The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-04
THE TERRIBLE LYDDITE.
How the Shells Are Made-The Beers
Have "a Low Opiaion of Their Eff

cHcy.
From the London Pail Mall Gazette
One of the war correspondents of the
Cape papers discourses on lyddite. He
has seen the effect of this wonderful ex-
plosive. and is much impressed. He says:
"Lyddte is a form of picric acid which
has been melted, and allowed to solidify,
thereby becoming denser. Melinite. re-
Gently introduced into the French army,
is also another form of picrlc acid. The
history of picric acid is remarkable as IL
Illustrating how great discoveries may re-
suit from accident Picric acid was dis
covered in III, and for more than CEN
fury it was used as a dye for silk, wool
and leather without it's explosive quail
ties being suspected About 1889, how
ever, a fire occurred at a chemical works
in Manchester and spread to a shed con-
tanning this acid. Being melted by the
heat, the acid flowed until it came into
contact with a quantity of litharge stor-
ed in the same building. A terrific exp o.
sion followed, and subsequently investi-
cation revealed the fact that under certain
conditions Iicric acid behaves as a very
powerful explosive. With regard to the
manufacture, and the manner in which
This body is caused to llberate it's explo-
sive power pure carbolc acid is placed
in vessel with an equal amount of oil
of vitriol (sulphuric acid, and the tenn
perature raised to the boiling point of
water. Strong nitric acid is then al owe
to flow into the mixture, after which the
whole is cooled, leaving a solid mass of
yellow crystals within the vessel The
crystals are filtered and drained and af-
tprx ri CHI Wi rr.11
the residue is pure picric acid. This is
then melted by gentle heating, and pour
ed into the interior of the shell to the
amount required, and this on cooling be-
comes a solid. compact mass now known
as iyddite. The inner lining of the shell
is coated with clean tin, a precaution rem
dered necessary by experience, and a
knowledge of the properties of picric acid
This body combines with oxides to form
picrates, which are able to bring about
its detcnation, and hence, II binary iron
shells were used, any rust in the interior
(Which is oxide of from would thus tend
TO produce premature explosion and rem
der the shell dangerous to handle. The
decorating charge consists of a small
quantity of lead plcrate, which is placed
in the shell Immediately before firing, and
which on impact Produces a shock that
brings the main charge into action"
The following is part of a letter appear
ing in the Volksstem, in which a Boer
named One Preller, writing from Gen.
Botha's lager outside Ladysmith, gives
an account of the effect of lyddite shells.
The letter is written to Mr. f. j. Kleiih-i
naus, Minister of Mines in Pretoria:
I'VE are told by those who called them
selves our friends how unwise IL would he
for us to attempt to'measure our strength
against that of England, and were informs
ed that the rocks behind which in other
wars we had taken shelter would not serve
us in this case, for the agencies which,
were to be employed would shower down
upon us hellish rain OF devastating ma
terial which would scatter our rocky shell
ters like chaff before the wind. For hun
dreds Of square yards around the spot
where one Of these death-dealing instru-