ELECTRICITY. 36: 



Tojirc Gunpowder by Electricity . 



In order to fire gunpowder by the Leyden phial, 

 make a small cartridge of paper, and fill it with 

 gunpowder, or else fill the tube of a quill with it, 

 and insert the pointed extremities of two wires in 

 it, so that their extremities within the powder may 

 be about one-fifth part of an inch from each other. 

 This done, send the charge of a Leyden phial 

 through those wires, and the gunpowder will be 

 fired. If the powder be mixed with steel filings, 

 the experiment will succeed even with a small 

 shock. 



If the gunpowder be placed loosely upon any 

 stand, and the interruption of the wire circuit be 

 made in it, on making the discharge of the jar, the 

 spark which takes place at the interruption will 

 scatter the gunpowder without firing it. But the 

 loose gunpowder may be fired, if the shock be 

 transmitted through less perfect conductors; in 

 which case the discharge being less sudden, or 

 rather proceeding in a stream, the powder will be 

 fired. The best method of performing this expe- 

 riment is that recommended by Cavallo, which is 

 as follows: 



F (Plate 21. fig. 4.), represents the gunpowder 

 placed upon the same table upon which the jar A 

 is situated. B is a glass tube about one foot long, 

 and a quarter of an inch in diameter, full of water, 

 and having two corks at its extremities. Into 

 these two corks two wires are thrust, the inner 

 extremities of which just touch the water, viz. the 

 short wire at F and the long wire C, which makes 



