544 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



make use of gun-cotton, steeped in water, for the bursting of 

 shells. The shells are nearly filled with water, and then a few 

 skeins of wet gun-cotton inserted. In this state it has been 

 found impracticable to fire the explosive by any means yet 

 tried, save detonation; so that there is little danger to be 

 apprehended from the storage of shells thus loaded. When 

 exploded, the shell breaks up into numerous pieces, which 

 renders its discharge almost as effective as that of Shrapnel 

 shot. Professor Abel thinks the best method is to keep the 

 gun-cotton in the state of an impalpable pulp, with a suffi- 

 cient quantity of water to form a sort of liquid gun-cotton 

 mud. In this state it can be kept ready for use, with perfect 

 safety, the shells being charged as they are required with 

 even greater facility than they can be at present with gun- 

 powder. 3 A, June 14, 1873, 691. 



