The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-08-04
HE MADE JAPAN'S POWDER.
The Remarkable Career of DR.. Clan
Shimose.
BROOKLYN Eagle.

AN
Gunpowder Wizard OF Japan," has
perhaps done as much, if not more,
than ony other one man to aid the
Flower Empire in its successful ef-
forts 10 annihilate the forces Of Rus
sia, both at sea and on land. The
world has heard much o. the activity
OF the soldier. Of the accuracy Of the
firing OF the Japanese gunners, but
little has been printed OF the man
who supplied the ammunition which
has carried the missiles Of destruction.
The United States has her Krag
and her Springfield; Germany swears
by her Mauser and England has her
Lee-Endfieid. Likewise every nation
has a high explosive, the British
cordite. the French rnelinite, and
many others. But while much has
been said and written Of these various
implements oi war. little has been
said OF Japan. Bu: ali the while the
little man was laboring away in his
laboratory. experimenting, until he
produced ''sIlimrose," the most per-
feet explosive known to the scientific
world, which is capable OF great re-
suits. no mater when or III what gun
it is used properly.
Try as they will, curious inqu;rers,
whether from mere personal gratifi-
cation Or ior military purposes, have
failed to secure the secret for making
this wonderful powder. With it is
manufactured a chemical to be used in
exploding it. Without this chemical
it is harmless. Efforts have been
made to explode the powder with
terrific blows; it has been literally COW
cred with live Goals OF fire: shot have
been fired into it: every possible test
has been applied to explode it without
result. The Goals OF fire caused it to
burn, giving out sickly odor, like a
pile of burning tar. The shot and
blows have simply scattered it. But
use the, chemical Illuminating device:
and presto! there was an explosion
which made the very earth tremble,
and resulted in the complete destruc-
ton of everything with which !,
came in contact.
Although he devoted more than
eleven years in experimenting before
he secured the desired result. powder
making is not the only form OF work
Dr.. Srimose has done His career is
eloquent OF the spirit OF the man who
has determined 20 get ahead in the
world. He is modest and has little
to say OF his accomplishments. He
was born forty-seven years ago in the
very hunblest circumstances in the
province of Hiroshima. Although
more than $50 miles from the capital,
and in the days when railways and
steamers were practically unknown to
the island. the youth determined to
make his way to the great city. He
had prepared for his entrance, and
shortly after reaching the city stood
a hard examination and gained the
first recognition of his abilities by
securing entrance to the Imperial uni
versity. 1t is considered one of the
best institutions of learning CT the
world. ranking we'll up with Yale,
Harvard, Columbia and the other
grea. seats OF learning.
In Toxic he four d himself not only
iriendlcss but with out sufficient books
to prosecute his studies. He borrow
ed OF his classmates and frequently
sat up all night copying the books
that he might return them and still
have papers from which to study.
He was frequently without the neces-
sary sum to pay his barber or the
bath house man. IT is said that he
frequently went hungry, preferring to
devote his spare change to the pur-
chase of boks from which to study.
But when examination time came
he was the hero of the university.
He passed with the highest honors.