Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-04-29
Shephedsbwn Virginia Thursday April 29 1915

coal, saltpetre, and sulphur-came TO
human knowledge. The sulphur makes
the compound ignite easily the charcoal
furnishes the bulk of the combustible sub
stance the saltpetre contains the oxygen
required for combustion. The manufac-
turer reduces all three to fine dust and
mixes them thoroughly. When the sui
phur is ignited, the heat il engenders
causes the saItpetre TO give Up its oxygen.
Thereupon the charcoal and oxygen, be-
ing rapidly burned, in confined place,
produce an explosive effect.
No one knows who invented gunpow-
der. In Europe il was first used in the
fourteenth century but the Chinese as
sert that they have used il for more than
two thousand years rs material for fire
works. They thought that il served the
purpose. too, of frightening away devils
purpose for which even at the present
day they think firecrackers are especially
efficacious. In war the Chinese al first
used gunpowder not 10 destroy life, but
TO scare the enemy.
"FIERY DRAGONS"
We undoubtedly got our first know
ledge of explosive compounds for war
purposes from the Orient. According to
contemporary accounts, the Saracens in
the Middle Ages discharged against the
crusaders fiery dragons as big as hogs
heads, which flew through the air with
noise like thunder" Before such heath
enish weapons, which they could meet
with neither sword nor lance, the fighters
for the cross prostrated themselves IN ter
ror; they thought that they were contri-
vances OF the Evil One. As matter OF
fact, the "fiery dragons" seem TO have
been incendiary bombs OF primitive
pattern, and were useful more for their
moral effect on the enemy than for their
destructive power. Some OF them, how
ever, had iron barbs, by which they clung
to buildings and set them on fire.
The incendiary compound used in those
bombs was known to the crusaders as
Greek fire." Just what il consisted OF
we do not certainly know, but the stuff is
believed 10 have been mixture OF pc
troIeum, saltpetre, and pitch. During
that period it was used not only on land,
but on water; il was made to spout from
copper pipes that were set in the jaws OF
fantastic monsters at the prows Of ships.
from what has already been said il will
be apparent that gunpowder might be
made OF materials othar than charcoal,
satpetre, and sulphur. II would, for ex-
ample, be practicable 10 substitute ordi-
nary wheat flour for the charcoal. In fact,
that has actually been done. High ex-
plosives, many times as powerful as gum
powder, have been made from admixture
OF flour with nitric acid-"nitro- starch"
Only forty-three per cent. OF ordinary
gunpowder is converted into gas when il
explodes. The remaining fifty y-seven per
cent. is unconsumed residue, which we
see in the form of smoke. In the war
that is now going on in Europe, however,
all the combatants are using another kind
OF gunpowder, which is smokelesS. On
ignition il is converted wholly into gas.
A much greater volume OF gas isproduced,
and the explosive effect is propotionate-
ly increased.
When the war with Spain broke out in
1898, the United States government did
not have any smokeless powder. The
Spaniards, on the other hand, had plenty
OF it, and used il on both land and sea.
Consequently, the American besiegers at
Santiago were unable 10 see the Spanish
soldiers firing at them, whereas the en-
emy could see by the puifs OF smoke just
where to shoot When Admiral Cervera's
ships came out Of the harbor and tried 10
escape, the vessels OF the American
squadron found il hard in the fight that
followed TO fire accurately because their
view OF the foe was obscured by the
clouds OF smoke from their own guns.
There are many kinds of smokeless
gunpowder. One OF the best known is
the English cordite, which, when forced
through holes in perforated metal plate
while in a plastic condition, takes the
form OF thick strings that look like brown
rubber. The strings are cut up into short
cylindrical pieces. You can safely hold
string OF cordite in your hand and light
one end Of it if will burn slowly with
bright flame.
WHY GUNS ARE LONG.
A characteristic of smokeless powders
is that they burn very slowly; on that
account modern guns are very long, in
order that all the powder OF charge may
have time 10 be transformed into gas be-
fore the proiectile driven by il leaves the
muzzle OF the weapon. The smokeless
powder used by our army and navy is
made by soaking nitro-cotton in mix
ture of ether and alcohol it is thus con-
verted into plastic substance that may
ha moulded or rttf info anv shane re-