The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-12-14
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No. 4616:-Dynamite is a giant
gun powder, that is, an explosive
material varying in strength and
safety Of handling, according to
the percentage Of nitro glycerine
it contains. Nitro-glycerine
whence it derives it's strength, is
composed Of ordinary gIycerine
and nitric acid, compounded to-
gether in certain proportions and
at certain temperature. Nitro
glycerine though not the strongest
explosive known, being exceeded
in power by nitrogen and other
products of chemistry, is thus far
the most terrible explosive manu-
featured to any extent, nitro-glyce-
rine by itself is not safe to handle,
hence dynamite is preferred. It is
extensively made and consumed in
the United States under the vari-
Gus names of giant, hercules,
jupiter and atlas powders, all of
which contain all the way from
thirty to eighty per cent of nitro
glycerjne the residue of the CON-
pound being made up Of rotten
stone, non-explosive earth, saw
dust. plaster of paris, black powde
or some other substance that tak-;:
up the nitro glycerine and makes
a porous mass. Nitro glycerine
was discovered bySalvard, AN Italian
chemist, in I845. Dynamite is pre-
pared by simply kneeding with the
naked hands, twenty-five per cent
of the infusioral earth and seventy
five per cent Of nitro-glycerine
until the mixture assumes a putty
condition, not unlike moist brown
sugar. Before mixing, the in
fusioral earth is calcined in fur
mace, in order to burn all organic
matter, and it is sifted to free it of
all large grains. While still moist
it is squeezed into cartridges
which are prepared from parch-
ment paper, and the firing is done
by illuminate of silver in copper
capsuls provided with patent ex-
ploders.
No. 3541:-The largest cannon
used by the United States are the
Is inch guns used for coast defense
They weigh 14O tons each, and are
the heaviest guns in the world.
No. 512S:- Who, refers to per-
sons only. Which, to objects
other than persons. That, may be
substituted for either who or
which, as a relative pronoun.
No. 349O:-There are 37,2O1
Sunday schools in England and
Wales and 224,552 in the world
No. 4567:-The largest hang
ing bell in the world is in the
Buddhist monastery, near Canton,
China, it is eighteen feet high and
forty-five feet in circumference,
and is of solid bronze. 1t is one
Of eight great bells that were cast
by the order of the Chinese EN-
peror Yunglo about 400, and it is
said to have cost the lives of eight
men, who were killed during the
process of casting. The whole
bell both inside and out, is covered
with an inscription in embossed
Chinese characters about half an
inch long, covering even the
handle, the total number being
$4,000 The characters tell a
single story-one Of the Chinese
| classics.
No. 1909: The area of Africa
in square miles is II, 514,OOO miles.
No. 5599:-The United States
has 472 universities and colleges.
No. 5119:-To date the column
commanded by General Methuen
has fought three battles with the
Beers, in which the British losses
were as follows: Belmont, Nov.
%, 297; Grass Pan, Nov. 25, 1913;
Modder River, Nov. %, Ats. The
total losses since the war began,
1889; killed, 4O0; wounded, 1906;
missing, 1866.
No. 4663:-A car that will only
carry 500 bushels of potatoes in
their natural state, will carry 5000
bushels when canned.