414 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



salt of potasli, or by the direct action of picric acid upon the 

 carbonate of potassa. The explosion of the picrate gives rise 

 to an immense volume of gaseous matter, as nitrogen, car- 

 bon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and the only solid residuum is 

 a little carbon and carbonate of potassa. The smoke pro- 

 duced is very light and easily dissipated, and the gaseous 

 products are totally destitute of the corrosive and poisonous 

 action of those of gunpowder, with their thick, heavy, stifling 

 smoke. Nearly insoluble in cold water, there is no absorp- 

 tion of moisture from the atmosphere to deteriorate its qual- 

 ity or destroy its utility, as with gunpowder, so that it may- 

 be used in the dampest mines and other localities, where also 

 the almost total absence of smoke and of noxious products 

 after explosion is a great recommendation. 



Two varieties of the picrate powder are now manufactured, 

 one for blasting, the other for fire-arms, each made of various 

 grades of strength and adapted for special applications. For 

 the first purpose, nitrate of potash is used with the picrate; 

 for the second, an additional ingredient, charcoal, is employ- 

 ed, the latter being added to diminish the rapidity of the 

 combustion and increase the projectile force. This can be 

 regulated so as to be greater or less than that of gunpowder, 

 while the blasting power is much greater than that of the 

 latter substance. 



Our space will not permit us to go into more detail respect- 

 ing this new powder, which is so easily made and kept un- 

 changed, and can be made of any desired degree of strength, 

 and in its explosion yields no deleterious or corrosive gases, 

 blinding smoke, or acrid and troublesome residuum. It is 

 nearly as cheap, and less easily ignited by carelessness or ac- 

 cident than gunpowder. Of much greater blasting power 

 than gunpowder, and quite equal to nitroglycerine in this 

 respect, it seems destined to play a very important part in 

 mining operations, while the comparative absence of solid de- 

 posit renders its use in gunnery highly advantageous. The 

 color is a brilliant yellow, and thus it is easily distinguished 

 among other substances. It is also of varied application in 

 pyrotechnics. 



In conclusion, we may state that the picric powder is the 

 subject of extensive and secret experiment with the French 

 government, which will probably use it before long as a sub- 



