20 



iVench for War 



Do. for Sportsmen 



Do. for Milling . 

 Chaptal's proportions 

 Chinese do. 



jVIr. Napier's . 



Thirdly, the composition is then sent to the gnnpowder-mill, which 

 consists of two ed^cstones of a calcareous nature, turning by means 

 of a shaft on a bedstone of the same natui-e, which gives no sparks, 

 as sandstones would be apt to do. On this bedstone the composi- 

 tion is spread, and moistened with as small a quantity of water as 

 will, in conjunction with the weight of the revolving stones, bring 

 it into a proper body of cake, but not o^ paste. When the cake has 

 been thoroughly incorporated, it is sent to the corning-house, where 

 a separate miU is employed to form the cake into grains of corn. 

 fourthly, here it is first pressed into a hard firm mass, then broken 

 into small lumps, after which the graining is executed by placing 

 these lumps in sieves, on each of which is laid a disc of lirjnum. vitce. 

 The sieves are made of parchment skins perforated^ with numerous 

 round holes. _ Several such sieves are fi^ed in a frame which, by 

 proper machinery, has such a motion given to it, as to make the 

 lignum vitcs runner in each sieve move round with considerable 

 velocity, so as to break the lumps of the cake, and force the sub- 

 stance through the sieves, formmg grains of several sizes. The 

 granular particles are afterwards separated from the finer dust by 

 proper sieves and reels. Fifthly, the corned powder is next 

 hardened, and the rougher edges taken off by being revolved in a 

 close reel or cask, turning rapidly on its axis. 'This vessel somcAvhat 

 resembles a barrel churn ; it should be only half full at each opera- 

 tion, and has frequently square bars inside, parallel to its axis, to 

 aid the polish by the attrition. Sixthly, the gunpowder is now 

 diied, which is done generally by a steam heat, or by transmitting 

 a body of air, sli^ghtly heated in another chamber over canvass 

 shelves, covered with the damp gunpowder."* 



There is a common-sense fitness in a man understanding the 

 general nature of the tiling he is daily using, and this is the reason 

 Avhy we have here gone into the manufacture of gunpowder so 

 minutely. The inquiry has a necessary connection likewise with 

 many otlier statements, which we shall have to make relative to the 

 use of this remarkable explosive compound. 



As to the relative size of the grains of powder to be used in 

 sporting amusements, there is now a considerable diversity of 

 opinion ; some affirming one thing, and some another. This ques- 

 tion cannot be definitely settled, unless we take into account the 

 nature of our gims, the purposes for which they ai'e made, the kind 



* Chemical Dictionarr. 



