48 



wind, oil being lighter than water ; in fact however the 

 result is quite the opposite of this presumptive proba- 

 bility, and the explanation is to be sought in the che- 

 mical analysis of oil. Oil is a combination in which is- 

 the element of carbon, but no hydrogen. Consequently,, 

 though the force of the wind remains the same, the ex- 

 plosive emission of hydrogen from the surface of the sea 

 ceases, and only the hydrogen freed in the air by its- 

 concussion breaks away into space with equal force. 

 The water, defended by its envelope of oil, falls to 

 exactly the extent answering to the real pressure of the 

 wind, minus the previous explosive power of the hy- 

 drogen liberated from the waves. 



The following details of explosive combinations of hy- 

 drogen gas will serve as a visible proof of the force o 

 its action in the nature of things. 



HYDROGEN EXPLOSIVES. 



Gunpowder (old) 2 KNO 3 -f SH 2 -j- 3 C. 



(contemporary): - 



Nitroglycerine C 3 H. (NO 8 ) 3 + CH 3 OH. 

 Pyroxeline C 24 H 29 O 3 (NO 3 ) 11 + CH 3 OH. 

 Dynamite CsH-, (NOa) 3 with additional matter. 

 Fulminating Mercury NHsHg. 



Silver (Bertholet) NHaAg. 



(nitrogenic) NH:>Ag. 



Nitroglycerine CsHs (NOa) 3. 

 Explosive pyroxeline C24H29Os (NOs) 11. 

 Pyroxeline (collodine) CzaHsoOio (NOs) 10. 

 Melinite GH 2 (NOs) 3 + NO. 



In a word the stronger the explosive the larger the- 

 constituent element of hydrogen, and one can affirm, 

 with confidence, that if only the chemical combination 

 Hico could be discovered, no limit could be set to such 

 a force on earth, and the inventor of such compound 

 would receive the homage of all countries in the world,, 

 for putting an end to the tyrannies of war. 



