Pneumonia AMI Consumption and invit
death. Its sure signs are chills, wit
fever, headache, dull heavy pains. mu