326 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



Gunpowder, Discovery of. It is gen- 

 erally conceded that gunpowder was used by 

 the Chinese as an explosive in prehistoric times. 

 When they first discovered or applied its power 

 as a propellent is less easily determined. There 

 is an account of a bamboo tube being used, 

 from which the " impetuous dart " was hurled 

 a distance of 100 feet ; this was at a very early 

 period, but it is difficult to say precisely when. 

 ft is alleged^ however, that in the century be- 

 fore the Christian era a cannon was employed 

 bearing the inscription, " I hurl death to the 

 traitor and extermination to the rebel." It 

 has also been asserted that India has equal 

 claims with China to the first acquaintance 

 with gunpowder. The ancient Sanskrit writ- 

 ings appear to point very plainly to the opera- 

 tion of some primitive sort of cannon, when, in 

 recording the wars of the Egyptian Hercules 

 in India, it is stated that the sages remained 

 unconcerned spectators of the attack on their 

 stronghold till an assault was attempted, when 

 they repulsed it with whirlwinds and thunders, 

 hurling destruction on the invaders ; and a 

 Greek historian of Alexander's campaign testi- 

 fied that the Hindoos had the means of dis- 

 charging flames and missiles on their enemies 

 from a distance. According to Meyer, the 

 preparation of gunpowder was described by 

 Julius Africanus, A. D. 215. In 1073 King 

 Solomon of Hungary bombarded Belgrade 

 with cannon, and in 1085 the ships of Tunis, 

 in the naval battle near Toledo, were said to 

 shoot "fiery thunder." All of which would 

 go to prove that the custom of ascribing the 

 discovery of gunpowder to Bertholdus 

 Schwartz in 1330, or even to Roger -Bacon in 

 1267, is open to considerable objection, al- 

 though these men probably introduced it in 

 European warfare. 



Gutta-Percha. The name "gutta-per- 

 cha" is Malayan, gutta signifying the concrete 

 juice of a plant, and perclia the name of the 

 particular tree from which it is obtained. It 

 is the dried milky juice of the tree which is 

 found in the peninsula of Malacca and the 

 Malayan Archipelago. Its use was first dis- 

 covered by Europeans about 1843. It is im- 

 ported in blocks and lumps of five- to ten 

 pounds weight in various forms, chiefly like 

 large cakes, or rounded into gourd-like lumps. 

 It has a cork-like appearance when cut, and a 

 peculiar cheese-like odor. Before it can be 

 used it has to undergo some preparation . This 

 consists in slicing the lumps into thin shav- 

 ings, which are placed in a deviling or tearing 

 machine revolving in a trough of hot water. 

 This reduces the shavings to exceedingly small 

 pieces, which, by the agitation of the tearing 

 teeth, are washed free from many impurities, 



especially fragments of the bark of the tree, 

 which, if not separated, would interfere with 

 the compactness of its texture. The small 

 fragments, when sufficiently cleansed, are 

 kneaded into masses, which are rolled several 

 times between heated cylinders, which press 

 out any air or water and render the mass 

 uniform in texture. It is then rolled between 

 heated steel rollers into sheets of various 

 thicknesses for use, or is formed into rods, 

 pipes for water or speaking tubes, and an end- 

 less number of other articles. The great value 

 of gutta-percha arises from the ease with which 

 it can be worked, and its being so complete a 

 non-conductor of electricity. It softens in 

 warm water, and can be molded into any form 

 in that state, as, when soft, it is not sticky, 

 and turns well out of molds. 



Hats and Caps. A covering for the 

 head was early adopted by the inhabitants of 

 northern climes, and was usually a hood made 

 of fur ; but it was not until the Phrygians 

 had" conquered Asia Minor that the people of 

 warmer latitudes wore any head-covering. The 

 Phrygians were the first to adopt the fashion, 

 and they did it in order to distinguish them- 

 selves from the conquered race with whom they 

 lived. Their head-dress was a small, close- 

 fitting cap, which was also soon adopted by 

 the Roman free citizens. In 1404 a Swiss 

 manufacturer of Paris invented the first hat. 



Hearse. The word "hearse, "or herse, 

 is of French origin, and means a harrow or 

 frame for setting candles in, and was originally 

 applied tp a bar or framework with upright 

 spikes for the reception of candles ; and it was 

 used at the ceremonies of the Church and at 

 funeral services. In the fifteenth and six- 

 teenth centuries hearses of great splendor came 

 into use, and were erected in the churches over 

 the bodies of distinguished personages. The 

 framework was of iron or brass, sometimes of 

 beautiful workmanship, square, octagonal, etc.. 

 in plan, with pillars at the angles, and arched 

 framework above forming a canopy. The 

 whole was hung over with rich cloths and em- 

 broidery, and lighted up with hundreds of wax 

 candles and decorated with wax images. From 

 this the transition to the modern hearse can 

 easily be traced. In Roman Catholic churches 

 of the present day the hearse still exists as a 

 triangle with spikes on which candles are 

 placed. 



Heliogfraphy. The idea of first convey- 

 ing signals by means of mirrors, which is the 

 meaning of heliography, is said to have been 

 employed by Alexander the Great, 333 B. C. 

 The heliostat, an instrument invented by a Hol- 

 lander early in the eighteenth century, and the 

 heliograph, invented by Mr. Mance in 1875, 





