1868. ] its Claims as a New Industrial Agent. 1§5 
struck with a hammer in the usual way it will not explode ; after 
the lapse of some time, however, the explosive state is induced, 
owing to the evaporation of the solvent liquid. 
Many interesting observations were also made on nitro-glycerine, 
both in the protected and explosive states, by a Royal Commission, 
appointed from the Engineer Corps of the Prussian army. They 
were made in the year 1866, at Glogau, in Silesia. One or two 
of the experiments may be mentioned. Protected nitro-glycerine 
was poured into a tin vessel, seven inches square and twelve inches 
high, and fired at with a breech-loading musket, from a distance 
of seventy feet, or thereabouts. At the first trial common, and at 
the second explosive, cartridges were used. When the ball struck 
there was no explosion in either case. “In order to ascertain its 
character of safety during transport, two conveyances of inexplosive 
nitro-glycerine were undertaken. The distance of the first tour, 
via Bauschwitz and Gurken, was about one German mile. The 
carts passed over macadamized roads, good and bad, and returned 
in about one hour. A tin bottle, containing 34 ounces of protected 
nitro-glycerine, was put into an old powder-box, and secured in 
such a manner as to admit of its movmg backwards and forwards 
without falling down; nor was it entirely filled. The powder-box 
was attached to the hind axle-tree of a waggon with racks. Every 
pace of the horses was tried without any explosion taking place. 
At the second trial four horses were put to an Austrian ammu- 
nition waggon. One pound of inexplosive nitro-glycerine was. put 
into this waggon, in a tin bottle, one-third empty, and the latter 
secured so as to allow it to move to and fro without falling down. 
This trip was somewhat longer, the cart going over about two 
German miles of ground. The cart was driven intentionally over 
the very worst parts of the road, and at the most rapid pace. On 
the road the bottle was inspected and was found -to leak at the 
mouth. By this means some blasting liquid had accumulated at 
the bottom of the waggon, which by evaporation must have become 
explosive. But, as even explosive nitro-glycerine does not explode 
on wood, when struck ever so hard with a hammer, the trial was 
continued. In order to ascertain finally whether a prolonged uni- 
form movement leads to a result different to that of violent shocks, 
the cart was driven from Bauschwitz to the scene of the experi- 
ments, about half a German mile, half of the road stone pavement, 
in a sharp but regular trot. No explosion took place,” * 
The transformation of protected into ordinary nitro-glycerine is 
effected by thoroughly agitating it with water, and allowing the 
mixture to settle for a short while. By this means the water dis- 
solves out the methyl-alcohol, and the mixture of spirit and water 
readily rises to the surface, in virtue of its low specific gravity, 
* Royal Prussian Commissioners’ ‘ Report.’ 
VOL. V. N 
