The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-10-04
Peril EXISTS IN
:. ALL THE NAVIEy
DUE TO DECoMPOSED
SMOKELESS POWDER LIKE
LYTo HAPPEN ANY
TIME.

Washington. oct 4.-"Such an acci-
dent as occurred at Toulon is liable to
happen any day on one of our own bat
tleships or on the ships of any other
nation" This was the statement Of
Rear Admiral Nicholson. chief of the
bureau of navigation and acting secre-
tary of the navy. Admiral Nicholson's
statement was corroborated by Com
mander ]. Strauss. the foremost
smokeless powder expert in the United
States and one Of the foremost ex-
perts on that explosive i'm the world
To a reporter Commander Strauss. VINO
has spent fifteen years OF his service
in the navy in developing powder.
said:
France, like the United States. uses
a smokeless powder made of nltro-cel-
lulose. This is a mixture Of guncotton.
ether and alcohol. This is, we in this
country believe. more stable powder
than the nitro glycerine powder used
by Great Britain. There is, however,
very little difference except the effect
on the guns. Gunpowder cotton is
more or less unstable. Alcohol is un-
stable when used in the making of
smokeless powder.
The questions Can guncotton be
made stable? has been asked many
times during the past sixty years Up
to the year 1862 the answer had gen
orally been I'm the negative. but since
then the process OF 'pulping' or re-
ducing the fibre to short lengths has
been introduced and the operation of
the nitrated cotton is so
much improved by this means as TO es-
tablish a new status for this hitherto
explosive. So much for
Now for smokeless powder.
Of which guncottCn is a part
Judging from the twenty-five years
history of smokeless powder, it must
be admitted that in the present state
Of our knowledge of its manufacture
perfectly stable powder cannot be pro-
iuced With the. most exquisite care
In conducting every operation we find
that one lot will exhibit signs of decom-
position i'm perhaps two years, while
another lot. made as we think under
precisely similar conditions, will en-
lure for three or four times that per-
cd. This fact constitutes the most
battling phase Of the problem and its
lesson needs no elucidation.
In our own navy we run some risk !
L has been minimized by the precau- |
tons we have made almost a part Of !
a ships discipline. Powder on the |
vessels Of the United States is inspec- !
ed and changed every few months. |
The magazine in which the powder is /,
stored is kept as free from gases as
possible by the use Of blowers There !
are more or less gases arising from !
stored powder. These gases are dis
,elled through openings into the tanks |
1r magazines by the use Of electric !
blowers.
I'VE have had fewer accidents due 90 !
powder explosions alone than any otr
n country France has had more. Ev- |
Try explosion in our navy has had a |
,ause. The cause always has been |
ound and remedied. But something |
With which we now are not familiar !
night cause an explosion at any time |
There is an element Of danger always !
,ut not as much as there is in the !
OF gasoline and other explo-
'ives ashore.
since large number OF the mis-
laps have occurred I'm the French navy /
{ should be noted that their powder |
$ similar In composition to all other |
yuncotton powders; these powders on
y differ materially i'm methods OF man
lfacture and care on subsequent sup
,rvision. don't know the details Of
he last disaster. but I believe IL will
be found that decomposed powder was
he cause"