602 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



the rapid destruction of these trees threatened to seriously 



diminish." 



NEW EXPLOSIVES. 



Some interest attaches to several new explosives brought 

 out during the past year, because of their novelty and possi- 

 ble utility; of these, two are worthy of special notice. One 

 of these is the so-called "blasting-gelatine," invented by JVI. 

 Nobel, the well-known inventor of dynamite. It is said to 

 be formed by dissolving collodion -cotton in nitro-glycerine 

 in the proportions of 10 per cent, of the former to 90 per cent, 

 of the latter. The product is described to be a gelatinous, 

 elastic, transparent, pale-yellow substance, having a specific 

 gravity of 1.6, and the consistence of a stifF jelly. It is said 

 to be less liable to be affected by blows than dynamite, and 

 this indifference may be increased by the addition of from 

 4 to 10 per cent, of camphor. Experiment is affirmed to have 

 shown that "blasting-gelatine" possesses, weight for weight, 

 25 per cent., and, bulk for bulk, 40 per cent., greater explosive 

 energy than dynamite. It is further affirmed to be very sta- 

 ble, to be unaffected by water, and to be considerably cheap- 

 er than dynamite. An Austrian military commission is said 

 to have pronounced favorably upon it for military and gen- 

 eral engineering uses. 



The second compound above referred to was lately brought 

 to the attention of the Royal Dublin Society, by Professor 

 Emerson Reynolds, of Trinity College. It consists, accord- 

 ing to description, of 75 per cent, of chlorate of potassa, with 

 25 per cent, of a substance called " sulphurea." It is a white 

 powder, which is said to ignite at a somewhat lower temper- 

 ature than gunpowder, which it exceeds in explosive energy, 

 and leaves about 15 per cent, less of solid residue. It has 

 been used in small cannon, but its inventor claims it to be es- 

 pecially adapted for blasting, for shells, torpedoes, and similar 

 purposes. One of its advantages is pointed out to be that 

 it can be made at a moment's notice by a comparatively 

 rough mixture of its ingredients, which can be stored or car- 

 ried with perfect safety so long as they are kept separate. Of 

 the nature of "sulphurea," nothing definite has appeared be- 

 yond the statement that it can easily be procured in any de- 

 sired quantity from a product of the gas-works that is at 

 present wasted. 



