1872.] Modern Cannon Powder. 65 
density of the finished powder is only 1°67. The surface is, 
however, very hard, and, being to a certain extent covered 
with a film of saltpetre, which is deposited by the moisture 
when the powder is dried, it is comparatively difficult to 
ignite ; when once inflamed it burns very rapidly, being light 
and porous, and in this respect is very like the pellet powder 
recommended in 1866, being particularly suitable for breech- 
loading guns. Though this pellet powder was decidedly a 
step in the right direction, as the strain upon our guns was 
considerably reduced by its use, it was only nominally 
adopted into the service in 1867, and was never issued either 
to our ships or batteries. The reason for this was that there 
existed no machinery for manufacturing a sufficient supply, 
and, while the necessary machinery was in preparation, the 
results of the experiments of the present Committee on 
Explosives* led to its abandonment in favour of ‘‘ Pebble” 
powder. 
This Committee was appointed in May, 1869, to enquire 
generally into the value of various explosive substances,— 
such as gun-cotton, nitro-glycerine, &c.,—in use, or pro- 
posed, for military purposes, and more particularly into the 
powder question, in which, through mismanagement rather 
than ignorance, we had fallen behind the rest of Europe. 
They at once entered on an extended series of experiments, 
with a view to the “determination of the description of 
gunpowder whose employment in large charges is attended 
with the least risk of overstraining the heavy guns” we now 
employ, and have rendered two Preliminary Reports on this 
subject.f From these it appears that no less than forty 
descriptions of British and foreign powders have been fired 
in large charges from heavy guns, out of which number four 
varieties were selected for further experiments. 
The guns used in these experiments are an 8-inch wrought- 
iron smooth bore of 63 tons, and a Io-inch gun of 18 tons: 
the latter was first used as a smooth bore, andafterwards rifled. 
The means employed by the Committee, in the investiga- 
tion of the action of the large charges fired from these 
guns, are very ingenious, and may be briefly described as 
follows :— 
* This Committee consists of the following :—President—Colonel Young- 
husband, R.A., F.R.S. Members—Captain Singer, R.N.; Major Haig, R.A., 
F.R.S.; Captain V. D. Majendie, R.A.; Captain Stoney, R.A.; Captain 
A. Noble, late R.A., F.R.S.; F. Abel, Esq., F.R.S. Secretary—Captain W. H. 
Noble, R.A. 
+ Preliminary Report of the Committee on Explosive Substances; printed 
- the War Office, February, 1870; and Progress Report of the same, January, 
1871. 
VOL. Il. (N.S.) K 
