104 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



ant on the use of this agent for warlike or sporting purposes. 

 Chemical News. 



NEW EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS. 



M. Henri Adrien Bonneville, of Paris, has secured provisional 

 protection for a new explosive compound. This invention relates 

 to the manufacture of a new and improved explosive compound 

 mixture by means of sulphate of lime and uric acid. These two 

 substances are allowed to ferment during 24 hours, or thereabouts, 

 and are then put into a recipient on a furnace, and subjected to an. 

 equal heat by placing at the bottom of the recipient a layer of sul- 

 phate of lime, about 5 inches thick, over which is poured a hfyer of 

 the uric acid about half an inch thick ; this latter substance becom- 

 ing absorbed, triturate whilst hot, and granulate. The sulphate of 

 lime, in its natural state, contains strontian ; but, should that used 

 be without, some should be added. 



A cheap gunpowder, in which charcoal is replaced by common, 

 glue, is thus prepared by M. Pool, of Delft. The glue or gelatine 

 is first soaked in cold water and then heated in diluted nitric acid 

 until it dissolves. It is next evaporated to dryness, redissolved 

 in hot water, and then carbonate of baryta is added to neutralize 

 the acid. The solution is again evaporated, 1 part of sulphur and 

 6 parts of nitrate of potash for every 2 parts of glue being incor- 

 porated as the evaporation proceeds. This gives a slow burning 

 powder, which may be rendered more energetic by replacing 

 nitrate by chlorate of potash. 



Dr. Borlinetto, of Padua, proposes a gunpowder composed of 

 10 parts of nitrate of potash, 10 parts of picric acid, and 8 

 parts of bichromate of potash. These must be separately reduced 

 to a very fine powder, and then intimately mixed. It is excellent 

 for sporting. A mixture of chlorate of potash 3 parts, and tan- 

 nic or gallic acid 1 part, was used as an explosive compound in 

 185<band 1862, by Mr. Horsley, of Cheltenham ; in 1865, a mixture 

 of chlorate of potash 82 parts, with powdered cutch 18 parts, by 

 JMr. Ehrhardt; in 1866, a similar discovery was again made in 

 Italy, all characterized by the great violence of the explosion 

 when together, but non-explosive when separated. 



"HALOXYLIN" NEW BLASTING POWDER. 



For some time past a new blasting compound "the novelty of 

 which, however, consists rather m the mode of manipulating the 

 materials than in the materials themselves has been extensively 

 used in the mines and quarries of the Austrian empire, under the 

 name of haloxylin, which appears to have given great satisfaction, 

 both from the quantity of work done and the manner of doing it. 

 It is one of those powders which has the property of merely burn- 

 ing away when in the open air, and yet exerting a great rending 

 force when properly confined in the blast hole ; while it is not 

 liable to ignite spontaneously, and cannot be exploded by percus- 

 sion or friction. The smoke resulting from the explosion is less 

 in volume than usual, and, in addition to this, it is free from the 



