504 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



recovered, had the Maximite adhering to them like mortar to a brick. 

 Another 3-inch shell was filled with picric acid, fused and fired in ex- 

 actly the same manner as were the Maximite shells. The pierie acid 

 detonated with great violence, breaking the shell into small fragments. 

 This tesl determined the superior insensitiveness of Maximite, and its 

 absolute safety against even very severe shocks. 



in order to effectually detonate Maximite, it must he confined in a 

 w\\ strong steel shell, and set off with net less than 100 grains of 

 fulminate of mercury, reinforced with not less than 1,000 grains of 

 Mime form of picrate, dry guncotton or similar substance 



In tin' recent tests made by the British government upon the old 

 battleship, the "Belleisle," great havoc was found to have been wrought 

 by tin' Lyddite shells whenever they penetrate through the ship's side 

 at unprotected points, but all such shells which struck upon the armor 

 plate exploded on impact, and did no damage. Had Maximite shells 

 been used in this test, they would have passed through the armor plate 

 and exploded inside the vessel. 



Maximite is an entirely new chemical compound. Nothing like it, 

 to my knowledge, has ever before been produced. Its production is based 

 upon an entirely novel theory of detonation, which, together with the 

 formula for the material itself, is kept a Government secret. 



