1900. 1 



on Some Modern Explosives. 



335 



steel very much less than any other powder with which I experi- 

 mented, while its great disadvantage was due to the deliquescent 

 properties of ammonium nitrate necessitating the keeping of the 

 cartridges in air-tight cases. 



Next on the diagram comes B.N. or Blanche Nouvelle powder, 

 an explosive which, while free from wave action, is remarkable, as 

 you will note if you follow the curve, in developing a much higher 

 velocity than the other powders in the first few feet of motion, and 

 less in the later stages of expansion. 



Thus, if you compare this curve with the highest curve on the 

 diagram, that of the four-tenths cordite, you will note that the B.N. 

 curve for the first eight feet of motion is the higher, and that at 

 about eight feet the curves cross, the B.N. giving a final velocity of 

 2786 foot-seconds, or 500 feet below the cordite curve. 



Then follows ballistite, which, with much lower initial pressure, 

 gives a velocity of 2806 foot-seconds, or somewhat higher than that 

 of B.N. Then follow three different sizes of cordite, the highest of 

 which gives a muzzle velocity of 3281 foot-seconds, or a velocity 

 nearly double that of the early R.L.G 2 . 



In the somewhat formidable-looking table (Table III.) I have 

 placed on the wall, are exhibited the velocities and energies realised in a 

 6-inch gun with the various explosives I have named, and the table, 

 in addition, shows the velocities and energies in guns of the same 

 calibre but of 40, 50, and 75 calibres in length as well as in that 

 of 100 calibres. 



Table III. 



6-Inch Gun, 100 Calibres Long. 



Velocities and Energies realised with High Explosives. 

 Weight of Projectile 100 lbs. 



If you compare the results shown in the highest and lowest lines 

 of this table, that is, the results given by the highest and lowest 



