DETONATION OF ACETYLENE. 



author made, together with Vieille, on mixtures of hydrogen 

 and other combustible gases with oxygen. It has in like 

 manner been shown that the great effectiveness of mercury 

 fulminate as a detonator is explained, not only by the rapidity 

 of decomposition in this body, but more particularly by the 

 enormous pressure which it develops when exploding in its 

 own volume, pressures far above those of all known bodies, 

 and which may, according to our tests, be estimated at over 

 27,000 kgms. per sq. cm. 



This led to the detonation being attempted of acetylene, 

 cyanogen, and arseniuretted hydrogen under the influence of 

 mercury fulminate, and the 

 trials were completely suc- 

 cessful. The following are 

 the details. 



4. Acetylene. Introduce 

 a certain volume of acety- 

 lene, from 20 c.c. to 25 

 c.c., for instance, into a 

 small test tube, E, the walls 

 of which should be very 

 thick. In the centre of the 

 gaseous mass place a small 

 cartridge, K, containing a 

 small quantity of fulmi- 

 nate (about O'l grm.), and 

 traversed by a very thin 

 metallic wire in contact at 

 the other end with the iron 

 fitting of the test glass, an 

 electric current will bring Pi 

 this wire to a red heat. 

 All this is supported by a 

 tube containing a second 

 wire fused into the tube, 

 and extending outwards as 

 far as F. The capillary 

 glass tube CO, in the form 

 of an inverted syphon, is 



Fig. 3. 



fixed into a plug D, which closes the test tube. 



Fig. 3 shows the system in readiness ; Fig. 4 shows the glass 

 tube provided with its inner wire. 



Fig. 5 shows the steel plug in its natural size, with the hole 

 T, into which the above-named cap is screwed. 



Fig. 6 gives in its natural size the steel cap P, through which 

 there is a passage for the tube, which is cemented into this cap 

 along with the second wire. 



This arrangement will permit of the test tube being filled 



