The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-07-17
..ExPIOsIvEs'.

pears elsewhere In this ssue. We
think we have read this with more
care and interest, perhaps, than the
majority of our readers. tor We have
n special reason therefor. We want
to be fair: although we have a per
sonai opinion about the right and the
wrong side IN this war, we are not
anxions TO air Il either IN the Herald
or elsewhere. We believe less par
tisanship IN public will aid America
In retaining n strictly neutral posi-
ton. For the most OF Mr.. Tittman's
letter. the conclusion 10 he drawn
on the question OF stOppage of muni-
tons exports u simply a matter OF
which set Of statements TO believe
The pro-British element naturally
takes the stand that the stoppage has
no precedent and would be unneutrai
The pro-German element assets
that the embargo asked not only a
plenty of precedent. some % which
Is quoted By Mr.. Tittman. bat that
anything else will be nnneuiral. and
In fact. Is u%nneutrai nov. A great
many perfestly sincere people. who
are practically without b.as. believe
one way or the other.
II Is with the latter portion 81 Mr.
TittmannS communication, how
ever. that we are most Interested. In
this he ~denounces the steamboat in
spec,ion service for permitting the
carrying OF sulphuric acid and Their
NIT. with It's ignition powder. on pas
senger steamers. Mr.. Tittmann is
apparently under the impression "A
thermit is an explosive. since an
American has invented a shell that
makes use Of Its peculiar properties
TheTmit isn't an explosive, though
ia Is capable OF undergoing combus-
ltlon very rapidly and performing
many strange things while doing 50.
II Is a commercial welding powder.
and IL to be found In practically
every place in the world where quick
repairs OF heavy castings or forgings
for this purpose. Il has even been
used for such complicated work as
welding a broken drive shaft on m
ocean liner while at sea. Carried In
proper containers, away from heat
we remember is ignition point is
rather hight is perfectly safe.
Even u ignit"d Il will not explode, AZ
he seeats TO think: II VIII only burn.
The high ignition point demands
an igniting powder 20 enable the
thermit To be used rapidly and reach
iss fun efficiency At q casual csti-
mate. we should say that a pound
OF igniting powder n about as dan
gerous az o pound OF the red lire
used at Fourth or July celebrations.
and carried. under the glise % col
ored flares. on every ship IN the
world as o means OF signalling in
emergency.
This might perhaps be c%ontraband.
because u contains % potash salt. but
thermit Is no., to our knowledge. and
Il would seem silly 20 make d go, for
the ingredients IL Is reported 10 con.
tain are nothing but powdered alum
inum n iron rust. Aluminium Is GO
be had from clays IN g ery section
Of the world. Il could not be CON
traband one might as wen say that
water Was contraband And as tof
iron rust-oh. pshaw'
Now as for tho sulphuric acid.
This Is used In manufacturing cX-
plosives and u is possible that il may
be contraband. But Mr. Tittmann
seems to have overlooked that the
restrictions placed on H. carrying ON
passenger steamers demanded hat %
be carried In glass bottles containing
only a small quantity not oye 1--WE
pounds each. u we remember. SCI
%cureiy packed. or that it be packed
In small iron drums; nj carboys
were prohibited az were other con-
%tainers, and that IL must be carried
on deck.
Nearly every PASSENGER steamer
carries storage batteries TO supply its
wireless with power in emergency.
and some types " storage batteries
use sulphuric acid. II is o necessity
on %shipboaFd, in many instances. just
"a thermit In d step toward safety
for the passengers.
OF course, the carrying of only a
Reasonable quantity Of either OF
lihese commodities Ia pre-supp0sed.
no passenger ship would be likely 10
clutter upJts decks with an unreas-
enable amount OF ''small iron drums
or glass containers Of not more than
1--WE pounds each. packed separately %
fun Of sulphuric acid. and there Is
no reason for Carrying a large guam
itity OF HERMIT n would be like
carrying Goals TO Newcastle, The
lsgnail quantity OF thcTmi' 10 be ear