Year: 1870

NITRO-GLYCERINE is combination of
glycerinc (the sweet principle of animal
fat) and nitric and sulphuric acids. The
process of manufacture is very simple.
Take, for instance, one pound of glycerine
and ten pounds of the acids and place
them in a proper vessel. The sulphuric
acid operates on the rest of the mass, ex-
tracts all aqueous matter, while the nitre
sinks to the bottom of the vessel, and
joins with the glycerine whose destiny
carries il there at once. The result is an
OleaginOus substance, not unlike castor oil
in color, but rather more thick, which, on
being washed and thoroughly cleansed
from such particles of sulphuric acid as
may have remained, is nitro -glycerine
Nitro glycerine strikes in all directions
when it explodes; but the greatest force
is always turned toward that point offer
ing the greatest resistance. Thus, if you
should explodea mass of the coil (Which
is short" " for nitro -glycerine) in the cen
ter of an empty room, the great force of
the explosion would be downward, in the
direction of the floor. A cartridge sub
merged, and having for its base rock,
would act most fOrcibly on the rock, al
though it would also displace the water


In removing the distractions at Hell



inc, in the form of what is known as sill
cious powder; but as it was lowered in a
frozen condition, the experiment was Il
failure. At some future day, there is no
doubt that this explosive, which is thirteen
times more powerful than gunpowder, and
is, moreover, capable of being exploded at
the bottom of the sea, if need be, will be
used in this great work.


Although nitrO-glycsrine has been in
use for so short time, it has already been
used with great success in war. In 1864,
during the war of the Austrians and
Prussians against the Danes, detachment
of three hundred Danish troops retreated
to Alsen, town near which great battle
had just been fought, and were besieged
by 10000 of the allied troops But the
Danish engineers had undermined all of
the approaches to the tswn with nitro
glycerine, the town and the mines being
connected by electric wires, and the inn
mense force was kept at bay for three
days. In the Russian war. the nitro-gly-
cerine tOrpedOes kept the French and
English ships out of the harbOr of CrOn-
stadt These torpedoes were so construct
ed as to explode either by cOncussion or
electri ;ity, and it would have been a bold
sailor who would dare to approach har-
bOr so guarded. Experiments have fre-
qucntly been made to see if nitrO-glycer-
inc could not be made available as the ex-
plosive power for shells, but little success
has been attained. 1t has been found that
the heat and conclusion caused the sensi
tive oil to explode before the shell had left
the mouth of the cannon. Experiments
| were tried with "cushiOned" shells
those containing some soft substance be-
tween the nitro glycerine and the IRON
| but this also failed


Notwithstanding the discouragements
which have beset the introduction of the
new explosive, it has persistently worked
its way into favor with practical men, and
there is now scarcely large public work
in this country where it is not used. As
time progresses, inventive minds will de
wise even more ingenious methods of use
ing it than those now in vogue, and 1t is
safe to predict that within short period
gunpOwder will be forced to give way tc
this more potent rival.-Erchdnge.