The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-31
ny FREDERIC ). uAskIN.

| When smokeless powder was invent
cd it was predicted that 1t would revo-
/ lutionize warfare. That 1t has made
| the shock OF battle more fatal and more
! terrific is well known. But 1t has not
! brought about Il revolution. Noiseless
! battle may be made possible By the
| new nolseless gun invented by Maxim,
and military experts are trying to peep
| into the future TO see along what lines
! such a battle will be fought. When to
smokeless powder and noiseess guns,
powder is added that will propcl the
| leaden missiles double tho distance they
are now driven, the combination would
set as wide difference between the
| battle OF a century from now and Tie
| battle of Manila as lay between Manila
and Marathon.
More intense and more lligh-powered
explosives are being discovered each
year. military experts and chemists i'm
proving on each years discoveries ui-
til each step has been marked by such
increased explosive force that the Won
derful power is almost already beyond
the bounds of comprehension. y recent
preparation known as perun!te - ts
rated as the most powerful explosive
known. Its force Is used as the basis
of comparison for other explosives.
With the force of perunite Il figured at
100 per cent, the, force of other high
explosives is represented as follows:
Explosive gelatin, 81 per cent; nitro
glycerine. rs per cent; Nobefs smoke
| less powder. 10 per cent; navy gun
cotton, 67.5 per cent; dynamite, No. :.
se.s per cent, illuminate of mercury.
40 per cent; mortar powder, 80 per
cent. and so on down the line untii
the ordinary black powder is reached
near the bottom.
The most powerful substance used
by military men is said to be explosive
gelatin, which explodes with II per
cent. greater intensity than dynamite
and produces 80 per cent. more power.
At the same time It is less sensitive
than dynamite. Explosive gelatin Is
manufactured in the form of cables,
and cut off in lengths for loading car
tridses. An explosion of gun-cotton
produces 800 degrees of heat, cent?
grade, and the rate OF speed which, its
force represents is 5000 metres per
cellulose, as it is technically called.
gives a military projectiie velocity
of 5000 feet per second at the muzZle
of gun fifty calibres long. From a
military standpoint explosives are di-
vided into two classes, progressive and
decorating. The difference between
these two classes may be indicated by
stating that a train of gunpowder
quarter OF a mile long, If ignited at
one end. would require comparatively
long time TO burn, while a train Of
dynamite of equal length could be de-
tonated almost instantaneously by a
blow struck upon 1t at one end. The
one eXplodeS by contact with fire, the
other by shock.
Dynamite has eight times the explo-
sive force of gunpowder Gun cotton
when exploded, produces gas having
a volume $50 times greater than that
of the original substance. Nitro giy-
cerine, made through the action Of
nitric acid on glycerine, Is probably the
most powerful and eccentric explosive
that Is used to any extent in the in
per cent, IL struck, win explode with
such force as to make the coin disap-
pear completely. A lighted match
touched to nitro glycerne in a
liquid state, will be extinguished
as though dipped in water. But
If the same liquid is Jared by
being struck or dropped. a ter
rifle explosion will result. 1t is safer
when frozen and is used in blasting in
that form.
Dynamite is much safer 1t will do
little harm unless confined when the
explosion takes place. It's greatest
force goes upward. while the greatest
force OF low explosives, like gunpow-
der. is expended in a lateral direction.
Therefore. when there is an explosion
of dynamite, the persons nearby should.
If they have time to do anything. seek
a hole in the ground. If gunpowder
eNplodes they should climb tree. The
great danger about dynamite is that
it eXplodes easily when in partially
decomposed state. When fresh and
Whitfield with impunity; but if the stick
whitfield should happen not to be fresh
" made, little of the whittier is likely
to be found afterwards.
To explode dynamite or similar cX-
plosives, q illuminate of mercury cap
is generally used. Dynamiters who
handle that giant powder carelessly are
much more particular about these lit
tie caps, for the slightest shock or heat
will cause an explosion of $40 pounds
pressure to the square inch. There are
other decorating agents. however,
which are much more sensitive than
illuminate of mercury. For instance,
the dazo benzine compounds may he
exploded by a little current of warm
air; NITROGEN chloride will dctonate
from the football of a fly, and iodide
of nitrogen Will explode with terrific
force in response to ono Of three or
four low notes of q violoncello played
at several yards distance, but to no
other notes.
sOnp TIe riyaled Shakespeare in some