Year: 1876

communicate In regard to the coming He'll Gate ex.
plosion. am so much taken up with multiplicity OF
duties in the extended field have TO look that
cannot OF course nnd time go into details speak
OF particular points connected with them Indeed
Official Information and know nothing except
what in the papers as to when General Newton Is
going make the explosion. oh by the bye, forgot
that letter received at the department. yesterday
believe. saying thai he was ready. but beyond thai
don't know anything or see that have anything to
CON mmunicate."


''But, General ms you the highest authority we
have representing tho engineers OF the army and
scientific knowledge, your opinion would have great
effect in queting unnecessary alarms among our people
in New York"


s'Oh,n said the General, ~ have left that whole
matter to General Newton, in whom We have tho very
highest confidence as one OF our most distinguished,
erudlte and reliable engineer officers He is gentle
Of great attainmcnts science and research. lie
fully conversant with the whole subject under
mis- charge. He has pursued his Investigations step
by step, and knows everything thoroughly which
bears upon his experiments He 49, moreover, notabo
Tor great aud s we versed ana Discreet
in everything that is 10 De done In fact. General
Newton is the proper officer for she HERALD to consult
In the case, anu not me-"
"But General, the main point Is TO know now that
you his superior officer, approve everything which
he has done General Newton has already favored hc
HERALD with all the Information in his possession"


'Oh, certainly, we approve what no has done, aud
most undoubtedly leave to him. with every reliance
his Judgment all that is to be carried out In regard
TO the He'll Gate distractions. never think OF con-
trolling him in the discretion he must use in the work
conhded to his supervision and direction. He knows



Maillefert, scientific engineer agrees with him
tirey, and approves fully all that he is doing"


"xell General can the explosion have any nj urous
effect upon life or property which cannot be guarded
against?"


.'why, no. General Newton has already shown,
believe, by statement OF tho setting on OF a large
amount OF explosives in New York hnrhor already ac
plishcd by him, amounting, l believe, TO 40
pounds moro. that he can master ali It's agencies
with perfect security, and that there is no danger
whatever"


sswl you be present the great event OF next Sun
day, and would you feel perfectly securey"


''Oh! don't know. When saw General Newton the
other day (hcre General Humphreys laughed very
heartily I asked whether hc was soon going to be
ready 10 'sit down that ledge of rocks and how
near tho table he would be He said he gong to
Sit on very soon, and the tape would DC the worse
for H. But not the slightest danger feel per-
fcctly easy about the whole matter and that every
thing will of Just as General Newton wants 1t, with.
out any danger"


The head of the Engineer Department OF the army
said that he had his attention called TO
the admirable cuts and diagrams OF the HERALD,
which evnced great interest in science,
but had been busly engaged that he had yet
had time to read the very full and Interesting scen-
tifc matter accompanying them So saying General
Humphreys, politely bowling. Withdrew to his dining
paror discuss substantial dishes than
and gunpowder, either In the dynamite, nitro.gy
or lightning shape


WHY THE EXPLOSION IS NOT DANGEROUS.


New YORK, Sept 20, ls76
To EDITOR OF THE HKRALD-


have found by practical tests that the explosive
force OF ro.gycerne under water and In blasts
in drill holes Is not powerful and effective as gun
powder properly ignitcd for the that the
Shut ol-cxcluded Nitro. .gycerne requires air TO
bring out its full explosive power, as II explodes
quicker than the displacc OF the air and the air
acts as tamping. ENGINEER.