178 DYSODILE 



' Special licenses for storing dynamite in magazines of approved construction nro 

 granted by the Homo Secretary : the quantity stored in any one magazine being never 

 more than five tons, unless with the authorisation of the officer of state. Important 

 conditions are laid down as regards the distance of the site of the proposed maga/im- 

 from buildings of various kinds. For instance, a magazine licensed for five tons oi' 

 dynamite may not be nearer to a royal palace, or the metropolis, as defined in the 

 Local Management Act of 1855, than three miles. It may not bo nearer than two 

 miles to any magazine belonging to the Crown, and containing gunpowder or any 

 other explosive. Then lesser distances, varying down to 200 yards, are stipulated for 

 in the case of any borough or market town, church, hospital, other magazine or store 

 for explosives, dwelling-house and factory, or workhouse (except with the consent in 

 writing of the occupier), school or charitable institution, highway, river or sea-wall, 

 canal or railway. But the limits as to distances may be lessened, however, in special 

 cases, if, in the opinion of the Government Inspector, the natural features of the site 

 selected admit of so doing without endangering the public safety. The authorities 

 desire it to be distinctly and clearly understood that, where an applicant to have a 

 magazine licensed is unable to comply with the conditions of the general license as to 

 distances, construction, &c., it is open to apply for a special license, which is in all 

 cases granted where the proposition appears to be one which can be safely acceded i<>. 

 For example, a person desirous of using dynamite finds that he is unable to erect the 

 necessary magazine at the required distance of 200 yards from a dwelling-house, 

 factory, &c. In this case it would bo for him to consider whether he should reduce 

 the quantity, or whether he should so construct or protect his magazine as to render 

 the full distances assigned in the general license unnecessary. It might happen that 

 a quantity of, say, a quarter of a ton, would answer all his purposes, and, in this case, 

 reduced distances would clearly be admissible. Again the full distances cf the general 

 license are not insisted upon when such protection is obtainable as is afforded by 

 burrowing into the earth, or into the face of a colliery or mine wasto heap, and pro'- 

 tecting by mounds, or traverses, &c.' 



See EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS ; GUN-COTTON ; NITROGLYCERINE. 



DYSODIIiE. A combustible mineral found in secondary limestone, at Melili, 

 near Syracuse, in Sicily. It is laminated and fragile, and has an argillaceous odour 

 when breathed on. It burns with a crackling noise, and considerable flame, with much 

 smoke, giving out a foetid smell, whence it has acquired the name of Stercus Diaboli or 

 Mcrda del Diavolo in Sicily. It is also found in some parts of France (Bristow, 

 ' Glossary of Mineralogy.') A kind of dysodile has been brought from the Mersey 

 river in Tasmania, and has been described by Prof. Church under the name of 

 Tasmanite. 



Tasmanite is a material of organic origin, found in Tasmania, described some- 

 times as resinferous or combustible shale ; it is distinctly laminated, the organic 

 matter, which occurs in scales, being disposed in planes parallel to the lamination, and 

 probably causing it. These scales are of a reddish-brown colour, and form from 

 30 to 40 per cent, of the rock. The average diameter of the discs is about '03 of an 

 inch, while their thickness at the centre is sometimes as much as '007. As none of 

 the ordinary solvents of resinoids seemed capable of dissolving out the carbonaceous 

 constituent of the mineral, the following plan of effecting the separation was adopted : 

 A large quantity of the mineral was crushed to a coarse powder, placed in a 

 Phillip's precipitating glass, and strong hydrochloric acid poured upon it. A trace of 

 carbonic anhydride was thus set free from the small quantity of carbonate of calcium 

 present, while the alumina and ferric oxide of the mineral were partly dissolved. 

 These actions break up the mineral, and the 'scales' mostly became disengaged and 

 floating, owing to the high gravity of the hydrochloric solution, which had been 

 further increased by the addition of chloride of calcium. The scales were collected 

 by a strainer, and repeatedly washed by decantation, the inorganic matter being 

 reduced to a minimum. The substance thus prepared presents such remarkable 

 distinct chemical and physical characters as to load to its receiving a distinct name. 

 When tasmanito is heated in the air it burns readily, with a very smoky flame ;md 

 offensive odour. Submitted to destructive distillation, it fuses partially, and yields 

 oily and solid products of a disagreeable smell, resembling the odour of Canadian 

 petroleum. Qualit-itive analysis of tasmanito showed it to contain a large quantity 

 of carbon and hydrogen, and a CODfiderable portion of sulphur. It was found im- 

 possible to free the specimens completely from mineral impurities, even with the most 

 careful mechanical treatment. The sulphur detected was an integral part of the 

 carbonaceoiis matter itself, and not owing to the presence of an inorganic sulphide or 

 sulphate ; this was proved in several ways, and was further confirmed by the observa- 

 tion that the more completely the mineral matter had been removed, the more sulphur 

 was found in the specimen of tasraanite operated upon. 



